The Beautiful Target (Protector Series 3)

Chapter 27: It's Over

Pagod na nagbuga ng hininga si Ellie bago siya pikit na napasandal sa dingding ng hallway patungo sa CR. Ramdam na ramdan niya ang panginginig ng kanyang mga tuhod. Pangatlong araw na iyon ng night duty niya. Subalit kaninang hapon, nagpa-duty ulit ang kasamahan niyang magbi-birthday daw ang anak. Pumayag siya dahil wala naman siyang gagawin. 'Yon lang kulang siya sa pahinga at tulog. But more than boredom, her real purpose was so that she won't be alone with her thoughts.

Isang linggo na mula nang bumalik siya sa pagta-trabaho sa Angelicum Hospital. Ayaw pa sana ng management dahil daw mayroon pa siyang security risk, kaya lang ipinilit niya. More like, nagmakaawa.

Hindi na niya kasi kayang lagi lang siyang nagmumukmok sa unit ni Dr. Matt. Dahil tuwing mag-isa siya, naiisip niya ang mga bagay na hindi na niya dapat isipin pa. Nag-aalala siya sa mga bagay na napagdaanan na niya. At nasasaktan siya sa mga pangyayari na kahit na anong gawin niya, hindi na puwedeng mabago pa. Gaya na lang nang paglayo sa kanya ni Ivan.

Ivan.

She took a deep breath and opened her eyes.

No, don't think about him. You must stop,Ellie, saway niya sa sarili.

It has been more than a week since she had last seen Ivan. Kung nasaan ito, hindi niya alam. Kapag naman kasi kinukumusta siya nina Dr. Matt o kaya ni Paul, hindi naman siya nagkakaroon ng lakas ng loob na tanungin kung kumusta na ito, nasaan ito, at higit sa lahat kung galit pa ba ito sa kanya.

Of course, galit siya sa 'yo, sabad ulit ng isip niya. You're father worked for the man that killed his loved ones.

Dax talked about her biological father-- a man named Mario Dominguez. He said his father used to be the right-hand man of an evil man who took many innocent lives.

She shivered on the thought. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin niya maisiip na anak pala siya ng isang kriminal. But who was given the chance to choose their parents? None. She had been good all her life. She even worked as a nurse because she wants to serve the sick.

But still, it doesn't erase the fact that she is a daughter of a criminal. And she understands perfectly why she had to bore the brunt of her father's crimes.

Muli siyang napabuga ng hininga. Panandalian siyang nagtago sa hallway na iyon upang huminga saglit because her body was shaking from exhaustion. But it's her thoughts against herself once again.

It was because of those thoughts that she's killing herself to work. Because when she's working, she doesn't have time to think about her past and Ivan. And when she's exhausted from work, sleep comes easily. A thing she values more these days.

Agad siyang napatuwid ng tayo nang tumunog ang cellphone niya. It was a text message from hr head nurse, asking her where she was. She quickly gathered herself and returned to her post at the emergency room.

Pagdating niya doon, nagkakagulo ang lahat ng staff. Biglang napuno ang mga beds at hindi magkandaugaga ang mga nurses at attending physicians na naroon sa pagdalo sa mga duguang pasyente. She learned that there was a vehicular accident nearby and the most of the victims were brought there for quick medical attention. Inutusan siya ni Ma'am Remy, ang head nurse nila, na itawag ang code-TAT or Trauma Alert Team. This would alert trauma nurses, nuerosurgeons, gastrosurgeons and orthosurgeons to go to the ER to check the victims for triage. Lalo pang nadagdagan ang gulo nang may dumating na manganganak at isa pang pasyente na inatake sa puso.

The ER was filled with chaos. But she was fine with it. Because the chaos in front of her was calm compared to her complicated thoughts.

"Ellie, i-assist mo dito si Dr. Sandejas," nagmamadaling utos sa kanya ni Mam Remy. Dr. Sandejas is a nuerosurgeon at isa sa mga attending physician sa ER ngayong gabi. Mabilis siyang tumalima.