Madly (IN LOVE SERIES #1)

KABANATA 36

KABANATA 36

RESPECT

"Do you think I will fall for that trick of yours, Evangeline?" she said after a few moment of silence. Lalong napataas ang kilay ko. "Stop threatening me. I am way above than you are."

Kalma tayo, Evangeline. You promised its maturity over emotions now.

"Hindi ko sinabing maniwala ka sa akin, Doc Estella. Ang sa akin lang, hindi mo ako matatakot just because you can suspend my license if you wanted to," I uttered with such seriousness covering my voice. "And this isn't about who are above in between us. This is all about our responsibility as a doctor. Your responsibility as a doctor."

"I clearly know my responsibility!" aniyang medyo iretable na. Kitang kita ang inis sa kaniyang mukha. Her face turned red too. Guilty eh? "Huwag mo akong pangaralan. Mas nakakaangat ako sa'yo."

Seryoso akong natawa. She can't understand my point, isn't she? Why can't she understand what she did earlier in the emergency was wrong? Is that the responsibility she was talking about? She nearly killed two patient if I haven't had prevented it!

"Hindi ako nakikipag kompetensya sa kahit sinong doctor dito lalo sa'yo, Doc Estella. My point here is, you almost killed two patient because of your damn reasons," ani ko na may diin sa bawat salita. "Kung napatay mo ang pasyente sa tingin mo kanino isisisi iyon? Damay ang buong hospital at hindi lang iyon. Buhay ang pinag uusapan dito. Buhay ng tao. Hindi mo iyon naisip?"

"You..." kitang kita ko na ngayon ang galit niya sa akin. Hindi naman ako natinag. May iilang nurse ang natigilan at napansin ang palitan namin ng salita ni Doc Estella.

"Listen to me," I said. Hinamon ang kaniyang galit na titig. "In front of hundreds and thousands of people who have the same profession as us, we pledged our duty and promised our responsibilities. Ito lang ang maipapayo ko sa'yo, Doc Estella..."

I heaved a sigh and made steps forward just inches away from her. I bend my body a little down so she can clearly hear what I'm about to say, "Hindi tayo sa pera nangako. Hindi sa batas o sa kahit anong protocol ng hospital na ito. We pledged and promised to save lives. That's the number one rule of being a Doctor. You must remember it."

I tapped her shoulder twice before I turned my back. Marami pa sana akong gustong sabihin but I need to end the talk because we are getting too much attention. Pagod na rin ako dahil sa magkasunod na insidenteng nangyari. Kung itutuloy ko pa, baka rin sumabog ako at mapuno lalo ng galit. Tama na iyong nasabi ko sa kaniya ang dapat na alam niya. Nasa kaniya na kung tatangggapin niya ang lahat ng sinabi ko at isasa-puso ito o babalewalain niya at patuloy na iisiping nakatataas siya sa akin. I already said my words and that's enough.

Iniwan ko silang tahimik roon. Hindi ko na sila nilingon. Maging ang kapatid kong hindi ako napigilan ay hindi ko rin tinapunan ng tingin. Bumalik ako sa opisina ko para saglit na magpakalma at magpahinga sa pamamagitan ng pag-aayos muli ng trabahong naiwan ko nitong mga nakaraang araw. Good thing, my attempt to divert my overflowing emotions was successful. Saglit kong nakalimutan ang nangyari at napangalahati ko rin ang trabaho ko.

It was six o'clock when I was called again in the emergency. Dahil yata sa sobrang busy ko ay hindi na namalayan ang oras at gabi na pala.

I got myself busy again inside the room, attending every patient in there. Kaliwat kanan ang pasyente. Hindi ko alam kung sinadya o nagkataon lang na ang daming pasyente ngayon sa emergency. Pa welcome back yata sa akin dahil ang tagal kong nawala.

Ramdam ko ang pagod nang matapos ako sa emergency. Pagod akong bumalik sa aking opisina. I looked at my wrist watch to check the time. It was now thirty minutes passed eight. Kaya pala nakakaramdam na ako ng gutom dahil lampas na ako sa hapunan.