Oxytocin (JaDine AU)

Special Chapter

AN: since it's Doc Mark's birthday! 😊
-unbetaed, and im not sure if marunong pa ko magsulat. lol. anyway, still hope you enjoy. i didn't really think about this much 😅😂

Mark's POV

I was a little startled when my name was called. Mukhang nakaidlip ako. Pero wala naman atang nakapansin. I just raised my hand to acknowledge the students who looked back to see me and Doc Anna, yung interns' monitor namin this year.

We have a lecture today kaya I'm still here even though I'm from duty. As a psych resident, we usually can go home at lunch pag from duty na, pero kapag ganito na may lectures or discussions, need pa rin namin mag-attend. Lalo na ako, since I'm chief resident.

Nagstart na yung lecturer nun, and medyo nagdodoze off nanaman ako. Usually, hindi naman toxic dito sa Psych ng Olivar, pero last night, ewan ko ba. Parang nagkasabay-sabay yung admissions nung madaling araw.

But I guess okay na rin na from duty na ako ngayon. Kesa naman ngayong birthday ko pa ako duty. At least makakatulog ako sa kama mamaya.

I guess I started daydreaming nanaman cause the next thing I knew, tapos na yung lecture and everyone was suddenly singing a happy birthday.

I shook my head, half in amusement, and half to try and wake myself up. I must have missed it, but I guess my residents announced that it is my birthday.

They had already greeted me last night, since magkakasama naman kami, and the interns even prepared a cake, pero ganito talaga kapag sa hospital ka nagbibirthday.

Come to think of it, last year duty rin ako nung mismong birthday ko naman.

Huh, it's the second year I wouldn't be able to celebrate with Nicz on this day mismo. Kasi this year, siya naman ang duty.

I kinda felt sad at that thought, even though I have known naman na na duty siya today. But at the very least, I can go home now.

Sayang lang talaga 'di ko makikita si Nicz today since salisi kami. I've been here since yesterday, and syempre pumasok na rin siya kaninang umaga, tapos bukas pa uuwi.

I acknowledged some more greetings as I got up. I tried not to be too obvious, but I really wanted to go home na. I have to fetch Leander pa kay Mama later, and I wanna take a short nap before that. Kasi kapag na sa'kin na si Der, di na ko pwede matulog.

This has been our arrangement for about two years now, since Der turned one. Bumalik na kasi si Nicz sa residency niya so we take turns taking care of our son. When we're both in the hospital, iniiwan muna namin si Der kay Mama, then we just fetch him. Ayaw din naman namin iasa kay Mama lahat, at syempre gusto namin na sa'min pa rin lalaki si Der. Medyo mahirap, pero we can manage naman. Buti na rin lang last year na namin parehas as residents. Three years lang kasi si Nicz sa Optha.

We considered getting a nanny, pero medyo protective (and a little paranoid) kasi si Nicz, with all the news of some helpers taking children away. So she doesn't wanna leave Der with someone we don't really know, and I can't blame her din.

Buti na rin lang at malapit kami kayla Mama. Dun pa rin kami sa condo nakatira since tatlo lang naman kami and enough naman na ang space. Of course, kapag lumaki-laki na si Der, we'd need a bigger place, but we haven't really talked about it in detail. I think Nicz is just planning to live sa bahay nila ni Mama, para rin maalagaan namin siya. Especially kapag kinasal na si Christy, engaged na rin kasi yun.

I got to my car then. And kahit papano medyo narelax na 'ko. For a moment, I considered going to St. James para lang makita si Nicz kahit saglit. But then, ayoko din naman makaistorbo. Sobrang dami nilang patients ng ganitong oras. Ang sabi niya, usually kumakalma lang  kapag evening na at wala nang OPD patients. So I just started the car and intented to go back home. Nicz did call me naman kagabi, so at least I have that...