Blind Shot (ON-HOLD)

NINE

"Male, 27 years old, with a 3-inch open wound on the upper arm due to a minor accident at a construction site. Vital signs are all stable. Pulse rate, temperature, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure are all normal," anang kausap ni Gabrielle na nurse.

Naglalakad sila habang binibigay nito ang patient's data sa kanya. Sinalubong kasi siya nito sa may hallway.

She's back in the hospital more than a week ago. Kahit papano ay nakatulong sa kanya ang pagiging busy. Hindi na siya nagkakaroon ng oras para mag-isip.

She's on a break and was having her dinner at the doctors' lounge when she received a call from the Emergency Room. A patient needs an emergency surgical suture and no one's available at the moment. Kaya she left her food unfinished and went straight to the ER. Kapag minor surgeries lang naman kasi ay sa ER na nila ginagawa.

"Nasa'n 'yong pasyente?" aniya.

"'Andito po, doc," anang isa pang nurse habang iginigiya siya patungo sa pinakadulong bed.

Hinawi niya ang kurtinang nakatabon sa bed at tumambad sa kanyang paningin ang isang lalaking hawak-hawak and duguang braso.

"Anong nangyari?" aniya habang nagsusuot ng surgical gloves .

The nurses were busy getting everything ready.

"Nabagsakan po ng salamin, doc," anito habang namimilipit sa sakit.

"Sinong kasama mo dito?" she asked as she was getting ready to administer local anesthesia.

"Ako po," anang baritonong boses mula sa kanyang likuran.

It sounded familiar kaya napalingon siya. And as she first suspected, it was Architect Zachary Mendoza. Mukhang nagulat din itong nang magtama ang kanilang mga paningin.

Sa kadahilanang hindi niya maintindihan ay bigla siyang nakaramdam ng excitement.

"Nagkaroon ng minor accident sa site," anito nang makabawi. "Nagkataong ando'n ako kaya ako nang nagdala sa kanya dito."

Tumango lang si Gabrielle bago muling humarap sa pasyente. Kahit papano'y nakabawi na siya sa saglit na pagkakagulat.

"Hintayin lang nating tumalab 'yong anaesthesia bago natin tahiin," she said to the patient before she injected the anesthesia around his wound.

Mabilis lang naman ang naging surgery. In less than thirty minutes, they're already done.

Medyo na-disappoint pa siya no'ng paglingon niya, wala na 'yong architect sa loob ng ER. He must have left while she's in the middle of the surgery.

Nagbilin siya sa pasyente habang binibigay dito and reseta ng mga gamot na kailangan nitong inumin. Pagkatapos ay lumabas na siya ng ER. Ang balak niya'y bumalik ng lounge para magkape. She needed her dose of caffeine right now.

Pero laking gulat niya noong makasalubong niya 'yong architect sa may hallway. Saglit din itong napatda nang makita siya.

"I thought you already left," aniya dito.

"I just settled the bill," he said while shaking the papers he was holding.

"Oh," aniya. She didn't know what to say. But she felt somehow relieved to know that he didn't leave yet.

"I'm sorry if I couldn't keep my promise," aniya, pabiro.

"Ang alin?" anito.

He looked so good in a light pink button-down polo shirt. Well, kahit naman yata anong isuot nito, bagay dito. With his looks and his build, papasa na itong print ad model.

"Na hindi mo na ulit makikita 'tong pagmumukha ko," ang sagot niya dito.

Tumawa lang ito.

"You look different on your coat," ang sa halip ay sabi nito.

"So naniniwala ka nang legit akong doctor?" ang natatawa niyang wika.

Nagkibit-balikat lang ito sabay sabing, "At least hindi ka na mukhang college student."

Muli siyang natawa. Malakas.

She stopped when she realized she hadn't laughed like this for a long time.

Then she noticed that he wasn't laughing. Seryuso lang itong nakatitig sa kanya. Bigla tuloy siyang kinabahan.

"Stop staring at me like that. That's creeping me out," aniya. Bigla kasi siyang na-awkward.

"Naalala ko na," anito.

"Ang alin?" aniya.

"Noong nakita kita kanina doon sa ER. Wearing that coat. I suddenly remembered," anito sa mahinang boses.

And it didn't take her long to realized what he was talking about. Siya naman ang napatda. She didn't know what to say.

Napatitig siya dito. His eyes danced with emotions his lips refused to talk about.

There was an awkward silence between them.

"C-coffee?" she said to break the awkwardness in the atmosphere.

Kumunot ang noo nito as if asking where?

"I mean, may coffee vending machine d'yan. My shift hasn't ended yet so technically, I still can't leave the hospital yet," she explained.

Gumalaw ang malalapad nitong mga balikat sabay sabing, "Yeah, sure."

Then he let her lead the way.