EVERY BEAT OF MY HEART

CHAPTER 32: Girlfriend

The night started like any other, calm and quiet, but with an underlying vibration waiting to explode. Freshly brewed coffee to awaken the nurses and doctors. Sharp smell of disinfectant mixed in the air, staffs in scrubsuit busied themselves, checking and preparing for an impending bloody shift. It was a typical night shift in the Emergency Room of Alcantara Medical City. Standing and chatting around, discussing their previous shifts as the call came over.

"Okay guys! Disperse...work mode on." Nathan reminded them and they swiftly took their places in expectation of what was to come.

A construction worker from AMC Real Estate was hit in the head with a one thousand pound slab of granite swinging from a crane. The crane operator didn't see him as he moved that solid piece of rock from one point to the next. That is their first patient for tonight.

"What?" Nathan raised his left eyebrow when he caught Arylle glancing at him while removing his white coat.

"Wala! Bakit? Masama bang tignan ka? May mata ako eh! Hmp!" She walked towards the cubicle, pulling the crashcart and medication trolley.

Staffs put on their protective gear over their scrubs. They dressed for the trauma that was about to roll through the door. They are tying their masks with eye shields around their heads as carts wheeled past into the room. Five other patients from a vehicular accident came.

"Whoah! Too early for a lot of bloods!C'mmon guys! Let's get to work!" Nathan started to designate the patients with the interns, residents and nurses.

They calmly looked at each other with the look of serious determination running across their faces.

"C'mmon! Don't be nervous, I'm not gonna leave you redhanded. Andito lang ako. Ano ka ba?" Tapik ni Nathan sa pinakabagong babaeng intern. Nahalata ng binata na kabado ito.

"You can make it Johara. Kayang-kaya mo yan. Halika na." Hinila na siya ni Nathan at lumapit sa mga pasyenteng kadarating.

"Talaga naman Nathan! Babaero! Kahit kelan talaga!" Bulong ni Arylle saka tumalikod sa kanilang dalawa.

"Uy! Hindi ako babaero! Kung bubulong ka, hindi yung maririnig ko ha. Bumubulong ka ba o nagpaparinig?" Mabilis siyang nahawakan ni Nathan bago pa makahakbang.

"Lakas ng pandinig mo ah! Ikaw na!"

"Pinsan ko si Johara, from both sides."

"Johara."

"Lee."

"Fajardo."

Isa-isang sabi ni Nathan kay Arylle.

"Hindi ko siya chix. Ang judgemental mo Arylle." Iyon ang huling ibinulong ni Nathan bago bitawan ang kamay ng dalaga.

Paki ko ba kung pinsan mo siya! Hindi ko naman tinatanong!

Iritable siyang lumayo kay Nathan at kay Johara. Hindi niya alam kung napahiya ba siya o nahiya dahil sa pag-aakalang dinidiskartehan ni Nathan ang bagong intern.

He is very vocal with his feelings to Arylle. Aminado ang dalaga na ang pagiging malapit niya sa binata ang dahilan kung bakit nagiging magaan ang bawat araw. Kung dati ay wala siyang ibang ginawa kundi ang magmukmok at umiyak, unti-unti na siyang nakakabawi. Unti-unti ng bumabalik sa normal ang takbo ng buhay niya. Sometimes, people really need distractions to re-focus their life. And Nathan was her best distraction so far. He was her confidante, clown and frenemy. Aso at pusa man sila kadalasan, without Nathan on her side, she will not survive her dark days. Kaya nainis siya nang magkaroon siya ng kahati sa atensyon ng binata. Pero ngayon, gusto niyang batukan ang sarili dahil si Johara pala ay pinsan ni Nathan.