Life After 40

Chapter 9

Wacky entered the resident's lounge. They were surprised to see him there.

"Doc pogi, what are you doing here po? Can I help you po?" A concerned Gail approached him.

"Ah, no. Actually, I am here to talk to someone." Wacky smiled at her. He looked around and saw Elijah at the corner of the room, reading something on his iPad, not minding anyone in the environment.

"I think we should leave, guys," Mark suggested and the others agreed right away. Good thing that they are the only residents inside because it is already lunchtime.

Wacky walked closer to Elijah and took the seat adjacent to him. When Elijah noticed, he straightened up his seat and greeted him.

"Doc, what do you need po?" He looked around and saw that they are the only ones left in the room. He also put down his iPad on the top of the table, so Wacky was able to read what was he reading.

"Hindi na ako magpapaligoy-ligoy pa, Elijah. Liking your senior and having feelings for them isn't wrong at all. We are all humans after all. What's wrong is forcing them to accept your—uhhm love." He cleared his throat.

"I don't know where we are going with this, Doc. Why are you telling me this? If you're talking about my confession po, labas ka po dapat doon." Elijah crossed his arms and waited for Wacky's response.

"Rules, Elijah. I am sure that you've read everything they sent you before entering this hospital. I am also sure that you learned something from the briefing." He leaned at his chair and crossed his legs.

"What?" He acts like he doesn't know what Wacky was talking about.

"Thank Lea because she's not doing something about you, yet. Normally, she abides by the rules especially that she's the associate director, but now she's the one involved and her resident, she's trying to have some consideration. I am here to stop the catastrophe, Elijah, if you're still not following." Wacky received a mocking smile from Elijah. He wasn't wrong about him. Wacky is too good at reading people, he knows that something is hidden behind Elijah's angelic face.

"If you don't care about what people might think of you, then start thinking about Lea. She will be the receiving-end of all the actions you will do. You may not be in a relationship, but because of the 'ways' you were talking about and the expression of your feelings towards her, people might still think that she allowed that. Worst case scenario is you will be both jobless because the hospital does not tolerate such actions. Think thrice before you do something. That's all." Wacky stood up and was about to leave but Elijah's laugh caught his attention.

"I don't think there is something funny." He squinted his eyes at Elijah.

"Everything you said is funny, Doc. Let's say, you do care about Doc Lea but you're not doing this because of her, you are doing this because of you. Am I right?" Elijah stood up and leaned at the table beside him, still crossing his arms.

Wacky smirked at him. This is the real deal. He thought. Elijah's showing his true colors.

Elijah uncrossed his arms and walked slowly towards Wacky while nodding. "Right. You are scared that Doc Lea might fall for me and not for you. You have feelings for her so you're preventing me to enter her life because you'll lose your chance. I am really good at reading between the lines."

Wacky laughed at him. If there's anyone in the room who is the best in mockery ever since he was born, it's Wacky.

"Idiot." He whispered but Elijah heard it and it made his blood boil.

"What the fuck did you just say? Who do you think you are? Wala ka sa posisyon para sabihan ako niyan, Joaquin!" Elijah intended to call his senior on his first name. His face is so red because of his anger. What made him angrier is the look of Wacky, who is just smiling and staring at him directly into his eyes, plus his overflowing confident aura.