Chapter Four

Doctor

The family dinner went well. Although Yessa was rather a bit quiet, but it's fine. Nag-uusap lang ang mga magulang namin ng tungkol sa hospital at mga pasyente dahil kapwa rin mga doctors. At sinasali rin ako sa usapan ng mga magulang namin kaya naman sumasagot din ako. While she wouldn't talk that much unless when she's asked about a few basic things by my mom. She was also polite to my mother. And I think that was enough for me.

"Uh, Leo, why don't you show Yessa to our garden?" Bumaling sa akin si Mommy at ngumiti.

Tumango naman ako at nakita kong tiningnan din ng Mommy niya si Yessa. And then she nodded at her and went with me.

Tapos na kaming mag-dinner and the adults would just have tea inside. While my Mom had been always proud of her pretty garden na maliwanag kahit na sa gabi dahil sa dami ng mga ilaw dito. At nandoon na rin malapit ang malaking pool din namin sa bahay.

We were both quiet at first and it was beginning to feel awkward for me. So I started talking to her. At halos mapakamot pa ako sa likod ng ulo ko dahil hindi ko na yata alam kung paano pumorma, since I've been single for the longest time now.

"Uh, so... you're also a doctor?" I asked her.

Bumaling naman siya sa akin. We're already in the middle of the garden. At sa liwanag din ng mga ilaw doon ay nakita ko ang ganda ng mukha niya. Yes, she's also got a really pretty face. She's also a beauty. I think no one could deny that. "Still in training..." She said.

Tumango naman ako. I, too, just finished with my three years residency not so long ago. "Which hospital?" Napatanong ako sa kaniya.

She looked at me. At nagtagal ang tingin niya sa akin. That it almost made me feel awkward yet again.

"Uh..."

"Dela Cuesta Medical Hospital." She answered.

And my eyes widened at that. "Really?" I couldn't believe it. We work in the same hospital. But maybe not the same building? Dahil hindi ko pa siya noon nakikita.

"I always see you at the hospital, doc." She rather said.

And my lips parted while I looked at her. "Really..." I almost didn't know what to say next. Because I'm sure that I haven't seen her before. But she already did saw me at the hospital.

Na-awkward na lang muli ako at hindi ko na naman alam ang sasabihin ko. Nangangalawang na yata ang utak ko pagdating sa ganito. Pero buti na lang ay nagsalita naman muli si Yessa.

"I saw you at the hospital... When I first started with my residency at the Dela Cuesta Medical, people and staff were always talking about you. The doctors and nurses, and even the patients. They were all telling praises about you." She said.

At nanlaki lang muli ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya. We're really working in the same hospital? Kung sa bagay ay sobrang laki rin ng Dela Cuesta Medical. Although I kind of thought just a while ago that maybe she's assigned to another Dela Cuesta Hospital dahil hindi lang naman ito nag-iisa. But we're really talking about the same hospital here. Nakakahiya naman na hindi ko pa siya nakikita dati, o napansin... I was always so busy with my patients and work at the hospital, I guess.

Umiling naman ako sa kaniya at ngumiti na lang din. Marami pang ibang magagaling na doctors sa Dela Cuesta Medical Hospital. "I don't think so, uh, I mean, maybe I'm just the patients favorite..." I said, a bit awkwardly.

She was still looking at me. "That's true, too. You were very helpful at the hospital. I always see you around. You help everyone there." She said.

And I just awkwardly smiled a bit at her and just nodded my head. I think I was just being a bit shy now... I almost sighed to myself.

"Anyway, do you know why we're here now?" She looked away after saying that.

Medyo natigilan naman ako sa tanong niya.

"I think it's obvious that our parents are just trying to pair us?" Tumingin siya sa akin uli pagkatapos.

At unti-unti naman akong tumango. "I'm sorry about my Mom... But you can always say no to this." I told her.

Even if my mom took a liking on her, I believe we also wouldn't force her. No one should force her to do anything that she doesn't like to do. Ayaw ko na baka mapilitan lang din siya rito. And it's just our parents who wants this...

Tumingin siya sa 'kin. "Ikaw rin ba?"

"Uh?"

Umiling siya ay nagbuntong-hininga. "It's fine... I guess, for now..." She said that I almost didn't get...

