Forcing

Uno

Napakalakas ng ulan ng araw na iyon. Vitani was left alone in school dahil nag charge pa siya ng cell phone niya. Kanina pa siya tawag ng tawag sa kuya niya pero ayaw nitong sumagot.

"Ah, shit naman. Ano bang pinagagagawa ng ungas na iyon at ayaw sumagot. " she said in a shrilled voice.

Mahigit isang oras na siyang naghihintay sa waiting shed ng school nila. Panaka-nakang may dumadaan na sasakyan and she'd hope sundo na niya iyon pero nilalampasan lang siya.
She really needs to get home fast dahil linalamig na talaga siya.

She was already loosing her hope at nagpapasya nang maglakad pauwi ng may tumawag sa kaniya.

"Vi!" She knew that voice and the name he used, isa lang naman siya na tumatawag sa kaniya ng ganoon.

"Adam... " she said dreamily.

Adam was rushing towards her na may dalang malaki-laking payong. Nakapambahay na ito.
Nakauwi na siya?

"Why are you here? " she spoke ng nakalapit na ito sa kaniya and pointed out his clothes.
"Nakauwi ka na? Ba't nandito ka? "

I-finold muna nito ang payong bago nagsalita, "I came back for you... "

Her heart fluttered at that. Why would he care? Unless...
"And to buy something too. I thought, wala nang susundo sayo dahil umalis ang pamilya mo leaving only your yaya. I was just passing by, bibili sana ako sa malapit na drugstore dahil may lagnat si mommy... " tinuro nito iyong malapit na mercury drug sa school nila.

"Ikaw ang dapat kong tanungin kung bakit nandito ka pa? Didn't your family let you know they we're leaving?"

She felt numb at that. Para siyang binagsakan ng isang napakalaking hollow block.

Ano pa nga bang bago? They we're always insensitive.

He saw her dumbfounded expression and approved to himself.

"You didn't know." He said nodding. "Well anyway since I'm here I might as well take you home like what I had in mind."
He smiled "Can you wait for a little while? Bibili lang ako ng gamot. "

She nodded politely at him and watch him go.

His care after all was brotherly...

She let out a deep sigh. Ang pamilya niya talaga kung ituring siya para lang siyang relatives na nakikitira. Hindi man lang mamaalam kung aalis. They do a lot of insensitive things to her,  this one was not the first time kaya nasanay na siya.

She never questioned them kung bakit sila ganoon. She just figured out somehow that it's their way of saying they didn't care in anything that concerns her. Oo, may sama siya ng loob sa pamilya niya for treating her like ampon lang siya pero anak lang siya ng parents niya and she's left with no choice but to act as if bulag, pipi at bingi siya.  At least if she does that her family would not ignore her and give her attention... at least.

One of her reasons for ignoring her familie's antics is because there are people who care for her. There's her yaya Bea and her titas, her best friend J and Adam.

Especially Adam. He was her very first crush, nung nalaman niyang her family and his family we're close friends palagi na siyang pumupunta doon if there are any celebrations na invited sila. And his family would tease her to him na bagay raw sila at boto sila sa kaniya. Her family too thinks the same. At least at that part they care, it's either dahil mabait ang mga magulang ni Adam or because they are extremely rich.

Adam's 4 years older than her kaya wala silang interactions masyado sa school, graduating na ito sa college siya grade 12 palang. Since then na palagi na silang nagkikita tuwing parties she realized hindi nalang pala simpleng crush ang meron siya dito it fell into infatuation and as expected by her it transformed into something bigger... love.

Nobody knows her feelings towards Adam except her yaya and J na mas pamilya pa siyang ituring kesa sa sariling niyang pamilya. She doesn't want to make it obvious especially in front of Adam kasi baka layuan siya nito.

Kuntento na siya, kahit na parang kapatid ang turing nito sa kaniya, to the point that he acts sweet around her na nami-misinterpret niya lang. Nalaman na lang niyang brotherly care ang meron ito sa kaniya ng pati mga girlfriends nito kinokonsulta na sa kaniya.

Masakit sa kaniya. It was like stabbing a wound again and again. Alam niyang masakit pero pilit parin siya ng pilit.

Pero she'd rather choose her situation right now than him leaving and ignoring her.

"Come on Vi. Nakabili na ako. Let's get you home."

She smiled at him at sumukob sa payong nito sabay kapit sa braso.

Libre chansing na rin...

---

"Paging Dra. Vitani Dianne Ramos. Please proceed to the operating room after 5mins."

The caller repeated the message 3 times before the intercom went off.
She, on the other hand readied her lab coat and her mouth mask. She grabbed her stethoscope and proceeded to her secretary.

"Nirwan. Aalis muna ako ng 30mins. or more please re-schedule the patients that will be coming na hindi magpapa-check up. I have to go to the OR. "

"Yes doc. " her secretary nodded at her before leaving her room.

Minadali niya ang lakad papuntang OR habang inaayos ang pagkakabun ng buhok niya.
Her patient Dan Faharo will be operated today. Tatanggalin na ang tumor nito sa utak. She needed to be there before the operation to give Dan a little debriefing and support.

Dan had been her psychiatric patient for 3 years , nag-suffer kasi ito ng physical abuse from his parents. Kailan lang ito naampon ng DSWD bago ito i-konsulta sa kaniya.

Naampon si Dan ng mayayamang mga magulang kaya finally maipatatanggal na nito ang dinadala nitong pasanin for 10 years.

"Hey gwapo." Kuha niya ng pansin kay Dan na nininerbyos na nakahiga sa hospital bed nito.
She checked his heartbeat and asked for his BP sa nakabantay na nurse rito.

"Your vitals are normal handsome. Are you ready for the big day? "

Tumingin lang ang bata sa kaniya with unsureness in his eyes, wala itong sinabi. Dan is a quiet kid, isa rin iyon sa characteristics nito na nagpahirap sa kaniya. She had to go through the hole of a needle just to make him talk.

"Hey. Say something... " naupo siya sa higaan nito at pinakatitigan ang maamong mukha nito,  she made sure to maintain eye contact. It's necessary in her line of work.

"K-inakabahan po kasi a-ako. "

She smiled a reassuring smile to him and caressed his soft hair.

"It's normal na kabahan ka you have a heart remember. If a person has a heart then he's capable of feeling different sets of emotions. Don't worry sa pagpapaopera mo. " she pinched the end of his tall nose.

"The doctors here are nice they won't harm you."

Huminga muna ito ng malalim bago siya sinagot "Shake on it? "

Natawa nalang siya sa naturan nito "Shake on it." They both wrinkled their nose at ginulo ang mga sariling buhok na parang timang. It's their own version of 'promise'.

The perks of being a psychiatrist.

"I'll see you when you wake up after the operation. "

Tumango lang ito sa kaniya.

"I'll get going." She stood up and was about to get to leave ng nagpahabol pa ang bata.

"Doktora Ganda..." She smiled at his endearment bago lumingon.

"Yes. Gwaps.?"

"Thank you po. Sa lahat-lahat." Dan smiled showing his deep set of dimples.

She beamed at him before answering a "You're welcome" at lumabas sa waiting area ng OR.

On her way back to her office she can't help but to shed a tear for Dan for being such a sweet kid after all he's been through at umusal ng panalangin for his safety.

She looks forward on seeing him again when he wakes up.

°°°