AMACon 3: Oikos - Children

The Wax and Wane - Chapter One

WRITTEN BY:

LobbyPips

This is his second year in servicing rural areas. After this one year stint, he will be free from his responsibilities. He heaved a sigh as he shouldered his back pack and proceeded to the government run orphanage where he will be holding his clinic and acting as the resident doctor for the children in the institution.

RJ specifically chose an orphanage because it reminds him of his familial status, both parents dead with just his 12-year old sister and his grandmother to live with. In this way, even if he is away from home, he gets to be with children of the same age as his sibling so the home sickness will not be as strong. He can go home to Laguna anyway, his schedule in the town of Laur, Nueva Ecija allows him for a ten day rest after a twenty day straight shift.

When he entered the threshold, he was assaulted by how bleary the orphanage was. The hallway was painted in egg yolk yellow, a shade that was used probably as an attempt to lighten the sad aura exuded by the place and what it stands for -- young souls left and abandoned.

He stepped into the administration office to present himself. After the introductions, the house mother, Ruby toured him around the place. As they were walking through the hallway, RJ noticed a lone child standing at the end of the hall. She has dark lustrous hair ending in soft curls. She was just looking up, staring at the wall as if there was something interesting among the lines and cracks on it.

"Jane", Ruby called to the child who doesn't turn. "Hindi naman talaga 'yun ang pangalan nya, Dok. Hindi lang namin alam kung anong itatawag sa kanya."

"Hindi po siya nagsasalita?" the doctor asked.

Ruby shook her head, "Hindi eh. Isang araw, mga dalawang buwan na ang nakakaraan, bigla na lang siyang sumulpot dito. Ayaw magsalita, lagi lang nakatingin sa kung saan. E di ba sa mga pelikula kapag hindi alam yung pangalan, Jane Doe. Kaya ayun, Jane na lang itinawag namin sa kanya. Halika, pakilala kita." She beckoned the doctor towards the girl.

"Jane, ito si Dok RJ. Kapag may sakit kayo, siya ang gagamot sa inyo." She calmly explained to the little girl.

She is about four to five years old, by the looks of it. When she turned, RJ saw plump cheeks and clear, lustrous eyes as if filled with curiosity as the kid looked up at him.

He knelt in front of the child, "Pwede mo din akong maging kalaro." He smiled at Jane when she slowly removed her thumb from her mouth and approached him. Her little fat arms moved up his neck to hug him and she rested her head at the space between the doctor's neck and shoulder.

Ruby was clapping her hands so RJ looked up at her. "Ikaw pa lang ang hinawakan ng batang iyan. Akalain mong pagkalambing pala." He smiled and hugged the child back. This is just like having his sister with him, it feels really nice.

They toured the rest of the orphanage and RJ had just one observation. While the children looked well cared for, there was that air of sadness and neglect as if in their young lives, they knew that the orphanage was just a temporary refuge. He vowed to himself that he will look after the children, in the same way that he watched after his sister.

With this, he set a schedule for himself -- help with feeding and cleaning the children in the early morning, open his clinic from mid-morning until mid-afternoon and play with the kids just before dinner and tuck them all to bed at night. The kids started warming up to him, as if they suddenly had a brother/father figure in the institution.

During this daily schedule, he had one constant companion, little Jane. She still wouldn't talk though, her thumb always finding its way to her mouth. She just refused to leave RJ's side and would play nurse for him. The residents of the town noted how much they looked like a father and daughter tandem and it warmed RJ's heart.

"Naku Dok, kapag dumating na yung isa pang house mother dito, kumpleto na po kayo. Mukhang bagay pa naman po kayo nun," one of the helpers in the orphanage noted to which his other patients who knew the woman agreed.

RJ's interest was piqued but he'd have to wait until she arrives to confirm what they told him.

His daily schedule at the orphanage always went on smoothly. Apart from emergency calls when he needed to attend to patients in their houses, he just stayed within the confines of the orphanage. On his eleventh day, his eyes failed to find a common sight, little Jane in her night shirt who would always be waking before him, always before him and waiting by his bedroom door.

He just shrugged it off and went on his usual routine but when he was about to open his clinic, the little girl was still nowhere to be found.

He poked his head in the play room where one adult was assisting the kids. "Did anyone see Jane? May nakakita na ba sa kanya?" He had to draw back when he saw an unfamiliar yet pleasant face.

"Dok RJ, siya po si Miss Maine, yung isa pang house mother dito, karelyebo ni Miss Ruby. Miss Maine, si Dok RJ Faulkerson po yung bagong assign na rural doctor dito sa bayan tapos dito po siya sa orphanage nagki-clinic at tumitira." One of the helpers from outside the room did the introductions.

RJ fully entered the room to present himself for a handshake. So this was the woman they told him about.

There wasn't any electricity that coursed through his arm when they shook hands, but there was the warmth of familiarity as if he held her hands previously.

"Ikaw pala yung madalas nilang kinukwento sa'kin." He said after releasing her hand. To be honest, he was reluctant to let her hand go. For a while there, he felt like his hand had just found its match, like his fingers had just imprinted with its partner.

She raised her eyes at him shyly, "Naku, ano na naman kayang pinagkukwento nila sa'yo tungkol sa'kin? Sana hindi yung mga katarayan ko."

"Sabi nila bagay tayo..."

"And? Feeling ko may kasunod pa yung sentence mo eh."

"And agree ako sa kanila, mukhang bagay nga tayo. Sayang wala si Jane, para daw complete family na tayo. May tatay, may nanay, may baby." He added sheepishly.

She smiled and it lit the whole of her personality. She had that perfect smile that started from her lips up to her eyes and it transcended to her surroundings, inviting you to smile back. It was obvious that the children adored her.

The coldness that RJ noted when he first arrived slowly dissipated among the children. It was like they have renewed energy with Maine's arrival. He can't help but often steal glances at her. It was a good thing that the playroom was situated right across the room where he holds his consultations. However, by the end of the day, his worry for the missing girl returned.

RJ asked the helpers around, he was baffled by their lack of concern over the missing child.

"Dok, hindi naman po kasi first time na nawala si Jane. Noong unang beses din po ganyan ang nangyari. May kalahating buwan siyang nawala pagkatapos bumalik din naman dito," one helper supplied.

Another butted in, "Noong una po siyang nawala, mga dalawang linggo pagdating niya dito, buong araw pong naghanap si Miss Ruby pero wala po talaga, Araw-araw po niyang hinintay noon, pati makibalita sa pulis sa kabayanan ginawa po namin. Pero ayun nga po, bumalik naman. Alam na din po ni Miss Maine yung ganyang gawi kahit kakaumpisa pa lang po niya noong mismong araw na unang nawala si Jane. Ilang beses na din pong nangyari, mga tatlong beses para sa tatlong buwan."

"Hindi niyo man lang inalam saan siya nagpupunta kapag nawawala?" RJ's eyebrows were both furrowed. Really, he was concerned.

"Paano po naming tatanungin, Dok, hindi nga po nagsasalita yung bata?" He nodded and mulled things over. His responsibilities in the clinic would not allow him to look for the kid. He probably will just have to wait it out like what they advised him.