Through the Nights

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Patient Care

He could feel the stare of his colleagues, it could almost burrow a hole at the back of his head. Nicco heard chatters about him, too. Lalo na sa mga intern.

But he decided not to care.

Bahala sila d'yan.

"Grabe ang pretty niya talaga! Wala naman siyang makeup pero wala rin akong makitang pores. Ano kayang skin care niya?" Nicco overheard Nurse Haira while walking his way to the nurse station for the charts.

"Ewan. Pero sure naman na sponsored siya ng brands at suki sa facial. Artista, e. Saka puhunan niya rin 'yon. Natural lang na alagang-alaga balat no'n," sagot naman ni Nurse Mae.

"Pero tingin mo ba kapag nanghingi ako ng autograph or kahit selfie lang kay Francine, papayag siya?"

Nurse Mae frowned and shrugged at the question. "Malay ko. Try mo tanungin."

"Sungit mo talaga, Mae."

"Nakakayamot kasi, 'te! Galing na akong ER tapos malilipat pa ata ako sa ICU."

"Naku, kaya naman pala. Toxic pa naman palagi d'yan."

"Pagod na talaga ako."

Nicco cleared his throat. Tipid din siyang ngumiti kay Nurse Haira at Nurse Mae. "Kukuhain ko lang po sana 'yong charts."

"Ay sorry, Doc," nahihiyang sabi ni Nurse Haira. Her cheeks suddenly turned red. "Ito na po 'yong charts."

"Thank you, Nurse Haira," he said while quietly looking at his patients' charts.

"Na-carry out na po pala namin 'yong orders n'yo, Doc. Pero si Sir Diaz po hindi siya nagre-respond sa medication."

"Adjust na lang muna natin 'yong dosage ng antibiotic niya. Tapos if hindi pa rin nagre-respond, do'n na natin palitan. Pa-update na lang ako."

"Yes, Doc."

"Si Miss Loreto?"

"Po?"

Nicco cleared his throat again. Francine's not her patient anymore. He endorsed her to another resident because he couldn't perform her appendectomy himself.

When he was asked why he's not available for the surgery, all he could say was that she's a very close friend. Buti na lang pagkatapos no'n e hindi na siya tinanong pa ulit.

"How is she? Hindi na ba siya groggy sa anesthesia? Groggy kasi siya kagabi."

"Okay naman na po siya. Naglakad-lakad kami kanina hanggang sa makapag-release siya ng gas. Tinatanong niya rin po kayo, Doc."

"Bakit daw?"

"Hinahanap lang po kayo. Anong oras daw po start ng duty ninyo."

"I see . . . thank you." He didn't ask anymore questions. Tinuon niya na lang ang atensiyon niya sa charts bago siya mag-rounds mamaya.

"Doc?" tawag ni Nurse Haira.

"Yes?"

"P'wede po ba magtanong? Curious lang po talaga."

"About?" he asked without lifting his eyes up from the charts.

"Friends po ba kayo ni Francine Loreto?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Tight?"

"Anong tight?" tanong ni Nicco habang binabalik ang mga chart.

"I mean super close friends po ba kayo?"

"Ah . . . " Ayon pala 'yon.

He secretly heaved a sigh. A voice somewhere deep inside his mind wanted to say they used to be more than just close friends. More than best friends.