Doctor's Order

Chapter 11

The following morning, Richard was in a meeting when his secretary came in with a small bouquet of flowers. The card read, I'm sorry. RIP.

Richard laughed. He excused himself from the meeting and immediately dialed Maine's number. "This is your date calling."

"I really am sorry about last night." Maine said. "I'm embarrassed." Maine's faced was turning red because of embarrassment.

"Don't be. But I have a question." Richard said on the other line smiling from ear to ear.

"Sure. What is it?" Maine quipped.

"Does RIP stand for Rest in Peace or Rip as in Van Winkle?"

Mine laughed. "Take your choice."

"My choice is dinner tonight. Can we try again?"

Maine hesitated. I don't want to become involved. Valeen's words echoed on her mind 'You're not still hung up on Miggy, are you?'

"Hello, are you still there?" Richard spoke when he didn't get any response from the other line.

"Yes." One evening won't do any harm, Maine decided. "Yes, we can have dinner."

"Wonderful." Richard can't help but beam with smile.

"I'll pick you up? Same place and time?" Richard added.

"Okay." Maine responded.

"Great. I'll see you then." Richard added, "Bye."

"Bye. See you." Maine said then ended the call.

------------------------------------------------------

As Maine was getting dressed that evening, Valeen walked into her room and spoke, "It looks like you have a heavy date. Who is it?"

He's a doctor-architect." Maine said.

"A what?" Valeen asked with curiosity.

"It's a long story." Maine said.

"Then start it now. Before you leave." Valeen insisted.

Since Maine know that Valeen will not leave her alone until she tell her the whole story, she decided to tell her.

"It was actually embarrassing. It happened on one my rounds. Last week." Maine started. "I was informed by Ejercito that Dr. De Leon's nephew will be joining my rounds."

"The IN?" Valeen asked.

"Yes. So here I am about to start my rounds but the 'IN' was still nowhere in sight. When finally I was about to leave, Richard approached me."

"Who's Richard?" Valeen then asked.

"He's the doctor-architect." Maine said with a smile on her lips.

"Oh...." Valeen said with a knowing smile.

"Well, to continue, he then arrived wearing a white sports jacket. When he approached me I snapped at him and asked why he is not wearing a white coat and even pointed out that he doesn't have a scut book. He then tried to explain but I then cut him off before he can speak. So I sent him to the nurse station and just told him to follow us for the rounds." Maine said.

"Then...?" Valeen asked.

"Well, when he did joined us, I asked him questions regarding the patient. And his answers were nowhere near what a doctor will give. So I was so infuriated with him."

"Infuriated? Why, what did he said?" Valeen asked.

"When I asked him how will he treat a patient with thyroid storm, with fever and extreme tachycardia. His response was, and I quote "Gently? With tender love and care." End of quote."

"Wahahahahahahaha....." Valeen was laughing so hard. The same memory put a smile on Maine's face. When finally the Valeen's laughter subsided, she prompted Maine to continue, "Then..."

"When the rounds were over, I pulled him aside and told him to tell Dr. De Leon that he is not fit to be a doctor. I even asked why he was in this field. His response was, he was pushed into it.  I was about to further tell him off when suddenly, Dr. De Leon appeared and saw us. He then introduced Richard as his nephew and the architect for the new building that the hospital is building."

"Wow! So, you got it all wrong?" Valeen pointed out.

"Yes. Actually during that time, I was wishing that the building collapse and the earth swallowed me because I was so embarrassed. Instead, Richard then asked me out for dinner, which I immediately turned down." Maine ended.

"So, how come you have a date with him now?" Valeen asked.

"Well, he then called me afterwards to again invite me."

"Wait a minute, is he the same guy who called you when you were on-call?"

"Yes." Maine answered. "Then he called me again and asked me out but I still refused him. So yesterday, he then turned in during one of my morning rounds wearing white coat and holding a scut book. The man was infuriating. What's more, he purchased different tickets and told me that all of them were non-refundable."

"Really?!? That's so sweet." Valeen quipped.

"What I did was I took all of those tickets and told him that I will give it to my outpatients. His response was 'I hope they enjoy.' Well after that I felt guilty so I agreed to have dinner with him last night."

"So this is the second date?" Valeen said with astonishment.

"Actually, no. You do know that I came from on-call the other night and I was still on-duty whole day yesterday." Maine pointed out.

"So what happened?"

"Well, I passed out on the on-call room. He arrived but I was dead asleep. I just woke up this morning with a bouquet of white roses beside me." She then added, "So I felt guilty and sent him a bouquet as well with a sorry card. He then called and again invited me tonight. So, here I am." Maine finished.

"He sounds like fun. Are you interested in him?"

"Not really." Maine answered.

"What? He sounded sweet and genuine. Why don't you give him a chance?"

Maine didn't respond.

"You know what. You should give yourself a chance to be happy. Who knows, this doctor-architect might be your prince charming who will sweep you off your feet." Valeen said.

"Prince-charming? Where did that come from?" Maine said skeptically.

"Well, you'll never know right. Love comes when you least expect it." Valeen said.

"I don't know." Maine answered.

"Don't close any door. This might be your chance to find true love and happiness. Just go with the flow." Valeen added.

"We'll see." was all Maine said and with that she waved goodbye to Valeen and headed out of their house.