Stitches and Scars

Chapter 10

"Doctors live in a world of constant progress and forward motion. Stand still for a second, and you'll be left behind. But no matter how hard we try to move forward or how tempting it is to never look back, the past always catches up with us. History shows, time after time, that those who forget the past are inevitably doomed to be blindsided by old pitfalls."

As the sun peeked through the curtains, Karylle sat at the counter while drinking her coffee, totally smitten by Vice as he prepared their breakfast. It was nearly seven in the morning of their day off of work, and the only thing that could potentially interrupt their little staycation was the possibility of a pager call from the hospital.

Karylle, cozy in Vice's loose white shirt, couldn't take her eyes off him. Vice, in nothing but an apron, truly looked like an expert in the kitchen. The morning light somehow highlighted his muscles as he worked, creating a mesmerizing scene for Karylle. "You enjoying what you see, Dr. Tatlonghari?" Vice teased, catching her intense, appreciative look at him.

"Way more than you think, Dr. Viceral," she replied with a wink. Karylle set her coffee down, then playfully climbed onto the counter, leaning in to give him a quick peck on the lips.

"Anyway, how's the roommates situation going? Are your new tenants settling in just fine?" Vice asked as he served their breakfast straight from the pan. The meal consisted of garlic fried rice, fried egg, and sweet cured pork, with generous slices of mango, papaya, and bananas on the side.

Hindi maiwasang mapangiti ni Karylle. Ever since she and Vice started seeing each other, she seemingly never skipped breakfast. Even during pre-rounds, Vice would secretly leave a takeout breakfast meal in her locker.

"They're both okay, but they've been bothering me about my mom's old surgical tapes lately. Anne stumbled upon them while sorting through the boxes," giit Karylle at malambing na sinubuan si Vice, both of them sharing a plate.

Vice hesitated for a moment, exchanging a glance with Karylle, who already caught his hesitation. "Bakit?" she asked.

Despite his uncertainty about broaching the topic, Vice decided to ask anyway. "S-So, about your mom. Have you been in touch with her since you got here? Or has she been trying to reach out to you? Siguro naman, she knows you're doing your internship here, right?"

Karylle fell silent for a moment, before shaking her head. "I honestly don't know where she is. Last I heard she was traveling and working on another book, or maybe practicing medicine elsewhere. I really have no idea," she admitted, trying to appear casual about it.

"By the way, ano bang nilalagay mo dito? Why do this taste so good everytime?" Karylle said, pointing at the garlic rice, attempting to steer the conversation in a different direction.

Vice replied with a knowing smile, recognizing Karylle's reluctance to talk about her mother.

"Sandali. I'll just take a quick shower. If you're done, you're welcome to join," he teased before heading off, leaving Karylle in the kitchen with a playful wink and a quick kiss.

Shortly after, Karylle was startled by the sound of the doorbell. "Sino kaya yon?" she thought aloud, turning towards the shower. "Vice, somebody's at the door. Are you expecting someone?" she called out across the room.

"It's probably just the delivery guy. I think I'm expecting a parcel today," Vice replied from inside the bathroom.

In response, Karylle stood up from her seat and approached the door to open it. "Hi. Sorry, Vice is in the shower, so I'll be the one to handle—" she began, but abruptly cut herself off as she noticed a woman waiting outside.

"And you are?" the woman asked in an intimidating tone, her eyes sweeping over Karylle from head to toe. Karylle felt genuinely caught off guard, especially since she was still wearing Vice's oversized white shirt over her undergarments.