Wreaking Havoc

vīgintī duo

"Daddy!" I smiled when Mary approached Andrei and hugged him tightly. She has been busy with gymnastics the past few days kahit sinabihan ko naman siyang magpahinga and take it slow because she's just eleven, but this little girl just couldn't get enough of her sport—hindi ko naman siya pinilit kumuha ng extra curricular because I was happy enough with her achievements at school, pero siya na rin 'yung nagsabi sa'kin na gustong-gusto niya mag-gymnastics kaya pinayagan ko na rin. She has been asking me to bring her to the hospital ever since, but my free time would always conflict with her schedule in middle school.

Andrei chuckled and hugged Mary back, "This kid's getting used to me, I should beware," Andrei uttered. 

"Can I play Sims?" Mary asked and Andrei, being the kind "dad" let Mary borrow his phone. I frowned at him as I squint my eyes. "What? Let the kid have fun, Dr. Glyndel. It's just Sims."

I rolled my eyes, "She's just eleven."

Andrei laughed, "Yeah. Blah blah, whatever," he said as he loosens his tie and sat on one of the empty chairs in front of my desk. "Tell her she should call me mom, or like how she calls Keith... was that tita?"

I giggled, "You're really still not over the fact that she chose to call you dad?" 

Andrei rolled his eyes and acted like he was disgusted, "Therese, you know how at some point I almost asked you to be my girlfriend even though I was still conflicted with sexuality issues I've been dealing with in med school? You should give me this moment!" I threw the crumpled paper in his direction and stuck out my tongue. Contrary to what he told, he was actually fine with being called dad—even tearing up when Mary's first word was dada and she was just straight up looking at Andrei like she was asking him to carry her.

Hay, time flies so fast... parang kahapon lang Mary was just running around the apartment with her small feet and now she's literally taller than me. 

I laughed, "But I know you told her secretly to call you dad, though."

Andrei looked at Mary like he was betrayed but Mary only looked at her and laugh, "My god, Mary Elise! I didn't know you'd betray me like this!" he uttered, clutching his chest like he was hurt kaya pareho kaming tawa nang tawa ni Mary. I was about to speak but Keith suddenly entered the room.

"Hey, you didn't even inform me that Mary would be here!" Keith protested and pulled Mary towards her kaya humalik siya sa pisngi niya. Keith tousled Mary's hair and secretly puts a piece of Hershey inside Mary's pockets kaya napairap na lang ako. Sobrang spoiled ng batang 'to sa dalawang 'to. Pa'no pa kaya kung umuwi kami ng Pilipinas?! Isla and Astrid literally sends her gifts every birthday kaya ang dami niyang gamit sa kwarto, tapos kapag nandito sa New York 'yung dalawa, itatakas nila kasama si Keith and Andrei tapos kung saan-saan nila dinadala. Ayos lang naman sa'kin kasi nagpapaalam naman sa'kin si Isla.

Keith walked towards my table and laid a handful of documents, "Dr. Willows wants me to hand you more of these files. It's about the five-year-old patient suffering from a pediatric aneurysm," she said. I took the files and browsed through the medical documents given to me and nodded.

"So far everything's in line with our assessment. Tomorrow's the surgery," I uttered with a faint smile. "I'll go talk with the kid again."

Keith sighed, "Yeah, she looks scared... Just assure her. You're the best pediatric neurosurgeon here, for all we know.

I frowned at her—they've been calling me the best and it felt like I was carrying the whole hospital's glory already—I was too pressured because even though I liked the compliments since it also meant I'm doing good at my job, hindi ko pa rin mapigilang ma-pressure dahil ang hihirap ng cases na napupunta sa'kin. And it feels like some people are just waiting for me to fail.