Leonor suppressed her laughs upon hearing the name. "Sabe sa'yo eh" She nudged Riza's elbow, "Mabango". It's payback time for all the teasing.
Riza gave her a side eye, "Don't start."
"His staff specifically requested na walang VIP treatment as per Senator Win's words"
"Oh yun naman pala eh" Riza stood and tried to walk out. Her first attempt to escape. "S'ya mismo nag req-"
"Still, VIP parin s'ya" Joseph cut her off.
Her steps halted, "Tito ang gulo? Tsaka anong ako yung fit?"
Joseph leaned against the desk. "Because you're the only person in this hospital who won't care kung senador ba s'ya o hindi"
"True" Leonor butted in, still wearing that smug face. Riza instantly shot her that bakit-ka-nag-aagree-sa-kanya-look. "He's basically saying n you're the only one rude enough" She added.
"You won't care, and you'll treat him as if he's not a VIP"
Riza tried to walk out,her second attempt to escape "Which grants his request" Joseph also stood up, now wearing the same smug face that Leonor had.
"Nope, not happening", Riza's third and final attempt to escape.
"Not an option", Joseph smiled and leaned on the couch. Riza was about to finally walk out when he dropped his final straw.
"I heard his going to sponsor a health care bill" He stated and pretended to think, which made Riza stop from her tracks. "Increase public hospital funding. Salary adjustments. Healthcare modernization. What else?", he raised a finger. "Ay yes! Research grants."
Joseph walked towards Riza, knowing that he finally got her on board. "The last thing I need is a senator leaving here with a bad impression of the hospital". He gave her a light pat before walking out. "Ikaw na bahala".
==
Riza sighed as if the weight of the world was on her. She just finished checking the senator's chart.
"Ano na? Stroke?", Leonor peeked on her shoulder. Riza did not answer, instead shot a what-are-you-doing-here-look. Which Leonor immediately picked. "Ah yes, Tito Joseph asked me to, baka raw masuntok mo si Senator Win"
Riza sighed for the nth time. Handed Leonor the chart and facepalmed herself. Leni flipped the first page, then second, then third. It wasn't long enough until she snorted and looked at her friend in awe.
"Sprained ankle?"
"Sprained. Ankle.", Riza emphasized.
As if summoned, Joseph happened to walk past the hallway. "May problema?"
"What's this?" Riza held up the chart.
"Your patient's chart?" He replied unbothered.
"It's an ankle"
"Senator Win's ankle."
Leni leaned against the wall. Best show of the day.
"It's sprained ankle tito" Riza hissed.
"Which requires medical treatment"
"Specialized care sis" Leonor blurted out.
"Leni". Riza glared.
"Sorry". She wasn't.
Joseph started walking away. "Wala nang bawian". He waved without looking back, "Good luck, wag mong sakalin". m
==
Inside a private room, Win was sitting upright, eating pre-cut fruits, his injured foot slightly elevated.
Riza paused before entering and turned to her friend, "Awatin mo'ko"
"That's why I'm here"
Before Riza could change her mind, Leni nudged her inside. The senator immediately looked up.
"Oh hello docs, magandang hapon". He set his bown aside and sat straight, "Win Gatchalian".
He extended a hand, which Leni accepted first. It then moved to Riza. She stared at it, then to its owner. His smile looked effortless, almost teasing. Be professional, Riza. Professional. Her conscience intervened before she could completely ignore him. She shook his hand, firm and quick.
"Dr. Riza Javier, senator".
Win couldn't explain it, but she looked like she'd rather treat a cobra than him.
"So", Riza opened the chart. "Sprained ankle".
"Yes"
"From playing with your dogs"
"Yes"
Leni noticed something, Win's injured foot had started absentmindedly wiggling. She immediately suppressed her laugh and stared down. Ano to, sahig?
"X-ray is clean", Riza continued. "Mild lateral ankle sprain. Walang fracture".
Win simply nodded, watching her talk.
"We'll manage the swelling, pain control, then physical rehabilitation after a few days."
"Flash news senator", Leni couldn't help her joke. "Di kapa mamamatay".
A laugh escaped Win before he could stop it. Riza closed her eyes for a minute. "Leni"
"Sorry", she wasn't. Again.
The joke came through after she had made her judgement. Golden retriever.
YOU ARE READING
Always And Forever
Fanfiction"I will love you, always and forever", he said to her while he hugged the woman that he dearly loved, despite the pain that he needed to endure, by letting her go. A story of Doctors who fell in great intoxication at the most unexpected time and mom...
