Saving May

41

Between us

"May, alis muna kami ha." Paalam ng mga kasamahan ko. I was left alone again, kaya naisipan ko na lang mag practice. We had a free check up for BP. It wasn't that hard but I was afraid I might say something wrong.

Lumipas ang oras, umalis ako saglit para bumili ng maiinom. Sa totoo lang wala akong ganang kumain, my parents had a fight last night and that was the first time my mom cried... I was so distracted whenever I remember her crying.. inisip ko nalang normal iyon sa mag asawa...

Pagka balik ko, may nakita akong lunch meal sa inuupuan ko kanina. May nakadikit na sticky note kaya binasa ko.

Eat well.
-K.DV

I knew who K.DV is. Napangiti ako. It's been days since the last time I talked to him. Ayaw kong mag assume. Para kila July, nakikita nilang iniiwasan niya ako. Pero para sakin, baka may pinagdadaanan lang yon tao. Like how I am now.

Binuksan ko ang meal, saka kinain iyon. I suddenly had the appetite ng maamoy ko ang pagkain. While eating I forgot to text him that's why I sent a message thanking him for the food. I wonder kelan siya pumunta dito.

Patapos na ako noong makareceive ako ng reply. He looked fine in text. But I knew ever since he wasn't fine at all..

Tapos na akong kumain. I was texting him and I had the courage to ask him if he was okay. To my surprise, he said the truth. Kaya naman, pumayag akong makipag kita sakanya. It felt weird that he was serious all of a sudden pero maybe that's just who he was before becoming the cheerful one.

Naghintay ako pero wala parin si Kyle. Kaya nagpractice na lang ako ulit.

"To make sure that you are hearing the right beat, make sure you place the bell to the right pulse. Tell your patient to try and relax so you could hear it clearly. So, place the bell here-"

I placed the bell at the apical area of the mannequin's body. Madalas mahirap marinig ang pulse dito sa mga adults kaya lagi kung inaaral.

"Mali." Halos mahagis ko na ang stethoscope ng makarinig ako ng boses. Nakatalikod kasi ako sa entrance kaya hindi ko nakikita ang sino mang papasok.

"Anong mali?" Una kong tanong sakanya.

"Una sa lahat, mas maganda kung nakahiga ang pasyente."

I nodded slowly. Of course. That was basic!

"And another thing, a person like me is a better mannequin than an actual one." He said, grinning. Inabot niya din ang isang upuan sa tabi ko atsaka umupo sa harap ko. "Gusto mo ng tulong?"

I rolled my eyes saka hinubad ang stethoscope pero pinigilan niya ako. "Nag offer na nga ako oh."

Nanliit ang mga mata ko. I was trying to read on what he was trying to do. Kyle is unpredictable. It's becoming annoying lately.

"Fine."

Sinuot ko muli ang stethoscope and positioned the bell on his upper left chest kung saan nararamdaman mo ang collarbone ng isang tao. But first I used my thumb to find the 3rd intercostal of the left mid clavicular line. Taking 3 steps downward, doon ko tinapat ang bell.

"Can you feel my heartbeat?" He started dancing, teasing me again.

"Shut up."

Tumawa lang siya saka tumigil sa kakagalaw.

"I'm healthy." Pagyayabang niya.

For the second time, I rolled my eyes saka tuluyang hinubad ang stethoscope.

"Have you eaten?" Di ko sinasadyang itanong. Napakurap na lang ako saka humarap sakanya dahil hindi ako nakarinig ng sagot o reaksyon mula sakanya.