Kabanata III: Andrew (Completed)

Chapter 15

CASSANDRA

It was one of those nights.

I arrived for my third day shift for this week and was immediately put onto the spot of a bus accident that happened just moments ago.

The Stars, which is our in-flight medical rescuers, and EMS teams were shouting back and forth asking for staffs to bring survivors on stretchers to different spots. Orders were barked all over the place as the phones were ringing non-stop. All hands on deck!

It was the third patient of the day for me in less than 30 minutes of coming in for my shift of the day.

I was in the middle of stitching the femur from the tibia when the curtains were drawn rapidly.

I looked from where that distinct sound came from and saw Andrew walking towards us. With his stoic masked face on, he entered the curtains already donned with sterile gloves, gown, face covered with masks and headdress.

"I'll finish up here." He commanded as he took hold of the mosquito and needle then started stitching with lighting fast speed on the said appendix.

"I need you to look at the patient at Spot 12." He simply said without even looking at me as he continued the deed of knotting the tips. "It was something involving an acute dilated cardiomyopathy." He paused for a bit as he cut the suture with deadly accuracy.

He dropped the tools in the basin and looked at me. "I know this is more of your forte, Doc Lopez." He said it with total seriousness.

There was nothing to do but to nod as I walked out of the sterile area and disposed of my gloves.

After washing my hands, I walked in the said spot.

Assessments and battery of tests done and reviewed, two minutes later, the patient was already being delivered to the OR for an emergency Batista surgery.

After four hours inside the operating room, being surrounded with top surgeons and assisting them, I was officially pooped.

I threw the gown and doffed off my gloves as I washed my hands and face.

I really am dead tired.

Five hours of non-stop battles, the ER, us, saved the whole passengers of the bus accident, all twenty-five of them.

I was happy to the core.

I sensed a certain feeling of fulfillment.

Sitting on the lone bench at the rooftop of the hospital, I stretched out my tired limbs.

I then took a deep breath and smelled the cold early morning air.

Refreshing.

I missed these simple days.

I managed to finally close my eyes for a bit just to relax. My certain peaceful place was disturbed when I felt that I was not alone as I pried opened my eyes and saw them.

Brown eyes...honey coloured with so much warmth.

That was when I finally grasped the whole picture and saw him looking at me, smiling...just smiling.

But this time I know what category that smile is under, satisfaction.

For I have the same smile plastered on my face as well.

There was a companionable silence for a while until I broke it.

"You must be very famous..." I started, smile still on, as I turned my attention back on the rising sun.

I heard him snigger.

"To the ladies? Hey! I can't helped it if I was born with good looks." Andrew answered, teasing me.

"I meant, you must be very famous to..." I was about to continue talking when I noticed him simpering.

I closed my eyes and opened them up again.

"Argh! You..." I gave a loud piercing cry.

"...you potato head!" I screamed.

Relaxation time is officially over.

"Potato head?! That's the best you could do?!" He said while shaking his head in fake disappointment. "Tsk! Tsk! What a disappointment to all lecturers and assistant professors alike."

I stood up abruptly from the bench and decided to walk away from the whole conversation while I was still being civil.

However, I guessed he won't let me do that when he suddenly held me by my arm halting me from moving forward.

"So you want to experience it?" He suddenly asked. I noticed that he was back to his robot mode-face.

"Which one?" Confused, yet I smacked my subconscious. Too late!

I should not have asked.

I turned around from his sudden pull and almost bumped into Andrew. I found his hands on my arms steadying me from the sudden impact.

"You get it now?" He retorted.

"Wha...what?!" I stuttered as his face started to hover so close to mine.

With just a mere breath away, "What your patients feel whenever you come and assess them..." He simply answered.

My face cocked to the side still contemplating on what he said.

"Tachycardia, love." He suddenly caught one my hand and put it on where his heart is located. "You make their hearts palpitate and pulses race like mine."

"Andrew...I..." I said since I really do not know what to say.

"I don't want to be hurt. It's too painful." was all I could say.

"Unfortunately, I am currently out of xylocaine, love." He said still smiling and keeping hold of my hand.

I tried to free myself from his grasp.

In spite of how I struggle, he kept his hold on me tight.

And I felt that the longer he put his clasped on me, the longer I do not want to let go for some reason.

"I can't even make sense of this push and pull relationship that you're playing at." I reasoned out as my last line of defense.

"So now, we're talking about inertia?" He answered seriously.

"Andrew, where are we going with this conversation?" I finally asked once and for all.

I looked away from him.

"I am turning a shade of crimson." I mumbled what I was thinking out loud.

"Now we're talking about colours?" He teased some more as he still kept his tight hold on my hand near his heart.

"Andrew..." He sensed my predicament with just saying his name.

I need him to stop beating around the bush.

"You pull my chordae tendenae." He stared at me with those doe-like eyes.

"Can you stop being a nerd just for once?" I exasperatedly begged him.

"Alright..." He sighed and looked at me again. "Heartsrings...you draw my heartstrings, Cassandra Lopez." He finally said.

"I am in love with you." He finally confessed.

While the NBSB me just stared, again he had rendered me speechless.