But I didn't got to ask her another question when one of our maids already called us, at uuwi na raw pala sina Yessa. Nagtagal na rin pala kami roon sa garden.

And as soon as the guests left, my mom just looked happy and she asked me if I enjoyed my little timer spent with Yessa at the garden earlier.

Tumango naman ako kay Mommy.

And she smiled more widely at me. "You should ask her on a date, hijo." She told me.

At muli na lang naman akong tumango kay Mommy.

I couldn't believe it that I really didn't see her before here at the hospital? Or maybe I just wasn't really paying that much attention. At bago pa lang din naman siyang nagsimula sa residency niya rito. And the next day that I was at the Dela Cuesta Medical Hospital I tried to just kind of looked for her there...

And I did saw her. Nandoon nga siya at abala sa instructions ng senior doctor sa kanila ng mga kasama niya rin na doctors in training. Yessa is also a few years younger than me.

At nang makita ko na napatingin na rin siya sa direction ko ay nag-iwas pa ako ng tingin at nagkunwari na hindi ko na naman siya nakita rito sa hospital. What the? I could just smile at her a little and maybe say a bit of my hello, too? Since we were already introduced to each other just last night. Pero ano itong ginagawa ko ngayon? I feel like a high school boy who got freaking shy when his crush had noticed him looking... What the? Really? What is wrong with you, Leo...

I sighed to myself.

Pagkatapos nang may makita akong pasyente na nasa wheelchair ay tumulong na lang din ako sa pagtutulak noon sa kung saan man sila pupunta ng kasama niyang nurse.

"Thank you, Doctor Madrigal." The nurse smiled at me.

Tumango lang din ako at ngumiti.

"I saw you again today, doctor."

I almost jumped from where I stood and when suddenly Yessa was already standing there next to me. I was at the nurses' station at may kinuha lang din ako roon para sa isang patient ko na currently ay naka-admit ngayon dito sa hospital.

"Uh, Yessa... I mean, Doctor Sison..." I almost panicked just to greet her.

Tumango naman siya sa akin. "Doctor Leonard Madrigal..."

Natigilan kami sandali sa pag-uusap dahil hinarap ko pa 'yong isang nurse doon. At pagkatapos kong makuha ang kailangan ko ay tumalikod na rin ako para umalis pagkatapos din magpasalamat. Sumunod naman sa akin si Yessa at naglakad din sa tabi ko.

"Uh, you're here? I mean, not busy?"

"May pinuntahan lang din ako sa floor na 'to." She said.

Tumango lang naman ako. At tiningnan iyong dala ko na mga papers about sa results ng laboratory tests ng isang batang pasyente ko. Naiwan lang kasi ito kanina roon sa nurses' station dahil nag-lunch din muna ako sandali sa cafe sa baba.

"So, uh, you're a Pediatrician, right?"

Tumingin muli ako kay Yessa na naglalakad din sa tabi ko at tumango ako sa tanong niya. "Yes..."

"You like kids?" Bahagya siyang ngumiti sa akin.

Tumango naman ako at napangiti na rin sa kaniya. "I do like taking care of the patients in general... But, yes, I also do like kids. They're just so cute." I said, smiling a bit sheepishly.

At nakita kong mas napangiti rin sa akin si Yessa. "Doctor Madrigal,"

"You can just call me Leo sometimes..." I just said.

At nagkatinginan kaming dalawa pagkatapos ng sinabi ko. Pagkatapos ay unti-unti rin siyang tumango sa akin. At ngumiti siya.

Napangiti na rin ako sa kaniya. And then I thought about what my mother told me na yayain ko daw si Yessa na makipag-date... Medyo nakakahiya pa, but I think it's all right to try... "Uh, Doctor... Do you have some free time? Like on a weekend, perhaps?" I asked her.

Nagkatinginan muli kaming dalawa pagkatapos ng tanong ko. "Are you asking me out on a date, Doctor Leo?" Nakangiti naman niyang tanong sa akin.

And I was just a little bit taken aback. But then I also ended up smiling and nodded my head. "But you can refuse, you know... I mean, only if you want to..." Bahagya akong napangiwi sa sarili ko.

Ngumiti lang naman siya sa akin at tumango. "It's all right, Doctor..." She said.

And I smiled more to her.