Enmeshed Kinship

16

I just got out of Ms. Karen's office after giving the resignation form that I just prepared. And just like that, everything was dissipated. I know it goes through process but they made it just like nothing right away. I never really like having different treatment from them anyway, it makes me question all my abilities.

I was about to clean all my mess up in my office but I'm still in my lab coat and a stethoscope hanging from my nape the reason why they approached me as a doctor to help in an emergency, the family of the patient immediately pushed me 'til I got in emergency room.

I want so bad to tell them that I can't help, that I could be fraud since I just lost my job but then I can't. I've seen the patient losing most of his blood, like his drowning from it. I had to help and so I did.

I asked all the nurse everything I needed. It was a wrong move that they brought the patient who had been shot into an emergency room so the only thing I could do is run as fast as they can in bringing him into the operating room.

They gave me all tools that I needed. The clamps, scalpel, everything to successfully eradicate the bullet inside him. 

Fast forward, I just checked for the patient again which made my heart throbbed. Something keeps on bothering me, it could be my instinct or I just keep on believing that someone's following and watching me as it was the first thought that I had from earlier.

"Ma'am let's just wait for his recovery, we've shown some signs of Ischaemia-Reperfusion injury while we operate him so thankfully we resuscitate it and besides it's good that you immediately brought him here."

"You know where he was shot?"

"Uh leg?, Oh yes wait ma'am, you know this case is and will always be severe right? But what just made me confuse is he was near to death although being shot in leg, it's a clever thing to have the aggregation confusion, it brings me to an answer. But for now let me ask you, who do you think could be the person of interest?"

"U-uh"

She stopped for a minute. And I don't think she has a plan to answer me.

"Doc, you have to go, hindi ba't wala ka ng trabaho?"

My jaw dropped. Yes but I only helped! 

"Alright I think this could help"

I handed her the bullet inside the zip lock that I got from the patient.

"I suggest you have it checked into the ballistics, and don't get me wrong po-" I chuckled "I intentionally left the blood in it so don't ask why it wasn't at least cleaned. There could be a poison in the bullet, and don't worry this is hospital they also had to ran some tests in it so they could have prescribe him an ointment later after the tests."

I only smiled at her and silence was surrounded in us when I was out of words. She seemed in a little hurry looking like shocked so I twice gently tapped her shoulder and caressed it with my thumb.

"I'll go now"

I was about to walk to my route when someone stopped me just after I heard the jingling keys behind me.

"Ms. Cortez, you have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future."

Hands were suddenly handcuffed behind me.

I don't know why this police had to whisper in my ear with his husky voice and one thing we were in Philippines he could speak tagalog, I haven't seen that man yet as he was only behind me kanina pa, but what only I could imagine is he's that typical policemen I could see. The fat old man with fatter tummy. What else, right? Hmm, skinny one as the latter.

I wasn't use to altercation kaya sumama ako ng mahinahon, they also told me that it was because I was fraud. I don't know since when I got in here, in this cell with incarcerated women. They seemed nice so I didn't bother and swallow all those nervousness that I had hypothetically thinking of having the vicious them. I also told them the reason why I was here kaya di na ako pinunterya nung ibang siga at hindi din naman ganoon kalalim ang kaso ko. I directly called an attorney although my dad could pull some strings. I just for the first time wanted to undergo the legal process.

"Cortez, laya ka na"

He them opened the cell. What the hell?

"Doc" he smiled at me at inilahad ang kaniyang kamay. "Or should I call it Sara?" He chuckled.

I accepted what he offered and acted nice.

"Y-you?" I softly laugh "did you just--"

"Yes"

"Omg, how much is it ba? I'll pay, I'm really really sorry, how come that you knew I was here, Mr. Cerda?"

"Oh I was overwhelmed. Haven't forget my name huh, I was in the hospital kanina, the patient na ginamot mo, he's my relative"

We were now heading out outside the station. Gabi na kaagad, at mula ng nakulong ako I'd been a little hypothetical. At ngayon na nakita ko pa ulit ang kasama ko ngayon mas lalo akong nag overthink.

The patient was shot only sa leg and the bullet could possibly have a poison, maybe they wanted him unconscious not dead. Kanina yung kasama ng patient gusto na akong paalisin, probably so I could get out of what she thought the imminents were. And now all confusions were wating to be solved. I just had to add it.

"Hindi kita napansin"

We were rambling at hindi ko alam kung lakad lang ba talaga ang gagawin namin.

"I was hiding"

I was about to say something pero dumating si Allison so I had to bid goodbye, I told him na babayaran ko siya for I was now a ransomed person pero he only ostracized it. May kotse naman pala siya, nagpagod lang kami.

Michael told me to act feasible when I had a chance to meet him, but I didn't, he seemed nice although I was aware how discretion I should give in, so I won't be manipulated.

"Si kuya ang nagutos na ihatid ka namin sa condo, ingat ka ha, bye"

Bumaba na ako sa kotse nila at pumasok sa elevator.

"Number?" A familiar voice asked me. He was wearing cap at nakatalikod saakin kaya di ko siya makita.

"Uh, 3 po, thank you"

Nang makapunta na ako sa destination ko palabas na ako, at pasara na ang elevator ng nagsalita na naman ang lalaki.

"Bye, Sara"

I was apalled for not looking back pagkalabas na pagkalabas palang kanina, I had a chance to see him!

When I had the keycard scanned, I entered, at bumungad saakin si Michael with his police officer uniform.