The Broken Scalpel [Ace Lucifer's Series Two]

[21] Twenty First Scalpel

"He said, he's having some reality check." She said sounding hopeful. Kung umaasa siya noon, mas lalo ngayon... lalo nang tawagin ni Jaxon ang pangalan niya habang nananaginip ito.

"Of what?"

"Sabi niya, he's checking if he's still living in the past..."

"Anong sabi?" Chin aske, curious too.

"He just smiled." She answered. Alam naman niyang maraming ibig sabihin ang ngiti. It can be a yes, or maybe no. Para bang sinasabi na umasa siya.

"He just smiled? Walang sinabing kahit anong result?" Umiling lang siya.

"Bilhan mo ko siopao, Chin." Aniya. "Yung asado."

"San naman ako bibili—nyemas ka!" Hinila nito ang buhok niya habang siya naman ay natatawa.

"Magkasama nga kami sa hotel eh. Pisti to." Pagmamalaki niya. It was just only for about two nights. Araw araw kasing nagtatanong si Jaxon kung may available rooms na, and maybe fortune is on his side so he got an empty room ang immediately moved out of her suite. Ni wala manlang thank you e.

"I heard." Napailing nalang si Chin. "I had the hunch when he called at midnight, and sent me a text about the suite, hindi lang ako nagreply." Tumingin ito sa kaniya. "I'm doing you a favor in that."

"He dreamt of Maxine that night..." She said in almost whisper. He knows those lines in his dreams as he voiced it out during sleep. She clearly remembers the pain in his voice, and his face...she saw the tears because she was there.

"He saw me as Maxine again."

"Not new..." umiwas ng tingin si Chin.

"But he called my name after that..." tumingin siya kay Chin. "What does that mean? Ayokong umasa pero—"

"Maybe the smile he gave you means he's moving on. Like I said, mahirap basahin ang kilos ni Jaxon. He's like a code. Kahit matagal kaming naging magkatrabaho, wala siyang sinasabing kahit ano. What you see outside is very different from his thoughts. He may slip, but it's a very rare."

Natahimik siya. That's exactly her thoughts.

"Hindi sa sinasabi kong umasa ka, pero kakaumpisa mo palang kasi. Don't conclude things at this early okay? Tsaka hindi naman pupunta si Jaxon dito kung walang nagbago. He won't endure seeing anything related to Medical Stuff if things remained as it is...six years ago."

"Doc Macey!" napalingon sila pareho ni Chin sa taong tumawag. It was one of their doctors, Dr. Darcy. Ito ang hinding hindi nagpapaiwan sa Medical Mission kasama ang mga kaibigan nito. For him, patients aren't always inside the hospital. Hind lahat nakaka-afford 'non. Hindi lahat kaya. He wanted to be in the field from time to time.

"Bakit?" Mukhang alam na niya ang gusto nitong iparating. It's their last day anyway.

"Alam mo na!" he grinned.

"Para 'yatang sumasama ka lang para sa jamming, Dr. Darcy e. Ba't ka ganiyan?" Chin rolled her eyes.

"Eh ikaw, ba't ka ganiyan?" balik tanong ni Dr. Darcy. Nanahimik lang siya.

"Epal mo." Balik nalang ni Chin.

Tumingin sa kaniya si Darcy. Asking for a permission. "Of course, it's not Mondaragon's medical mission if there's no jam." Ngumiti siya.

"Yun. Kanta ka doc—ay kasama ba si Dr. Skyler?" tanong nito.

Natahimik siya. He wants Jaxon to be there, but it will be too much to ask. Hindi naman niya kailanagang tanungin ito. She knows how hard it is form him to stay here for a week. Hindi na niya dadagdagan ito. He won't ask for him to join the jamming session later night. It would be too much...masyado na siyang manhid.