THE BAD BITCH AND THE DOCTOR

Chapter Six

Umayos ng tayo si Shane at ginulo ang buhok saka namewang. Napalunok sa kaba si Kieran at agad tumalikod.

He found that hot. It was hard to deny it.

"I lost my fucking wedding ring! Vincent's gonna kill me." Naiinis na sabi ni Shane at pabalik-balik sa may drawer at sa maleta niya.

Kieran was immediately turned off by that.

"Tara na, Mrs. Shane. You won't need the ring there." Lumamig ang pananalita ni Kieran at nauna ng sumibat.

Napaangat mga kilay ni Shane at mahinang natawa. "Of course, I don't need the ring there. I just needed a reminder..."

A reminder that we're not meant to be.

Hinaplos niya ang kanyang leeg, iniinda yung nawawalang bigat ng bakal na isang dekada niyang nakasanayan. She felt incomplete without it— but it's best to keep it that way.

Inayos niya na ulit ang hitsura niya sa salamin at saka bumaba na sa may underground parking space kung saan siya hinihintay ni Kieran. Naghihintay na ang lalaki sa loob ng kanyang sasakyan, diretso lamang ang mga mata niya sa may manobela. Walang imik na pumasok sa loob si Shane at yinakap ang sarili matapos ikabit ang seatbelt.

"Nahanap mo ba?" Tanong ni Kieran at pinaandar ang kotse.

"Nope. I think I lost it." Sumandal si Shane at mariing napapikit. "It's fine. I won't need it anymore in the next couple of weeks."

"Bakit naman?"

Ngumisi sa gawi ni Kieran ang dalaga, "You're curious, doctor? For someone being paid not to mind my business, you sure as hell as hell ask a lot of questions."

He chuckled deeply.

"And you're right. It is none of my business."

Silence reigned after that.

Apart from the other night, this is the first time since ten years ago that they've shared the same space. They usually make out in the car and take things up to another level inside Shane's old mansion before. Now they're just two individuals sitting inside the car whose past they both left behind in that airport.

"Do you usually pick up your patients, doctor?" Tanong ni Shane nang nakatanaw pa rin sa labas ng bintana. Pinapanood niya ang mga nadadaanan niyang mga gusaling hindi pamilyar sa kanya.

"Hindi." Bumuntong hininga si Kieran. "The Maclains asked me to do this. Sino ba ako para tumanggi?"

Shane scoffed once more, "So you're being paid to drive me to your office is what you're saying?"

"I need the money." Responde ni Kieran agad.

Nagtaka naman si Shane. Para saan niya kailangan yung pera? She could tell that he's doing alright now. He already has a high-paying job in the hospital. And now he is the Maclain's hired family general practitioner. How much more money could he possibly ask for?

"I can't tell if you're just being greedy or you're broke." Kumento ni Shane. "Why did you even agree to become the Maclain's family doctor knowing that you get to see me? If I was you, I would have said no."

It was Kieran's turn to smirk.

"So it's not okay if I ask you questions but it's okay if you ask me questions. Hindi ba unfair 'yon, Mrs. Shane?" Ngising tanong niya sa dalaga.

Shane admitted he's right, but refused to acknowledge it.

"Fine then. Keep the mystery to yourself, doctor." She emphasized the word as if she built a barrier to their professionalism. She is just his patient. Nothing more, nothing less.