Drugged In Love

Chapter 6: Pinky Ring

Amelia Joan

"Jo, wala talagang social media si Tupe." Sabi ni Pau habang nakaupo kami rito sa Nurses' Station. Napatigil naman ako sa pagta-type ng chart notes sa isa sa mga pasyente ko na na-admit sa ER.

The patient came in with a complaint of 'extreme' pain to the head. After my initial assessment and talk with the patient, I diagnosed what was wrong with her and prescribed medications. Hindi lang ako komportableng pauwiin muna siya ngayon dahil naghintay siya ng isang linggo bago siya pumunta dito sa ospital, throughout that week, she was throwing up. When she came into my ER, she had clear signs of dehydration and her blood pressure was wayyy below her baseline. I went ahead and ordered IV Vasopressors to raise it and now I am keeping her for observation. I ordered Nurse Kathy to push IV fluids and monitor vitals throughout the night, and to page if her vitals started looking bad again.

I managed that in between surgeries, and now I am here at the ICU's Nurses' station to hangout with my bestie and to observe Violet Garcia. Vitals remain within baseline and she's responding to the IV treatments I ordered. I had to speak with Gale, the Respiratory Therapist to see how she's responding to the ventilators she put on her, she had to put one because of her existing COPD. She said for now, we shouldn't have anything to worry about since the airway's secure and her O2 Sat is above the 90's. My bedside Nurse, Pau, also has no concerns regarding the patient.

"Woy, bakit mo naman ini-stalk?" Nakangisi kong sabi.

As if I haven't done the same. I feel like I might be worse than her since I've Googled this man's whole name, and I got nothing except that he's a Spanish National General Surgeon who was at Burgos Hospital in Spain, and the founder of the Helping Hands Foundation, who mind you, fund at least one hundred medical students a year, on top of having free clinics and outreach all over Maldova.

Hindi lang pala siya masungit, philantrophist 'din.

"I don't know. I have a bad feeling when it comes guys who don't have social media in this day and age, like what are you hiding, boo?" Pabiro niya akong pinandilatan ng mga mata habang hawak niya ang kanyang cellphone. Pau and I are on pink matching scrubs tonight, meanwhile I'm wearing my white coat while she has black scrub coat on.

"Maybe he's not into it?" I trailed.

"You're maybe right, he's thirty-four after all." She shrugged.

"A Daddy. if you ask me."

"Ayan ka na naman e."

I smirked.

"Maga-apply talaga ako sa medical school kapag nagkatuluyan kayo." She murmured and returned her gaze on her phone.

"Psh, parang sinabi mo na rin na never kang mag-a-apply."

"Uh-uh, huwag magsalita ng tapos. Malay mo kayo pala."

I shook my head and laughed.

*.*.*.*.*.*

With my phone in my hand, I entered the scrub room since I have a case with Tupe. Without looking up from my phone, I knew it was him standing by the sink just because of his scent. I inhaled again just to fill my nostrils with it.

As I stood a few feet away from him, I was busy clicking through my friends' Stories on Instagram. Nasa Med-Surg Unit pa si Pau at papunta pa lang siya rito kaya hihintayin ko na lang siya para sabay kaming mag-scrub in.

I was casually liking my med school batchmates pictures as I heard the water drip on the stainless steel sink. I clicked my notifications when I saw that one of the male nurses at the ER tagged me on his story.

Suddenly, the faucet stopped running and I could feel his gaze on me,

I smiled on my phone and 'heart' the story, I also reposted it.

"Are you gonna scrub in or just keep standing there?" Masungit niyang tanong.

Napatingala naman ako sa kanya at OA na napahawak sa dibdib ko. He looked soooo yummy in black scrubs. His face was stoic and cold while his blue eyes were on me.

"Omg, Tupe talaga bang nagi-initiate ka ng conversation ngayon?" Nang-aasar kong sagot.

He just glared at me.

"Hay, joke lang. I'm waiting for my Nurse twin to arrive, okay." Sabi ko at tuluyang lumapit sa kanya.

"Of course, you and Pauline are joined by the hip." Nanunuya niyang sagot.

I ignored it and showed him my phone. His arms were raised a little to keep his now sterile hands.

"Babe, tingnan mo oh, ang ganda ko rito." The glow of the bluelight from the screen illuminated his tanned skin and stubbled covered cheeks as I showed him the picture I took with Nurse Kev earlier. We were standing by the Nurses' station and we both have clean Urinalysis Hat on our heads, our arms crossed on our attempt to look 'cool'. "Ang hot ko sa scrubs, no."

He didn't answer and just looked at the screen.

I don't think he's even looking at the picture, he was looking at my username like he was memorizing it.

"You don't look good." Malamig niyang sagot.

I rolled my eyes.

"Okay, whatever. Bitter ka lang na hindi mo nakikita ang figure ko underneath."

"Has he seen it?" He asked, tone full of venom.

"Pake mo ba." Inirapan ko ulit siya at tumalikod na, pero nagulat naman ako nang maramdaman ko ang basang kamay niya sa siko ko. Did he just desterilized his surgically clean hands to stop me? What the heck?

He turned me towards him again, this time his face was much darker.

"Yes or no." He demanded.

"N-No."

He clenched his jaw.

"Esta mujer será mi muerte." I heard him murmur, but I didn't understand it.

My eyes then landed on his hold on my skin. Dumapo ang mata ko sa hinliliit niya. May tan line siya roon na animo'y may suot siyang singsing dati sa daliri na 'yon.

"Why is there a tan mark around your pinky finger?" I curiously asked.

His adam's apple bobbed before he let me go and re-started scrubbing in.

It couldn't be a wedding ring since wedding rings don't go on pinky fingers.

"Was it a signet ring?" Tanong ko pa. Usually, medical schools give those out, because I have one from Johns Hopkins University, where I graduated.

"It's none of your business." Malamig niyang sagot.

And just like that, we're back to ice cold Tupe. I just scoffed and opened my Instagram again.

"Okay, whatever." I let it go, I don't think it would be a big deal, since it isn't even a ring finger tan line.

If it was, then we would have a huge problem and I wouldn't let it go.