"Doc!", Ferdinand called jogging toward Riza just as she was about to enter the hospital.
Riza looked back to the man who called her. His white coat hanged by his right arm while holding his freshly brewed coffee.
"Morning"
"Morning din", Riza smiled. "May kailangan ka po?"
Ferdinand scratched the back of his neck. "May itatanong", he paused. "Kaso medjo personal".
"Hm?"
"It's about Doc. Leonor"
Riza's smile almost faltered imperceptibly. "What about her?".
"Her and Doc Michael"
"Shit", Riza"s subconscious cussed. "What about them?"
She knew Ferdinand was about to fire questions that she cannot possibly answer. Simply because she's not in the position to do so.
"Were they serious?"
Riza's prediction was true, she just stood there, building alibis to end their conversation as soon aspossible. She thought for an appropriate answer for a moment.
"Well, they dated", she shrugged her shoulders. "For a long time".
"How long?"
"About four years, give or take"
"Four years", Ferdinand looked down at the coffee on his hand. "Tagal non ah"
There was something bitter on his words.
She sensed that he was about to ask something again, thankfully the 7a.m sun was getting hot and it was an opportunity for her to dodge,
"Uhm sorry doc", she looked at her watch, "Male-late na ata ako", Riza said before turning her back to him and tried to hastened her steps.
"One more thing doc!", Ferdinand called again gaining Riza's attention, "Eto kape", he handed her the freshly brewed coffee that he was holding and just smiled. Riza was blanked and hesitantly accepted the cup, she didn't know why he was acting like this,"Paki bigay narin to kay Doc Romero", added Ferdinand while lifting the paper bag and handing it to Riza.
=
Leonor was leaning on the front desk while scrolling through her phone, when suddenly someone placed a paper bag beside her. She looked who the person was, it was Riza. Her face was clearly trying to annoy her.
"Ano yan?"
"Ewan, pinapabigay lang ni Dr. Ferdie mo", Riza replied, still wearing that teasing aura she got.
"Taray ha may pa ganyan ganyan pa", she added and leaned beside her friend,
Leonor didn't utter any response, instead she just continued absently scrolling through her feed which Riza noticed immediately,
"May problema ba?", Out of worry she asked, "Huy ano ba, para naman 'tong ewan".
Leonor stopped scrolling and looked around, to see if anyone was close enough to hear them,
"May sasabihin ako", she said in a hush manner after noticing few people nearby.
"Ano?, pinapakaba mo ako",Riza got close to hear clearly,
Romero then proceeded to tell and elaborate the details about what happened last night after the welcome dinner, from Michael forcing his way to her, to Ferdinand stepping up for her safety.
"Nasaan ba sya ngayon?"
The calmness in Riza's voice was evident.
From the years of friendship, Leni was aware that Riza was far more terrifying when she's calm.
"Hindi ko alam, wala akong update sa kanya simce last night", Leni maintained her voice low while clenching to Riza's white coat,
"Puntahan ko sa office nya"
"Riz wag na", she held Riza's arm as she was about to storm into Michael's office.
Seeing Michael that moment was the least of Leonor's wants and expectations, but to her awe, she saw him entered the lobby. Looking disheveled, his polo was half way buttoned, a band aid on his cheek bone and a swollen lip, the nurses awkwardly greeted him as he approached them, witnessing him in that state wasn't normal.
"Speak of the devil", Riza uttered upon seeing her friend as he stood in front of them.
"Ba't ka nandito? Wala kang duty ngayon ah", Leonor bravely broke the gauche vibe.
The nurses heard what she said and noticed the manner the way she stated. They started to become curious, what was currently happening was a tea. Michael took a deep breath before speaking
"Leni", his gaze darted to her. "Can we talk?"
"Subukan mong lumapit matatamaan ka", Riza cut in when she saw Miko slowly stepping near Leonor,
He knew Riza wasn't joking, knowing her as a black belter, he stopped his steps. Sparing himself with another beating.
"Riz tayo na", Romero pulled Javier's white coat to avoid escalation. "Maraming tao dito", she continued.
"Wait" he held her wrist. "What happened last night was really a mistake", he started failing to meet her eyes. "But my intentions were true".
His last phrase was all it took for Riza to loose whatever tolerance she had left. "Nang gagago kaba, Michael?"
"Pwede bang 'wag kang makealam?!", his voice raised, the crowd was startled as it echoed through the lobby, "Sumbat ka nang sumbat wala ka namang alam!", he added in the same volume.
"Walang alam?", Riza sarcastically scoffed, her volume much lower than Michael's. "Punyeta Miko alam ko lahat, kahit gawan ko pa ng buod"
"Riz tara na", Leonor grabbed Riza's arm again and tried to walk away.
"Kausapin mo ako", once again Michael got their attention,
He held Leonor's shoulder and made her face him, before she could say anything, someone grabbed Michael's hand and violently shoved it away.
Ferdinand clicked his tongue, "alas otso palang pero parang may amats kana doc". He then turned to Leonor, "Okay kalang?".
A nod was all he received.
"Good", he uttered and turned to Michael again. "You're causing a scene here, I advise you should leave", he slowly approached him, his hands inside his pockets.
"I think this is a misunderstanding sir", Michael's tone seemed to shift after recognizing who the man was.
Bongbong deliberately leaned beside Michael's ear again. "I already warned you once".
Michael's eyes widened, the tone was too familiar. Then, it clicked. It was him last night.
"Don't make me repeat myself"
Michael slowly stepped back and glanced at Leni before conceding and quietly made his way out.
YOU ARE READING
Always And Forever
Fanfiction"I will love you, always and forever", he said to her while he hugged the woman that he dearly loved, despite the pain that he needed to endure, by letting her go. A story of Doctors who fell in great intoxication at the most unexpected time and mom...
