Three Desires

Chapter 6

The fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, casting a sterile glow across the deserted faculty lounge. Pacaldo, the last teacher to leave after the faculty meeting, finally pressed his finger against the cool glass of the attendance pad. The whirring of the machine echoed in the silence as his colleagues - Mike, his co-teacher with a booming chuckle, most likely racing off to another Economics and Contemporary Issues course - had long left.

Pacaldo sighed as he lifted his backpack and pulled out his phone, the incessant buzzing breaking the silence. A smile spread over his face as he saw his husband's name appear on the screen, the warmth of the familiar nickname wiping away the day's exhaustion.

"Hello?" Pacaldo replied, his voice lowering and his strides accelerating down the empty hallway.

"Pacaldo, hey! What's up, my love?" Krishna's voice crackled over the receiver. "How's your work now?"

"Just the usual, my love," Pacaldo said, his voice light. "Faculty meeting about the Regional Achievement Test. Since I'm not proctoring, it's back to grading essays for the little ones."

Krishna chuckled. "Sounds like a busy bee. But hey, how about a change of pace tonight? We could have dinner in here instead of going out?"

"Honey, I love it!" Pacaldo exclaimed with excitement. The promise of a home-cooked lunch and some peaceful time with Krishna relieved the stress of the day.

Meanwhile, across town in the antiseptic white of the Malolos General Hospital emergency department, Pacaldo's identical twin brother, Patricio, stared despondently at his phone. He dialed Krishna's phone, a knot of worry forming in his stomach. However, the line went dead, leaving only the hollow hiss of static in its wake. Patricio moaned as a heavy weight settled on his shoulders. He badly needed to speak with Krishna.

As Dr. Chalisa Morallos approached Patricio, the clean hallway resonated with the click of her four-inch heels. Her white coat, starched and sharp, appeared to crackle with authority.

"Doc. Patricio," Dr. Chalisa said, her tone cold and professional. "Who are you contacting?"

Patricio jolted out of his dream and looked up from his phone. Perhaps a glimmer of nervousness? - crossed his face before he gave a careless shrug. He sputtered, "It's just one of the patient's relatives."

Dr. Chalisa raised an eyebrow, and a silent question hung in the air. "Doc?" she asked skeptically. "Why are you alone in the hallway, looking like you're about to sing a solo of Brenda Lee's 'All Alone Am I'?"

Patricio reddened while lowering his eyebrows, a sheepish grin forming on the corners of his lips. "Nah!" he said, dismissing her mocking with a handwave. "Forget it. What's up?"

Dr. Chalisa's lips formed a small smile. "Well, um, we have a meeting with Dr. Srinivas Timonera later," she said. "After we finish the inspection on Ernesto Herbosa, of course."

Patricio gave a quick nod in response to Dr. Chalisa's statement. He realized that her responsibilities as an ER doctor never truly ceased. "I'll be right behind you," he told her, his voice reflecting none of the struggle inside.

Dr. Chalisa's rapid pace down the clean hallway did little to alleviate Patricio's heavy chest. His thoughts kept reliving his unanswered call to Krishna. Why hadn't his lover responded? Was he preferring Pacaldo, his twin brother?

He clenched his right fist, and the white of his knuckles stood out against the muted green scrubs. Despite his efforts, he couldn't stop thinking about Krishna. He knew he had to concentrate on his duties and focus on the patient, but Krishna's image kept flashing behind his closed eyelids. Krishna's smile and laughter were a constant reminder of the love he was unable to express.