The Ice Queen's Rebound

Chapter 37: Level Up

Carmel Lucia

"Tita Carms, I want a bob cut." Cora's brown eyes met mine through the mirror in front of us, the white sink underneath it contrasted the silver color of the edges of the mirror.

I slipped my surgical scissors back to my scrub pocket, before I scratched the back of my head. She was sitting at a stool that I took from the doctor's lounge kaya naman halos hanggang dibdib ko siya ngayon.

"Baby girl, are you serious?" I gave her a look. "You're seven, not forty seven. Trust me, you don't want a bobcut. Bangs will really look good on you." I said gently.

She pouted.

"Bangs are for kids, I want to look mature..." She whined.

"Fyi, you're a kid!" I said and pinched her cheeks playfully.

"Titaaaaa!"

Natatawa ko na binitawan ang kanyang pisngi. I am aware of the fact that Cora's technically not my 'niece' because I'm cousins with her father, but I don't care. She can call me 'Ate' 'Tita' 'Carmel' 'Carms' 'Dok Ganda' or whatever. Like I said, I don't really care.

For me, Cora is my niece and I am her Tita, period.

"Okay, I'm sorry, hon." I kissed the top of her hair and placed my hands on her small shoulders and looked at her through the mirror. Kasalukuyan kaming narito sa banyo dito sa loob ng doctor's lounge. Dr. Jillian Esperansa-Del Russo brought Cora with her now that she came here to GSMH to perform a delicate surgery with an Attending in her specialty.

The love for science, medicine, and the art of saving a life runs in our family because instead of spending this part of her Christmas break doing some kiddie stuff, she begged her mom to take her here. Plus she has no one to hangout with, since her bestie, a.k.a Eriz is in Italy.

Cora didn't wanna go with her because she finds Italy boring, given the fact that Creed took her there more than she can count, so she stayed here in the Philippines. Cora is very intelligent, she didn't wanna be doctors like her parents, she wanted to be many things like astronaut and including a Nurse.

She just doesn't know what kind of Nurse yet, so for today, part of our bonding is me just exposing her to stuff that Nurses do in here, like in my operating room. Before I cut her hair, she learned to pass which surgical instruments that I needed while I did a Cesarian Section on a fruit. Tuwang-tuwa naman si Charge Niña at ni-picture-an niya pa kami.

I wish my man was there to see us, but then of course, he had multiple surgical cases today, while I saw patients in the free clinic, which was why I had the chance to spend time with Cora right now.

"Para kanino mo naman gustong maging 'mature' ha." Pinaningkitan ko siya ng mga mata. Her leggings and simple cute astronaut-themed shirt is covered by a blue disposable surgical gown. Binalot ko iyon sa itaas ng damit niya dahil ayoko na malagyan ng gugupitin kong buhok ang kanyang damit.

Mas lalong humaba ang kanyang mapulang nguso at namula siya ng todo.

"Is it for a boy, a girl, or what kind of gender do they identify with, hon?" I asked openly.

"B-Boy." She squeaked.

Dahan-dahan akong napatango.

"Well, Cora, I will sound really lame but you know you're too young for that,"

She huffed out a breath, because this intelligent and gifted girl knew that.

"But just so you know, the right boy will love you for exactly who you are." I said sincerely, Beaux's face popped in my head.