Doctor's Order

Chapter 8

Sunday afternoon couldn't have come any faster. In Maine's opinion however, she feels like the time was creeping oh so slow as she anticipate Miggy's arrival.

At around 12 noon, Maine emerged from her room wearing the simple elegant Sunday dress she bought just for the occasion.

"Do I look alright? Do you think he will like it?" Maine asked nervously.

"You look sensational!" Valeen assured her. "I hope he deserves you."

"No, I hope I do deserve him. You'll love him. He's fantastic." Maine said with a smile on her face.

The table was set up elaborately. Mostly the food prepared were Miggy's favorite. A champagne was also chilled to celebrate Miggy's arrival. Everyone was nervous as they await the arrival of Miggy.

At exactly 1PM, the doorbell rang, Maine excitedly ran to the door and opened it. When he opened it Miggy's face was the first thing she saw. He was thinner, looking a bit tired, but still it's her Miggy.

"Maine!" Miggy exclaimed.

Maine then threw her arms to Miggy and hugged him tightly. She then turned to Jerald and Valeen. She pulled Miggy inside. She then spoke.

"Miggy, this is my housemate, Valeen and her boyfriend, Jerald." Maine then continued, "Guys, this is Miguel Alfonso."

"Please to meet you." Miggy said as he extended his arm to the couple in front of him. He then turned to the woman standing just behind his back.

"This is Julie Anne Alfonso. My Wife." He said beaming.

The three other occupant of the room stood frozen. They didn't realize that Miggy was holding a hand and someone was walking behind him.

"Your wife?" Maine said slowly her face was ashen.

"Yes... Didn't.... didn't you got my letter?"  Miggy asked while frowning.

"Letter?"

"Yes. I sent it weeks ago."

"No... I didn't get any letter."

"Oh! I ....... I'm terribly sorry. I explained it all in my letter... but apparently, you didn't get ...." His voice trailed off.

"I'm really sorry Maine. You and I have been apart for so long, that I..."

"Then I met Julie Anne... and you know how it is...."

"I know how it is," Maine said numbly. She then turned to Julie Anne and forced a smile. "I... I hope you and Miggy will be very happy."

"Thank you."

Then there was an awkward silence. Jerald was lost for words while Valeen reached out for Maine's hand to give her silent support.

It was Julie Anne who first broke the silence. "I think we better go, darling."

"Yes. I think you should...." Valeen trailed off.

Miggy ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm really sorry Maine."

"I... well... goodbye..." he added.

"Goodbye Miggy."

The three people left behind stood there, watching the departing newlyweds. Once the door closed, Valeen immediately spoke.

"That bastard! What a lousy thing to do." She said in hissed tone.

Maine's eyes were brimming with tears. "He... he didn't.... didn't mean to."

"I mean.... I mean he must have explained everything in his letter."

Valeen then put his arms around Maine. "There ought to be a law that all men should be castrated."

"Hey!" was all Jerald was able to say.

"Maine, honey, she doesn't deserve you." Valeen said.

"It's his lost not yours." Jerald added.

"Hey, are you alright?" Valeen asked Maine coz she noticed that Maine was just looking at a space and not saying anything.

Excuse me. I... I just wanted to rest." Maine said. She then hurriedly went to her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Maine did not come out of her room the rest of the day.

During the next few months, Maine saw very little of Valeen and Jerald. Usually they will have a hurried breakfast either at home or in the cafeteria. Occasionally Maine and Valeen will pass one another in the corridors. They usually communicated mainly by leaving posts it in the apartment.

"Dinner is in the fridge."

"The microwave is out."

"Sorry didn't have time to clean up."

"What about dinner? The two of us?"

The impossible workload hours continued to be a punishment, testing the limits of endurance for all the residents.

Maine welcomed the pressure and the tons of work handed down to them. It gave her no time to think about Miggy and the wonderful future they had planned together. And yet, she could not get him out of her mind. What he had done filled her with deep pain that refused to go away. She often tortured herself with the futile game of "what if?"

What if I pushed my grandparents to allow me to go back to Africa?

What if I have asked her to go with me here in San Francisco?

What if he didn't meet Julie Anne?

What if...?

One Friday when Maine went to the locker room to change into her scrubs, the word "bitch" had been written on her scrubs with a black marker.

The following day, Maine's scut book went missing. She thought that she misplaced it, but at the back of her mind, she doubt that event.

The outside world ceased to exist in Maine's world. Maine was aware that there's been terrorist attack in different parts of Europe, but her focus were on her patients.

What made Maine's days bearable were the doctors that she work with. Some of them dedicates themselves into saving lives day in and day out. They relieve pains, heal people and make impossible miracles. Maine watch different miracles every day and it fills her with a sense of pride.

Another year had pass by in the lives of the doctors of the hospital. Everything went by that fast that before Maine and Valeen knew it, they are now the senior residents of the hospital.