My Poison Lover (Filipino)

Chapter 7

I felt something died inside me ever since. In spite of that, I kept performing my duties and responsibilities; that is to provide premium general healthcare to every patient to the best of my ability. After all like rest of the medical community, I'm not allowed to breakdown. Life goes on.

Fortunately, there aren't much accidents the following week. Although if any, those were only a few minor mishaps that aren't life-threatening, nothing like the car accident at all.

Natapos ko na ang rounds ko at nakapag-handoff na rin ako ng newly admitted patients sa ka-transition kong unit. My 17-hour duty ends here and I can now go home to Chubs.

Habang nagliligpit na ng mga gamit ko sa resident's work area, nag-vibrate bigla ang cellphone ko sa bulsa ng suot kong lab coat. I was mentally praying that it isn't an emergency on-call otherwise I would have to stick around here in the hospital for another 10 hours or so.

Nang i-check ko ang notification ay galing 'yon sa isang unknown number.

+63xxxxxxxxxx:

Susunduin kita. Stay where you are.

- Yvon

I have mixed emotions about this. Hindi nga trabaho pero init naman ng ulo.

I exasperatedly composed a reply with the voice in my head saying each words as I type. "Where on Earth did you get my number?"

Sinend ko 'yon at nagtipa uli ako ng isa pa. "You don't have to come fetch me today. Ilang araw mo na akong hinahatid-sundo dahil hindi pa gawa ang kotse ko. May cab naman kaya kaya ko na."

Hindi ko pa nabibitawan ang cellphone ko nang mag-ring 'yon dahil tumatawag na siya. Wala ako sa mood kaya binalik ko na lang 'yung phone sa bulsa ko at hindi na siya pinansin pa.

Paalis na ko ng hospital nang maabutan ko si Dr. Ivan sa hallway. Napalingon siya sa paglabas ko at nagliwanag ang mukha nang makita ako. Magiliw siyang ngumiti kahit pagod din sa magdamag na duty.

"Start ka pa lang?" tanong niya.

"No, pauwi na."

"Really? I wouldn't have guessed. 'Yung ganda mo parang papasok ka pa lang." he chuckled, taking his spectacles off and revealing the breathtaking visual of the man hailed as the resident hunk of Highland Medicenter.

"I could say the same to you, parang hindi ka pagod. If you choose to enter showbusiness, managers and network centers would've taken you any day."

"Tingin mo? Pag-isipan ko nga 'yan," biro niya.

He turned his back on me, gazing back at the list of volunteers for the medical mission he was looking at before I arrived. Dinaluhan ko siya at tiningnan din 'yon. The 2-pages compilation were stapled and the whole thing was plastered to the bulletin board just outside the resident's work area.

"Marami na rin palang nag-sign para rito." komento ko, tiningnan pa 'yung listahan maigi. "And most of it are nurses and junior residents."

"Hindi ka pa ba nakakapag-decide?" he asked.

"I haven't given it a thought yet."

His arms stopped cheerily swinging from the sides. He kept it steady on the back instead, locking his hands together with one holding the other one's wrist.

"Akala naming lahat ikaw ang mauuna sa listahan na 'yan. Si Dr. Henderson nasa Mongolia na kasama ang team niya. I thought you wanted to follow her footsteps?" he queried.

"Lucille is a natural. Pinasok niya ang larangan ng medisina na buo ang loob samantalang ako sumunod lang sa kanya for bragging rights. I'm still lacking, for that very reason I can't keep up with her."

"Don't say that."

"Marami pa kong kailangang matutunan kaya dito na lang ako."

"Siguro nga mali ang naging driving force mo pero ito ang bokasyon mo ngayon dahil dito ka dinala ng kapalaran. Sumama ka na, magsa-sign tayo." pilit niya.

"No, field work is tricky. Baka magkamali lang ako at mailagay ang mga pasyente sa alanganin. I'm better off here in the hospital setting where the medical equipment and apparatuses are within hand's reach."

"Wait, are you actually doubting yourself? Ang dami mo nang nagawa at magagawa pa para sa iba, Doc. 'Wag mong limitahan ang sarili mo sa ilang pagkakamali."

"I just don't want to miscalculate anything out there." Nanumbalik sa isip ko ang itsura ni Kevin, mariin akong napapikit.

"There's no growth nor gain in playing it safe. Aren't we supposed to reach out for those who are in need?" he pushed through.

"Pwede mong gawin 'yan doon at ako dito." pinal kong sagot.

"Hindi ka dapat nag-iisip ng ganyan," a soft angelic voice joined the conversation.

Ivan and I are surprised to see Dra. Noelle standing behind us. I would understand it if she too was checking the list of volunteers but no, she's here eyeing me disapprovingly. Kung hindi lang siya baby face at mas maliit pa sa'min, baka mas naging nakakatakot pa siya.

"G-Good morning, Doc." bati ni Ivan sa radiologist na hindi man lang siya pinansin.

