CHAPTER 1: THE PROPOSAL
1284 Words
"Nurse, nurse!" a pregnant woman who was in the labor room shouted many times.
Mia immediately approached the woman. She’s the one in charge in the delivery room right now.
"What are you, how long do you intend to make me wait here? I'm telling you it hurts and the pain is intense already!” she shouted in her face again.
"Ah, okay, ma'am, lie down first and I'll take a look," she said kindly while putting oil on the gloves she was wearing. Even though she hasn't seen the real pain of labor on the woman’s face yet, she just let it go. She also doesn't want to stress the woman because she is pregnant and about to give birth.
"No, Ma'am, you're only 4 cm. You need to walk around again or squat maybe to increase your centimeter." she said calmly while adjusting the woman's hospital gown.
"What?! still 4cm? Are you kidding me, huh? I have been here since yesterday and then you will say that my cm is not increasing!" she yelled at her again.
"I told you yesterday, ma’am, you can still go home."
"Why, how do you know more than me, I'm the one who feels like I'm about to give birth."
"Go ahead, Ma'am. Keep walking so you can give birth a little later." She was still trying to smile at the woman even though the truth was that she was disgusted by the veil of her mouth.
"No, I don't want to walk around. You are the nurse, why don't you make a way to increase my cm? We will pay this hospital properly so do your job. You don’t have to order me everytime!"
"Excuse me, ma'am."
Mia was surprised by the arrival of Lourdes, her fellow nurse. She is also her friend because they were interns at the same hospital and worked there together.
“Oh, why are you here already? You just have a break, right?"
But Lourdes just smiled at her and then put her aside.
"Just a moment," Lourdes said, then addressed the pregnant woman.
"Ma'am, you know, you have been here since yesterday, right." Lourdes said in a cold tone. Mia was nervous. She knows her friend. She is patient but has a limit.
"I know, right? I must have my baby now if you all help me instead of ordering me around! What’s the sense of having a nurse here, eh?" the woman asked arrogantly.
"Oh, I’m so sorry about that, you are not the only patient here, you know. Look at the others, they are what we called the responsible mother. Unlike you, you don't want to help yourself and then you complain about why it took so long for your cm to increase?” Lourdes mouth was unstoppable.
“It’s your job to help me!” replied the woman in a frustrated tone.
“You’re right, we can refer you to have a cesarean section right now.” Lourdes answered.
Mia smiled secretly. She saw the trace of fear on the woman's face.
"Well, you can't do that to me without my consent or my husband's." She said in bold language.
"Really, Ma'am? You know what, we can. Especially if we say you're overdue and your baby's water has run out because you're too lazy to walk." Lourdes said confidently.
"Are you being serious right now?" Woman’s voice began to shake.
Lourdes nodded her head while raising her eyebrows several times. Somehow, the woman seems to be alarmed.
"N-no, please. Don't cut my stomach open! I can't go back to modeling if my belly has a scar. Alright, I'll walk and squat if that's what I need to do. I just want to give birth normally." She almost pushed them away then quickly stood up.
Lourdes and Mia couldn't help but shake their heads, they just didn't expect the woman’s reason for not wanting to have the cesarean section. It seems that a woman's career is more important than her child’s safety.
"Anyway, Mia. You wanna know the reason why I came back early?"
"Yes, why?"
"The hospital director is calling you to his office."
Mia's mouth fell open at what she heard. Suddenly, she felt nervous.
"H-huh, why? Did I do something wrong?”
Lourdes just shrugged her shoulders, "That, I don't know, maybe it’s not that bad. Stop being negative! Now go to his office and be confident, okay?"
Even if she wanted to calm down, she couldn't. Their director doesn't call them unless it's about patients' complaints.
Mia's chest started to pound hard while in front of Duke Montemayor’s office- their hospital director. She knows how rude and strict he is. She blew a deep breath and then started knocking on the door.
"Come in," answered a baritone voice from inside.
She gently turned the door knob and entered. The intensity of the air conditioner greeted her. She also wanted to sneeze because the cold felt like it was stinging her nose. She couldn't help but hold her nose and rub it.
"Yeah man, she's here by the way. Oh, no, I'll just call you later. Okay.”
That's the scene she reached inside, Duke is talking on the phone and it seems that he even mentions her. She felt more terrified, she can't be suspended from work especially now that her family needed her, she can't be fired!
"You're here. Come, sit down.” He seriously ordered her.
Mia didn't know if it was because of the cold inside Duke's office that she was shivering or because she was afraid of what the Director would say. She slowly sat across from his table and clasped her hands together.
"So, Mia. there's a person who-"
Before Duke finished, Mia quickly grabbed his hands that were resting on the table. Even if she kneels or begs for him, she will do it, just for her to have another chance and not give her even a suspension.
“Sir, please. Don't suspend me, I beg you. I need a job now. Whatever the problem is, let me talk to the complainant and I will apologize to them until they forgive me." Mia almost cried while asking the man in front of her.
Duke couldn’t help but draw a silly smile on his face, he took back his hands that Mia was holding tightly. "What are you talking about, Mia? Did you think I called you because someone complained about you?" he asked her with a little laugh.
She frowned. "W-why, Sir, Isn't it about that?"
"Of course not!" Duke replied with a smile.
Mia seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when she heard that. It was only then that she felt ashamed of what she did to the person she was talking to. She bit her lip and bowed her head.
"S-sorry."
"Well, it's ok. Anyway, do you want to be a rich man's private nurse? I know your situation now and I recommended you to my friend. Don't worry, he will pay you triple your monthly salary here, plus you still have a daily allowance."
Mia blinked, trying to figure out if she was hearing right.
"A-are you serious, Sir? Is it true?"
Duke's white teeth reappeared then nodded.
"You know, it's not easy to take care of Liam. That man is rude and impoverished."
"No, there is no problem with bad behavior, S-sir. I can put up with that." She happily exclaimed. If she couldn't hold back, she would hug their director with so much joy.
"I know. That's why I chose you, Mia. I know you can handle Liam's behavior. I hope you can help him." Duke said in a meaningful voice..
- Writer
