Pieces of Pastiche

Kabanata 27

Kabanata 27

Hours. Hours passed by and I never thought it will feel like this. Nasa loob ng operating room si Papa at si Archer nga ang nagoopera ngayon. It is supposed to be Dr. Montero who's going to operate pero wala siya.

Pabalik balik ako sa corridor. My mom's at the chapel praying. Hindi ko kayang umalis sa labas ng operating room. Umupo na muna ako sa waiting area dahil kanina pa ko nakatayo.

Hours passed at hindi ko na namalayan ang pagdating nila Ben at ng mga magulang niya. I felt Ben's urge to hug me but he didn't do it. I kind of feel at fault. Dapat pinush ko na noon pa lang si Papa na magpaopera na. Reparing an anuerysm is more difficult than clipping it. But I believe in Archer. I know he can do it.

Bumalik na si Mama galing chapel. Kausap niya ngayon ang mga magulang ni Ben habang tahimik lang siya sa gilid ko. I appreciate his silence.

Narinig kong bumukas ang pintuan ng OR. Archer went out on his scrubs. Hopeful, I went near him.

Hoping for a good news, my mom also went beside me.

"The patient's surgery was successful. We were able to clip the aneurysm. Hindi po ang aneurysm ng pasyente ang pumutok. The patient had hemorrhagic stroke but we successfuly evacuated the blood. He will be transferred to PACU for now. Pwede niyo po siyang silipin mamaya pero sa ngayon babantayan po muna siya."

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag nung malaman iyon. I don't know if what's better, an aneurysm or a stroke. My mother thanked him. Maraming tanong si Mama lalo na't doctor din siya. I waited for them to be finished. When they're done, the nurse assisted Mama to the PACU.

I smiled tiredly at him. Nilahad niya ang kamay sa akin kaya naman tinanggap ko iyon. Hindi na ko nahiya at niyakap siya.

"Thank you, Archer. For saving my Papa."

He tapped my head and I felt him kissing my forehead.

"Dr. Houston?"

Parehas kaming dalawang napalingon sa tumawag sa kanya. It was Mr. Ferdinand Valderama who called Archer. Magkakilala sila?

I felt Archer stiffened. Humigpit bigla ang hawak niya sa kamay ko.

Nakita ko rin ang gulat na itsura ni Ben at ni Mrs. Valderama.

"Long time no see. I'm surprised you're here."

"Mr. Valderama." Archer said.

"Tumatakas ka ba sa kaso mo?" nagkunot ang noo ko sa tanong ng Papa ni Ben. Nilingon ko si Archer na siyang nagbago na ng expression. From the shocked one to the dark aura.

"Papa, that's enough." Sabi ne Ben. Naguguluhan akong tumingin sa kanila.

"Ben! Anong that's enough? That man killed your sister!"

Nalaglag ang panga ko sa sinabi ni Mr. Valderama. My heart beat wildly inside my chest from the tension. Inalala kong muli ang kinwento ni Ben.

"My sister suffered from a car crash. She had a subdural hematoma. Wala kami noon sa tabi niya nung mangyare yun because she was just having vacation in that country alone. According to her doctor, she was deteriorating and her brain's herniating already. May posibilidad na macoma siya. Knowing my sister, she doesn't like that. Her doctor said that as per my sister's request, she just want my nephew to be born and as soon as she delivers her baby, she don't want any artificial life support. She just want to save the baby. To cut the long story short, my sister had an arrest, was operated CS, then the doctor pulled her life support. She died."

Si...Archer ang nagtanggal ng life support? Slowly, nabitawan ko ang kamay ni Archer.

Napatingin siya doon and I saw pain crossed his eyes.

He..killed Melody?

"Papa I said enough! The doctor didn't kill Melody!"

"Hindi? Hinayaan niyang mamatay si Melody! Your sister's life support was pulled and yet, you are siding with this killer?!"

"Sir, I didn't kill your daughter."

"Dr. Houston, Dr. Wildrige, code blue at bed 12 from Neuro-ICU!"

