Pieces of Pastiche

Kabanata 13

The whole auditorium was filled with medical doctors from different parts of the world. Inilibot ko ang paningin ko sa loob. This is the first time na makapunta ako sa sobrang laking conference. According to Lorenz, mayroon daw capacity na 1000 pax ang lugar na ito.

Archer made our way towards our seats. Nakapwesto kami sa bandang unahan. Nung makita namin ang mga pwesto namin ay agad na naman kaming naupo. I saw some familiar faces na either nakasalamuha na namin sa dati pang mga conferences or nakikita ko sa mga journals ng medicine.

Galing sa Pilipinas, tatlong ospital at dalawang universities lang nabigyan ng invitation. I smiled to the other Filipino participants and greeted them.

"Wow.." manghang tinignan ni Aurora ang buong paligid. Sila Sandro naman at Lorenz ay may kanya kanyang kinakausap. I glanced at my right and saw Dr. Charles Buckingham, the legendary Neurosurgeon!

Agad akong napalapit nung nginitian niya ko. I don't know but para akong nagfafan girl!

"Good morning, Dr. Buckingham. I'm Quinn Wildrige, a Neurosurgeon from Crimson Medical City, Philippines. I am a fan!" I introduced myself cheerfully. The man in front of me smiled, the lines in his face is so visible, dala ng katandaan.

"Dr. Wildrige, nice to meet you. I heard so much about you from my friend Dr. Aldea and Dr. Salome."

I was surprised when he mentioned the two doctors close to my heart. Hindi ko alam na kaibigan nila si Dr. Buckingham!

He offered his hand for a shake kaya naman malugod kong tinugon iyon.

"I hope it's something good." I joked. Humalakhak naman ang matanda sa sinabi ko at tumango tango pa.

"Yes, yes. You're the youngest Neurosurgeon in the Philippines. Dr. Salome showed some clips of you performing my technique in clipping anuerysm. I'm impressed, Dr. Wildrige."

Nahihiya akong ngumiti.

"You were one of my inspirations, Doctor. I want to learn how you evacuate deep hematomas without using CT Scans as guides." Sabi ko pa. The man nodded at me and tapped my shoulders.

"I'll be glad to teach you. Come and visit me some time at the hospital and I will teach you."

Inabutan niya ko ng calling card niya at hindi ko masabi kung gaano ako kasaya. I need to thank Dr. Salome and Dr. Aldea for this oppurtunity! Grabe!

"Someone's happy."

Napalingon ako kay Archer na pinapanood pala ako. Lalo akong napangiti kasi talagang masaya ako!

"I didn't know Dr. Buckingham was here!" hindi maka get over kong sabi. He smiled at me kaya naman napangiti ako lalo.

"I really want to learn from him!"

"Elijah?"

May sasabihin pa siya dapat nung may tumawag sa kanya. Parehas kaming napalingon at nakita ko ang isang babaeng naka knee length plum dress. Maganda siya, tindig pa lang ay alam mo nang banyaga ang kanyang features. Napalingon ako kay Archer na hindi man lang nagulat sa tumawag sa kanya.

Elijah? She calls her Elijah..so...a special person?

Hindi nakatakas sa mata ko ang paghampas niya sa braso ni Archer pagkatapos ng beso. My brows arched from the gesture.

"I missed you!" punong puno ng kaartehan niyang sabi.

"Amanda." Archer acknowledged her. So Amanda, huh?

"I didn't know you're here! Have you seen Dr. Charles? He's around." Bahagya akong napaisip sa nabanggit niyang pangalan. Dr. Charles? Charles Buckingham ba?

"Yeah," saglit akong nilingon ni Archer at iginaya paharap. Napakurap naman ako at tumayo ng maayos.

"This is Dr. Quinn Wildrige and this is Dr. Amanda Wilson, a former colleague of mine." I reached out my hand for a shake after Archer introduced us. Tinignan niya lang iyon. Saglit pa siyang nag isip bago tinanggap yun. Gusto kong mapairap. I know these kind of women. Halatang maygusto kay Archer!

"Oh, a Ph.D." she smiled sarcastically at me. Nag init ang ulo ko sa sinabi niya. I mean-wala naman akong problema sa Ph.D. pero hindi ba kapani-paniwalang isa akong doctor?!

Sasagot pa lang sana ako nung tawagin siya ng isang organizer. Napakagat ako ng labi sa inis. May sinabi siya saglit doon sa organizer bago muling hinarap kami. She looks at Archer softly.

"Say hi to your mentor, Elijah. Don't you miss assisting him in his surgeries? Sometimes we still talk about you. Anyway, I gotta go. I'll be presenting my research here."

Iniwan niya kaming dalawa bago umalis. Inis akong umupo sa upuan ko at tinabihan ako ni Archer. Nasa kaliwa ko na rin si Lorenz na busy sa pag tetext. Nasa kaliwa niya rin si Sandro bago si Aurora.

"Sorry 'bout her." Archer apologized. Napairap naman ako.

"Ex mo?" di ko napigilang tanong. Hindi ko alam bakit yun ang lumabas sa bibig ko. Pakialam ko naman kung ex niya yon?

He looks amused with my question. Di ko alam bakit naasar ako lalo.

"Nevermind."

Nagsimula na ang conference. A lot of researches were presented. Pag ka may open forum ay nagtatanong sila Sandro. Mukha lang hindi seryoso 'yang si Sandro pero alam naman niya lumugar kapag ganitong mga pagtitipon.

"Good morning, I am Sandro Llanes, Assitant Head of Anesthesiology Department at Crimson General Hospital Philippines." Pagpapakilala niya bago ang tanong. I saw different surprised faces. Of course, he is the son of the legendary anesthesiologist who developed an anesthesia for patients with anesthetics allergy. It was one of the greatest breakthrough of medicine.

Lorenz also asked some questions especially when a research about an artificial heart for patients with Chronic Heart Failure was discussed.

Nag restroom saglit si Archer dahil may fifteen minutes break. I smiled at Lorenz who looks so happy walking back to us.

"The Chief of Thoraco-Cardio Research Institute wants me in their team!" niyakap ako ni Lorenz pagkatapos niyang ibalita yon. Kita mo rin ang gulat na itsura ni Aurora at masayang itsura ni Sandro, "Wow bro!"

Matagal nang pangarap ni Lorenz na mapabilang doon. TCRI is a prestigous research group conducting bizzare researches in the heart. Mahirap makapasok doon dahil hindi sila basta basta nagbibigay ng membership.

"This is worth celebrating!" masaya ring sambit ni Sandro.

"Ang galing! Congrats Lorenz!" Aurora churped in. Natawa naman ako at nag congrats na rin kay Lorenz.

Habang nagkikwentuhan kami, hindi ko namalayang nasa tabihan ko na ulit si Archer. Masaya namang binalita ni Sandro kay Archer ang pagkakapasok ni Lorenz sa TCRI.  Natigil lang ang kwentuhan nung magsalita na muli ang emcee at nagsimula nang mag pakilala ng susunod na presenter.

"Our next speaker is a Trauma Surgeon at Sales Grace Hospital. She's working on several researches about Brain Trauma with Dr. Charles Buckingham. She works at England General Hospital for five years before migrating to Washington D.C., it's my pleasure to present to you, Dr. Amanda Wilson."