Chapter 2: Cheers

"Ate, Kailan ka ba babalik dito? I miss you, It's been years already." A wake-up call got me woken up.

"Layah, I'm busy. Nagkita naman na tayo, diba?"

"Yes, Ate. Five years ago, nagkita na tayo at tsaka tumakas lang ako sa bakasyon namin noon habang nasa America kami. But what about now?"

"I will make time, okay? Magkikita tayo but maybe not now. I'm busy with work, Layah."

"I'll wait for that, Ate. By the way, I'm graduating next week, Baka gusto mo pumunta so I'll message you the details."

Nakakaramdam ako ng pagsisisi para sa kapatid ko. It's been nine years since I went home. Naalala ko na labing-pitong gulang lang ako nang umalis ako sa aming bahay. At ngayon, I'm twenty-six.

Kamusta na kaya sila Mama at Papa? Mabuti kaya sila? Do they ever wonder kung nasaan ako? Naaalala pa kaya nila ako? Kilala pa kaya nila ako?

"Doctor Faye Andrada, You have a patient here in the hospital. We need you to see the patient urgently." Isang tawag ang natanggap ko sa ospital.

"I'll be there in five."

Naligo na agad ako at nagbihis. Isang puting sleeveless at black pencil skirt. Dinala ko na rin ang bag kong naglalaman ng mga importante apparatus ko na dinadala sa ospital.

"Where is the patient?" Tanong ko sa isang intern.

"In Room 706, Doctor."

Habang naglalakad ako ay sinuot ko ang lab coat ko na may tatak ng aking pangalan sa kaliwang bahagi ng aking dibdib.

Doctor Faye Andrada MD

Neurosurgeon

Nabasa ko ang resulta ng lab works. He is shot in the head during a police operation. He is the medic but he was the one who took the shot.

"What's the name of the patient?" Tanong ko sa kasama kong intern.

"Wilson Merritt, Doctor."

"What?" Hindi ko alam bakit may malakas ng kumabog sa dibdib ko.

Wilson....

"Faye? Hija?" Isang matandang babae ang yumakap sa akin.

"T-Tita Corazon?"

"Please help my son, Faye. He needs your help. He has to live, Faye."

"I will do everything, Tita. Please, I have to check him." Kumawala ako sa kanyang yakap.

Hindi ako pwedeng maging emosyonal ngayon. Kailangan maging propesyonal dahil trabaho ko ito. In fact, I must not feel anything right now. Dapat pasyente ko na lang siya ngayon, dahil tatlong taon na ang nakalipas simula nang naghiwalay kami.

"Mrs. Merrit, the patient is on a hemorrhagic stroke. It is caused by intracerebral hemorrhage that is a type of hemorrhagic stroke.

"Please explain it to me, Faye." Sabi ni Tito Mike.

"Intercerebral hemorrhage is a bleeding that occurs inside the brain. It happened because of the gunshot that penetrated wounds then it eventually damaged the arteries that caused it to bleed. That caused the patient to have Hemorrhagic Stroke."

"Our Son, Mike." Umiyak si Tita Corazon sa balikat ng kanyang mister.

"That is the reason the patient is unable to move and there is numbness on his arms. My interns also reported that he had seizures."

"W-What should we do, Faye? Anong makakatulong sa anak namin?"

"Right now, We just have to wait for the bleeding to stop and lower his blood pressure."

"So, We are only going to sit here and wait for what's gonna happen?" Isang ibang boses ang nagsalita.

"Mister Hugo Merritt, We cannot perform any surgeries on the patient if the bleeding has not completely stopped. We have to control the bleeding and reduce the pressure as well on his brain. Then we'll see if he can get the surgery."

"How can you assure us that my brother here will survive?" Tanong ni Hugo na Kuya ni Wilson.

"I will be honest here. The survival rate after hemorrhagic stroke is 26.7 percent. But since Wilson is a younger patient and I know he has good and healthy lifestyle, I know he'll survive but of course with the medications."

"Do everything you have to do, Faye. We trust you."

"Yes, Ma'am. Excuse me, I'll have to tell my interns the procedure." Lumabas na ako sa intensive care unit at doon lang ako naka-hinga ng maluwag.

I felt a little claustrophobic when I was inside the room with the family of my ex-fiancé. The family that I was with for five years.

"Give anti-convulsants to the patient and anti-hypertensives. I want the patient checked and monitored every hour. See if there is positive or negative changes on his conditions. Also give the patient osmotic diuretics."

"Yes, Doc." Then they left my clinic.

This is one of the few cases na nahawakan ko na ganito ang nangyari sa pasyente. Madalas ay aneurysm, stroke, and head trauma.

"Doctor Andrada, There is a man who wants to speak with you."

"Let him in." Alam ko naman na si Hugo ito. Ang isa sa kontrabida sa relasyon namin noon ni Wilson.

Nang makapasok siya ay naupo naman ako sa aking swivel chair. Tumayo siya sa harapan ko.

"What do you need, Sir?" I asked.

"I want to tell you that if something happens to my broth—"

"Stop right there, Hugo! I know and you know out of all people that we didn't end well but I will never do anything to harm the life of my patient no matter how bad our past was. You don't question what I do if you don't know any of it. Leave it to me dahil ako ang neurosurgeon ni Wilson. And you are just his brother that is paying for his bills and I am the one in charge of him. So shut up now or i'll give your brother to another doctor."

I left the room and removed my lab coat. Hawak hawak ko ang stress ball na binigay sa akin ni Layah noon nang bumisita sila dito sa America. Si Layah lang ang nakita ko pero sila Mama at Papa ay hindi.

Imbes na hayaan ko na naman si Hugo na bwisitin ako tulad ng dati ay kumain na lang ako ng tanghalian dahil hindi pa ako nakakakain.

Pumunta ako sa kalapit na restaurant sa ospital na nasa loob ng hotel. Rib-eye steak at lemongrass iced tea ang inorder ko.

"Would that be all, Ma'am?" The waiter asked.

"Yes, Thank You."

Habang nag-hihintay sa pagkain ko ay binasa ko ang kaso ni Wilson. Gusto kong matutukan ito hindi dahil dati ko siyang kasintahan pero dahil ganito rin ako sa iba kong pasyente.

"Can I sit here?" Isang baritonong boses ang humarap sa akin.

"Huwag kang uupo kung iinsultuhin mo lang ako."

"I won't." At tsaka sa umupo ng komportable.

"Order anything." Walang emosyon kong sabi sa kanya.

"Lamb steak, Medium rare and Red Wine." Sabi niya sa kalapit na waiter.

"Look, Faye. I'm sorry I was an ass."

"You are always an ass, Hugo. I'm used to it."

"Look, I'm sorry I was just worried with my brother. I know this has nothing do with your relationship before with Wilson but I brought it up so I'm sorry."

"Good thing you know, Hugo."

"So as a forgiveness gift, Order what you want, it's all on me."

"One bottle of french red wine." I smiled.

"Cheers to us being friends?" He rose his glass.

"Cheers, Hugo."