Dali dali kaming tumakbo papunta sa Neuro ICU, yung pasyente kong kakaopera lang ay nag arrest, kasabay pa ng pag arrest ng kay Archer.

"Pulseless VTACH. One milligram of EPI now!" sigaw ko.

Kinuha ko ang defibrillator. The nurse put some gel on it. I rubbed it.

"Charge to 200, clear!"

Mula sa VTACH ay nag asystole ang pasyente.

"Start CPR now!"

Sinubukan namin irevive ang pasyente. We did revive him pero hindi maganda ang lagay. I closed my eyes as I regained my strength from this code. I bit my lip as I wrote down my post arrest orders. As I finished them, nakit ako si Archer na nakatingin sakin. He look at me with tiredness in his eyes. Dalian akong dinapuan ng konsensya. Basta basta ko nalang siyang hinusgahan kanina.

He looked disappointed as he exit the place. I don't know why it gave pain to my chest.

"Call me when he arrests again." Sabi ko sa residente ko saka tumakbo para habulin si Archer.

Hinanap ko siya pero wala siya. Wala sa quarters, wala sa opisina namin, kahit saan ko siya hanapin ay wala siya. Agad akong kinabahan.

Palabas na ko ng opisina ko nung harangin ako ni Mr. Valderama. Napakurap ako.

"Iha can we talk?" gusto ko mang habulin si Archer, alam kong kabastusan naman kung aalis ako. Dahan dahan akong tumango. Bumalik ako sa lamesa ko at naupo sa swivel chair ko.

"Have a seat po." Sabi ko.

"Hindi na ko magpapadalos dalos pa. Are you in a relationship with Dr. Houston?"

Napakurap ako sa tanong niya. Medyo tumawa ako para maalis ang kaba sa dibdib.

"I think that's too personal to ask, Mr. Valderama." I said. Ngumisi ang matanda sa harap ko dahilan para mas kabahan ako.

"Based on how I see earlier, he is your boyfriend. Hiwalayan mo ang mamamatay tao na yon."

Agad nag init ang ulo ko sa sinabi niya. Dala ng iritasyon. I look at him with annoyed face.

"With all respect, Mr. Valderama, I believe hindi niyo po ako pwedeng diktahan sa mga desisyon ko sa buhay. Whether I have a relationship with Dr. Houston or not, it's none of your business." Deretsahan ko ding sagot. Dahan dahan siyang tumango. Tumingin sa orasan na akala mo ay nagmamadali.

"Dr. Houston killed my daughter. Whether you believe it or not, he did kill my daughter. Kung hindi mo hihiwalayan ang walang hiyang doctor na iyon, ipapakalat ko sa media ang kawalang hiyaan niyang ginawa sa anak ko mamayang gabi. I own a media company and I can do it. You're in an arranged marriage with my son, anyway. Decide if you wanna save that doctor's career."

"Hindi po ako pumapayag na magpakasal-"

"Your father agreed and if you don't do this, I will pull out my shares to your father's law firm. I think you know that it's failing already?"

Laglag panga akong iniwanan doon ni Mr. Valderama. Nanginginig ang kamay ko dahil hindi ko alam ang gagawin. My tears started to flow. Bakit bigla akong naipit dito?! Anong kinalaman ko sa kanila?

Arranged marriage? Pati ba naman ang arranged marriage na para kay Kyla ay ako ang sasalo?

And Archer? Kakayanin ko bang masira ang career niya? Deep inside my heart, alam kong hindi kayang gawin ni Archer iyon. He can't kill a patient. Pero kahit hindi niya iyon gawin, once na lumabas ito sa media, napakadaling maniwala ng mga tao. This will cost him his position in this hospital. His integrity, his profession...

Naalala ko ang iyak niya kagabi sa akin. How he mourn over a patient whose life support was pulled. Ito ba yun? Kaya ganun na lang ang reaksyon niya doon? Is it true? That he killed Ben's sister?

Umiyak ako. Iyak ako ng iyak dahil alam ko kung anong pipiliin ko. I will always choose Archer. And if choosing him means I have to leave him, then I will. Buong puso kong gagawin.