Hanggang sa Huli

8

~ NOVEMBER ~

Anntonia stays in Bangkok longer than Michelle did in Palawan. When it was time for her flight home, Michelle rents another car service to pick Anntonia up from the airport and she waits for her diligently at home after setting up her belated birthday surprise with the help of Rhian and Ate Irma. 

She can hear the front door opening and Rhian greeting Anntonia in the hallway while she giddily waits in the kitchen.

"You probably had dinner on the plane, but I baked some cookies earlier, I put some out for you in the kitchen," she hears Rhian say to Anntonia just as they planned. 

"I'm actually full but I wouldn't say no to your cookies, of course, thank you," Anntonia says. Predictable. Her girlfriend can't say no to cookies and at the same time is too pure-hearted to decline an offer of something someone else has put effort into doing. It was kind of like why she keeps on eating sinigang with a smile on her face for Michelle just because it's Michelle's favorite.

There were no cookies baked by Rhian, of course. There was just her and the birthday banners and streamers that were all otter themed. It was childish, she admits, but the surprised look on Anntonia's face as she sees the decorations as soon as she enters the kitchen area was all worth being judged by Ate Irma earlier- Ms. Michelle, di ba parang pang bata ito masyado? 

"Package delivered, mission accomplished, honey," Rhian says from the door with a thumbs up. 

"Thanks, wifey," she gives Rhian a thumbs up back before Rhian leaves them alone. 

She's momentarily distracted by Anntonia's adorable surprised look before she remembers the party popper she was holding and pulls on the string. After the confetti settles down a bit, she says her greeting, though a few days late, out loud. "Happy birthday, my little otter Ann!"

Anntonia smiles, her shy smile, the one that always makes Michelle smile back in return, and that she does as Anntonia walks closer and closer towards her.

"You didn't have to do this," Anntonia tells her as she finally reaches her and Michelle's arms finds their place on her hips. 

"I want to," she counters.

"You already surprised me with the flowers and your gift even from overseas."

"Are you wearing it?" she asks with a grin as her eyes go down to Anntonia's neck.

"Yeah," Anntonia nods as she pulls the vintage Van Cleef Alhambra necklace from under her shirt. 

"Look, we're matchy matchy," she pulls on her own necklace that she also bought to show her. "You get the white one and I get the black, Yin and Yang."

"Hmm," Anntonia hums as she lets go of her own necklace and takes Michelle's and carefully thumbs it. "I think the white one's supposed to be the masculine one in Ying and Yang, baby."

"Oh?" she says in surprise, not really researching it before hand. "Should we switch then? I mean, I am the daddy."

"Black's more your thing though," Anntonia tells her. She lets go of her hold on Michelle's necklace and goes back to the one on her own neck. "It's nice though, I mean, if you're supposed to be the white one, then that means I have you with me always when I'm wearing this."

"You don't have to wear it to have me, you always have me."

"Charmer," Anntonia whispers as her head find its favorite spot on Michelle's shoulder.