Destiny's Game

42

Still giddy over what transpired the day before, J returned to work the following morning bright and early and with a SMILE on his face. (A first, since he's been known to be Dr. Sungit since he began work at Hopewell). The nurses and doctors whom he met along the hallways turned and did double takes because they all couldn't believe in what they were seeing! Dr. Richard Faulkerson, Jr. seemed to have a lighter and brighter aura about him? What happened to him over the weekend? Was Mercury in retrograde but in reverse since the three-week period usually brings about negativity in relationships?

"Hello!" Richard greeted the nurses at the station of the pediatric floor. Melissa, a nurse, looked at the clock on the wall before looking back at Richard who did not have a scowl or serious look on his face. It was only 8:15am.

"Uhm..h...hello po Doc..."

"Good morning!" Richard greeted cheerily.

"G...good morning...ang..ang aga nyo ata? May emergency po ba?" Melissa stammered as she looked at the clock again.

"Wala naman...I just want to review the kids' charts kasi bago ako mag-rounds..."

"Ah opo...opo..." Melissa stood up from her seat and took the stack of charts behind her on the rack. "Gusto nyo po ng coffee, juice?" Melissa said as she guided Richard to the conference room beside the nurses' station.

"Meron kayong orange juice?"

"Apple juice lang po ang meron..."

"Ok. Apple juice it is..."

"Sandali lang po..." Melissa left Doc Richard to work.

"Uhm, Doc, si...si Pearl po muna ang mag-a-assist sa inyo. Hanggang today po kasi ang leave ni Nic." Melissa said as she placed the glass on the table.

Richard was about to open his mouth to reply but shut it again and just nodded. "Thank you sa juice" He said. "Sabihin mo kay Pearl, I'll be out in 5 minutes"

"Opo...opo" Melissa replied, still flustered with Richard's "new" behavior.

---

"Mel, apat lang ang pasyente sa Ward 11?" Pearl asked as she readied the charts she was going to take during rounds.

"Apat..." Melissa answered. She had been staring at the conference room door since she returned to her chair at the nurses' station just a few minutes earlier.

"Okay ka lang?" Pearl asked. She stacked the charts on the table and looked toward the direction where Melissa was looking.

"Di ko rin alam"

"Ano?"

"Dalawang kape pa lang ang nainom ko. 3-in-1 na tinutunaw ko sa fresh milk..." Melissa continued.

"Huy!" Pearl nudged Melissa.

"Ah, sabi ni Doc, Doc Sungit este Doc Richard, lalabas na daw sya in 5 minutes. Alam na nya na ikaw ang ka-relyebo ni Nic. Si Patricia, nasa room ni Noah pero patapos na sya dun. Kung kailangan nyo ng tulong..." Melissa said quickly. She rambled so Pearl couldn't quite understand what was said.

"Huy!"

"Ay kalabasang karwahe!"

"Bakit ka nagkaganyan?"

"Kasi si Doc e..."

"Bakit? May sinabi ba sya? Nagsungit na naman?"

"Hindi"