Broken Hearts RX: Book II: Crestfallen (TAGALOG)

Chapter 6

Nabasag ang katahimikan sa Doctor’s quarters ng biglang kumatok si Kirbi, ang charge nurse ng Unit na pinagduduty-han niya. “Dok, tapos mo na po bang sulatan ang mga charts?” saad nito.

Nag-iisa na lang ang chart na hinahawakan ni Tristan. Yun ang Chart ng batang si Kristoff. He had to review all his medical history before he could give his clearance for surgery. “Oo, pasensya na. Nadistruct kasi ako eh.”

“Tungkol ba sa batang kamukha mo?” tanong pa nito. May hawig sa kanya si Kristoff at ramdam na ramdam din niya ang pananabik na makausap at makalaro ang bata.

Napangisi si Tristan at tinignan si Kirbi nang nakakaloko. Masyado kasi itong chismoso. Siguro naman laganap na sa buong hospital ang tungkol sa batang kamakailan lang ay nakalaro niya sa pedia word. Kailangan pa din kasi nilang tignan at iassess ang kaso ng mga batang dapat maoperahan kahit pa Internal Medicine pa ang forte niya.

It was the Hospital’s protocol with regards to cases such as Kristoff. Kahit pwedeng mabigyan ng clearance ng Pediatrician ang bata, they need the go signal of the internal Medicine department still. “Malamang branded na akong Fuckboy sa Chismis na yan.”

Humalakhak si Kirbi, “Nako Dok, wala akong sinabi ah? Galing sayo na yan.” Lumapit na ito sa lamesa kung saan nakalagay ang mga charts ng mga pasyente sa unit nila at isa isa na itong binuklat, making sure he had made orders for that day. “Actually ang balita ko single ang nanay nun. Doctor din pero sa probinsya nagpapractice. OB-Gyne ata yun.” Tinaasan niya ng kilay ang kanyang kaibigang nurse. Malamang sa Probinsya nila yun naka assign dahil ang tinatawag na Nanay ng batang iyon ay ang pangalawang asawa ng ama ni Tabitha. He was either a cousin of Tabi sa side ng ama niya or pamangkin ni Andrea sa side niya. “Ayun napapaisip ka ano? Siguro isa sa mga chicks mo nanay nun.”

“Well, nabanggit nga sa akin ni Kristoff na doctor din ang kanyang ina. And I am so sure that I would never get someone pregnant unless I want to.” Saad niya na seryoso dahil alam niya sa kanyang sarili na he was responsible when I comes to having s*x with someone. Madaming babae na siyang naikama but that’s all they were, bedmates. Hindi din kasi niyang ugali ang ikama ang isang babae more than once. Of course we was not as promiscuous as his cousin, but he was still male. At bigla siyang nanlamig na para bang binuhusan siya ng nagyeyelong tubig. Was that one of the reason why Tabitha broke up with him? Did she know about his lifestyle before he entered med school? Sa mga nakalipas na taon kasi just to endure his loneliness he would share his bed with other women, but not as often as he would when he was still traveling abroad.

Something happened with him and Tabi. f**k. Somehow he couldn’t remember if he was in his right mind when he made love to Tabitha. Ang tanging natatandaan lang niya noon was he took her virginity. Holy s**t. Bigla na lang siyang kinabahan at malamang nakita iyon ni Kirbi sa pagmumukha niya.

“Dok, Okay ka lang?” tanong pa nito sakanya na may pag-aalala. Tumango lamang siya bilang sagot. “Hindi ko alam kung makakatulong, pero yung mga nurses na obsessed sayo nag-uusap usap na kakarating lang daw ng nanay ni Kristoff kanina. At sinasabi pa nilang masyado pa itong bata. Parang kasing edad lang ni Brit.” Lalong tumindi ang pangamba niya. “You can go and meet them if you want to you know. Tapos ka din naman na sa mga kailangan mong gawin. After all you still need to clear him for surgery.” Sabi pa nito na lalong nagpatindi ng kagustihan niyang puntahan ang bata.

Kung tama ang hinala niya, she might have known about her pregnancy even before they broke things off. At alam din nitong may prinsipyo ang pamilya nila when it comes to getting a girl pregnant, kaya nga he was ever too careful with doing the deed with anyone else. Even with Britney he was so careful. He never really did it with Brit though. He was just satisfied with trying his luck of crossing the line with her. He never really insisted on it.

But with Tabitha everything was different. He wanted her to know his hunger for her until that fateful night. He was never careful with her. f**k! I was an asshole to her. She gave up her dignity to me and I did not even had a second thought of making sure if she was okay. He thought to himself as he stood up clasping Kristoff’s chart in his hand. “I need to go.” Yun lang ang nasabi niya sa kaibingan nurse na tumangu tangu nalang knowing him well enough. He wanted answers and the only person who can give it to him is Kristoff’s mom.

Naglakad siya patungo sa Surgery Wing ng hospital. He had this black look kaya naman umiiwas din ang mga nurses na kadalasang nagkakandarapang makausap siya. It was as if he was a lion stalking its prey. Nakita niya ang batang si Kristoff naglalaro sa garden ng surgery wing. May kasama siyang babaeng hindi katangkaran. The lady has her back on him as he walked towards the entrance of the garden pero alam na alam niya ang hugis ng katawang iyon. He was positive that the lady whom Kristoff calls Mama was Tabitha. And to think that he had a son he doesn’t know about makes him feel a little bit irritated.

She should have at least informed him about her pregnancy. At doon niya napagtanto kung bakit ganoon na lamang ang desisyon ng babaeng solohin ang kaniyang pagbubuntis. Four years ago he was a wreck. In a way alam niyang she was hoping her decision was for the best. But it wasn’t fair to exclude me from my son’s life. Nagulat siya sa naisip niyang iyon. He wanted Kristoff as a son. He wanted him to be his family. Nakita niyang palabas na sa garden ang mag-ina. Kinakarga ito ni Tabitha. Nagkataon ding paglabas nila ay lumiko na siya patungo sa direksyong papunta sa private roon ng bata.

Nakita siya ng bata at biglang lumiwanag ang mukha nito. “Maaaa!!” Kumakampay ito habang kinukuha ang attensyon ng ina niya. “Siya yung pogi oh!” Napangisi siya sa sinabing iyon ni Kristoff. He actually resembles him a lot, lalo na pagnakangiti ito. And looking at him makes Tristan calm. Kaya naman ng nagtama ang mga tingin nila ni Tabitha magkahalong surpresa at pagkatuwa ang bumalot sakanyang puso.

“Hi Kristoff. Sya ba ang Mama mong parati din nakasuot ng puti?” tanong niya sa batang tuwang tuwa naman tumango bilang pagtugon.

“Opo! Galing lang siya sa work. At sabi ni Nanay, pagod na pagod siya, kaya dapat daw good boy ako.” Nakangising kwento ng bata. Biglang hinawakan ni Kristoff ang mukha ng kaniyang ina at tumitig sa kaniyang mga mata. “Mama. Di ba sabi ko sayoPogi sya? Pero mas pogi ako di ba?” dinikit ng bata ng long niya sa ina at nagtitigan sila mata sa mata. At biglang may kung anung kumuroty sa puso niya. He’d been missing scenes like these all of Kristoff’s life. And he realized that he wanted that as well.

“Opo, maspogi ka. At love ka din ni mama.” Tabitha sneaked a glance at him while he was looking longingly to his son but he suddenly realized that he needed an explanation. No matter how hard it was for him not to succumb to the urge to kiss Tabi, he had to give her the straight face. He needed to have answers, and she's the only one that is able to give it.