Ocean Eyes

2- VIP Suite

I'm pretty sure it was still dawn when I woke up because of Stella. I also realized that I just had a decent amount of time to sleep then duty ulit ako when the morning breaks. I was supposed to have dinner with my Dad last night only if he had come home. But he called me the last minute to bail on me because he was busy, so yes, malamang we had to cancel the dinner. I think he did that on purpose to make me realize na I never got stood up on a date because I don't have plans to be on one— in fairness sa kanya, effective naman.

"Hoy, diba day off mo?"

I deadpanned, "Kahapon," before sitting myself on the nearest chair.

Medyo basa pa ang buhok ko at tsaka ko kinuha ang baong gatas sa loob ng bag para mainom. It's just 4 am in the morning, pero ang bibig nitong kasama ko grabe pang-10 AM na ang energy "So true nga? Pinag-assist ka ni Feleen dun sa patient? Kontrabidang shet! Ikaw naman, nagpapaapi ka don—Heller?! Junakis ka lang naman ng may-ari?"

I didn't say anything but an eye roll.

There are things that I don't tolerate—this kind of situation or notion being one of them. Akala din kasi ng marami na alas ko to; well, oo, in some ways because I have free pass to conventions across the country and some parts of the world but then siyempre di naman tama yung pull ako nang pull ng strings. Not to forget, naging nurse naman ako sa sarili kong pagsisikap hindi dahil sa kung sino ako. I think of power-tripping unethical and unfair. Siya ring isa sa dulot kung bakit hindi ako pumayag na maging parte ng board.

"Ano bang nangyari kahapon, Stel? Yung mukha mo, girl, petsa de peligro na."

"Kasi naman yung pasyente kahapon business giant pala." when I heard that, natawa ako kaunti because maybe it was ironic—ay hala.

"Isang maling galaw namin dun, huy, ewan na lang talaga. Nakaka-intimidate kaya yung presence ng bodyguards niya sa labas!" Nung ina-assisst ko nga eh sobrang dami nila sa labas ng suite room.

"Ganto kasi yan, Owi, na-aksidente daw ngayon yang si... Ano nga name—"

"Zarces," I smiled as I remembered his face.

She looked at me teasingly enough to make me react unusually "Ano na naman?"

"Ikaw ah," she poked my side "Lumantad ka na, crush mo na naman?"

"Anong na naman? Baka marinig ka..." I looked left and right in the hallway "Uy di namarn kasi! Parang sira, go magkwento ka na nga!" pabebe pa akong sumipsip sa straw tsaka natawa sa kagaguhan namin.

Kinikilig nga ako sa pangalan niya pa lang. Pwede na kasing tatay sa mga anak ko-ay? biglang gustong magkaanak?

Kidding aside, we were supposed to make chika pa but she had ICU shifts today so I had to carry on all by myself. At 8 am, I was asked to come up to the Director's office. I had an idea about why he had called me up this time but I kept mum as I made my way.

"Dad, Good Morning." he gave me a casual smile and didn't wait for me to sit down on the nearest chair to settle before he blurts out the reason why he had to ask me to come up to see him "I am assigning you to Mr. Donique's son, I suppose you have already seen him. Right?"

I could only heave a sigh, working for big names such as a Donique can be as complicated and as tiring as being trapped in a never-ending business convention. Revenue that, stocks there. Nakakapagod ang trabahong ibibigay but there was no way out of it. Dad has this kind of authority especially because number one, he is my dad which means I could get an endorsement for my service, get on to the next level, or to an even more prestigious hospital out of the country. Number two, because he is the Administrator and he has to take care of the credibility, pride, and namesake of the hospital.