Dual Destinies

CHAPTER III - COLD HAND

Finally, I snapped out of my confusion. Mr. Sta. Maria's shortness of breath sure made me panic and woke me up. Nevertheless, I was glad to know he's already feeling better.

It was already 2 o'clock on my watch, so I started documenting my nursing care on my patient's chart.

"Good job, Mister Monaghan," Ma'am Lucille exclaimed as she entered the conference room.

"Thank you, ma'am."

"I already told Doctor Martinez about what just happened," she said as she pushed her brown bob back.

"Damn. The AC's set to its coolest yet it is still so hot in here," she complained as she grabbed her fancy paper fan and started cooling herself.

I nodded and answered, "Beads of sweat are dripping down my face. The heat must've caused Mr. Sta. Maria's dyspnea."

"You're right. Before you go home..." she stopped to wipe the sweat on her face.

"Before you go home, you make sure his room's well-ventilated," she continued.

Maya burst into the room along with my other fellow student nurses.

"I can't believe her!" Maya yelled while stomping her feet on the floor.

"Shh! Keep it down Miss Solis!" Ma'am Lucille shushed her. "You're gonna break the floor! What happened?" she continued.

Maya sat down then propped her arms on the table and perched her chin on her hands; then she explained: "It's that snooty nurse over there. Someone spilled their drink on the floor and she pinned it on me."

"She doesn't even have any proof," she complained.

"Tsk! I'll go check on them while you guys finish your work here," Ma'am Lucille said and shut the door.

"Hey Marth, I heard your patient was in a 'medical emergency,'" Maya asked.

"Hey! Respect my patient's privacy," I said in a joking tone, but I really meant it. Aside from taking good care of our patient's, respecting their privacy and confidentiality is one of our duties as nurses.

"He's not under your care, so he's none of your business."

"MARTH!" Maya shouted.

I turned to her with a surprised face. She didn't expect that response and probably took offense. Maybe I should have been more tactful and chosen a gentler reply, but I was just telling the truth– Mr. Sta. Maria's none of her business.

I realized that I might've offended her, and immediately took the high road and apologized.

"I'm sorry. It's just that..." I sighed. "It is one of our duties to keep our patients' privacies and confidentialities among their health care providers. In my case, Mr. Sta. Maria is not under your care, so I can't divulge his information to you," I collectedly explained.

"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked. "It's fine and I understand, Marth. Damn!" she laughed.

Maya's one of my few friends in school. I was glad when I learned that we would be dutymates for the entire semester. She's fun to be with and would always poke fun at the people around her. While she's playful and mischievous, she can be very serious in dire situations. That's why I thought she took offense in what I said.

For a change, I felt enthusiastic and optimistic about life. My mood took a hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, thanks to the adrenaline rush I felt just a few moments earlier. This extremely intense feeling was caused by: a) Mr. Sta. Maria's difficulty of breathing that made me go on "flight mode;" b) the relief that I felt when he finally calmed down; c) Ma'am Lucille's approval of my actions; and d) Janssen.

I stopped writing and thought about Janssen for a while. Somehow I couldn't forget his cold and clammy touch as if it was something that I needed to pay more attention to. He also has a mysterious vibe that I want to explore especially after catching him secretly watching me several times. To put it differently, I want to get to know him more.