"You said it yourself in a TV interview before," Noelle spoke to me for the very first time in 2 years. "40% ng mga taong may karamdaman ay nasa ospital. The rest of them are out there, either they don't have the means to get themselves checked or they live in places far from hospital access."

"I did say that, Doc. Kaya nga kayo pupunta ro'n, isn't that right? Kailangan ding may maiwan dito at isa ako ro'n."

"No, don't you dare not be a part of it."

Pinandilatan ako ni Dr. Ivan na kinakabahan na sa'min ni Noelle. Sinimangutan ko siya pabalik dahil hindi ko maintindihan kung anong gusto niya iparating. Binalingan ko uli ang doktora.

"It was called a 'volunteer work' because it's not compulsory, Doc. Noelle. Pwede kayong sumama at ako pwedeng hindi. What seems to be the problem?" kompronta ko sa kanya.

"You. Bakit ngayon ka pa naduwag?"

My mouth opened agape. "Excuse me?"

"What caused that change? That kid sa motorcycle accident?"

Napatulala ako sa kanya. Mailap siya at tahimik pero hindi ko akalain na siya pa ang makakapansin ng naging pagbabago sa'kin. To think that she wasn't even on duty when Kevin's mom was here, how could she know this much?

We all thought Noelle was a snob but turns out that she looks out for her colleagues more than Chief Resident Adriel or any of us does altogether.

"Dr. Montalvo, you might not have gone out on medical relief trips yet but you inspire the masses to live healthier and you inform them how to. 'Yan ang kailangan ng mga Pilipino— awareness. And you brought that to them. Don't you chicken out now."

I nodded like a child being lectured by her mom. I didn't know Doc. Noelle is this intense and kind.

I SLAMMED my bag onto the table of the coffee shop, annoyed at Yvon fetching me for the 5th time when I kept telling him not to. Napatingin sa'kin ang ibang customers na kung hindi businessmen galing sa kalapit na corporate office buildings ay students naman ng mga sikat na universities dito.

"Wag ka na magalit. It's not like you have someone else to date. If you have spare time just waste it on me," Yvon bluntly said, pulling the chair away from the table so he can offer it as my seat.

Narinig siya ng ibang customers na mapanukso kaming pinagbulungan. Lalo lang uminit ang ulo ko sa kanya.

"Can't you keep it down? You're too loud para kang hindi lalaki." I shushed.

"Don't mind them. Sa'yo lang ang atensyon ng baklang 'to."

Napatili sa kilig ang mga senior high at college student na nakikiusyoso. Walang mapaglayan ang hiya ko, kararating lang namin pero gusto ko na agad kaladkarin si Yvon palabas.

"I'm serious, Helix. Hindi ka sigurado na wala akong nakaka-date. Hindi mo naman ako kilala kaya kung ayaw mong iwan kita dito matuto kang pumirmi."

He clicked his tongue. "Meron nga ba? Kapag 'yan mukhang libag 'pag tinabi sa'kin itago mo na lang 'yan sa baul ng nanay mo."

"Eh, ano kung mukhang libag kung disente naman?"

"Disente naman ako. Ano bang tingin mo sa'kin holdaper?"

"Manyak."

Pinagtawanan siya ng customers na nakagiliwan na kaming subaybayan. That doesn't seem to affect him though. Taas noo siyang sumandal sa kinauupuan habang pinamumulahan ng tainga.

"Just so we're clear, there is no shame simping for a woman like you, Calixta. Hindi ako nahihiya na gusto kita."

Nabingi ako sa hiyawan ng mga tao sa coffee shop na akala mo ay nakakita ng knockout punch ni Manny Pacquiao sa sobrang ingay. How is this a good show for them?!

"Go na, Doc! Sagutin mo na si Kuya!"

"OMG si Doctor Montalvo pala 'yan. May boyfriend pala siya?!"

I can't believe that some of them recognized me and it spread like disease to everyone in the shop. Tumayo ako at hinatak na si Yvon paalis sa lugar bago pa lumaki ang usapan na may boyfriend ako. Nagpahila siya hanggang sa parking space kung saan ko siya sinermonan.

"Sumama lang ako sa'yo dahil sabi mo pipilayan mo ang kabilang braso mo kapag hindi ako pumayag. This will never happen again! Doktor ako at ang oras ko para magpahinga ay kasing importante rin ng oras ko sa trabaho."

"Ang hirap mong i-please. Hindi ka makikipagkita sa'kin unless it's a medical emergency. Masisisi mo ba ako kung ang pagkakaro'n lang ng sakit ang naisip kong paraan para mapansin mo?"

"Hindi pa nga magaling ang left arm mo! Bakit hindi ka na lang bumalik para natitingnan ko 'yan?" nauubusan na ng pasensya kong suhestiyon.

Naupos ang iritasyon sa mukha niya at biglang kumislap ang mga mata. Huli na nang ma-realize ko na mali ako ng nagawa. Darn it, hindi ko dapat 'yon sinabi!

"Wag mo kong pupuntahan araw-araw sinasabi ko sa'yo, Yvon."

His chin tilted, responding with a sexy smirk on his lips.