story not age-sensitive. be responsible, writer is not a conformist *wink
------
Aga grabs Lea's cold hand and starts walking her towards the coaster bus. They've booked a whole day tour with a travel agency in Amsterdam.
"Good morning! May I know your reserved name, Ma'am, Sir?" the charming tour guide greets in Dutch-accent. Her slim athletic build and long, wavy blonde hair catches attention.
"Aga Morales" he answers
Lea can notice her nails painted perfectly in matte grey while browsing her iPad"Oh, I see. Aga and Lea Morales?"
Lea smiles, color pinking her cheeks, and a sparkle coming to her eye. She's still not used with the 'Morales' family name and it still makes her kilig hearing her new family name attached to her name.
Lea Morales. Lea Morales. Lea Morales
"These are your seats, seat 2A, 2B" the tour guide assists
"Thank you, Miss...?"
The tour guide fixes her tangled ID lanyard "Sofia, I'm Sofia"
"Miss Sofia"
He grins, wide "Thank you Miss Sofia"
Lea playfully pinches his side "Maaga pa oh, sa harap ko talaga?"
"Buti na yung nakikita mo kesa tinatago diba?"
"Ah so may balak ka talaga?"
He slips his hand to her and whispers, semi-biting her ear "Why so jelly? I'm all yours"
"You don't have to say that" she gives him her nubile look "because I know you are mine. All mine" she smirks
He chuckles, her naughtiness is getting him off-road. Always.
At eight in the morning, the other eight guests arrived and their tour started.
Lea let her haze drift through the window toward the city view beyond, her hands still clasped in Aga's.
She likes having her hand on his, it was a nice gesture, and it made her feel protected— her safe haven. It's silly, such a simple thing.
When she looks up, Aga's staring at her already.
"What are you thinking again?"
She blushed lightly "Yung kamay natin naka auto-mode"
He grins "Parang magnet?" Then, time stands still. He lost at her sweet smile and the warmth in her eyes, it brings him back to the first day he saw her— she's lovely as the first day he saw her in her white coat.
Deja vu.
Her grip pulls him out of his daydream.
"What?" she narrows her eyes
"Have I told you how incredible you look?"
She rolls her eyes, smiling "Every few minutes, Babes. Every. Few. Minutes"
-----
After a quick tour in Van Gogh and other museums, they head to Keukenhof Garden.
Perfect is an understatement. Lea thinks, is there a word that means perfection times a million?
They walk hand in hand through the maze of tulips, hyacinths and daffodils. Aga takes stolen pictures of Lea — focusing on her smiles, her laughter and her sudden shift of emotions. He can see the interactive and gleeful Lea in this trip. He misses that kind of Lea he used to be with few years back.
They sit on the bench as they watch the sun hover around the horizon, making everything glow in multi colors — the combination of pastel yellow, lilac, deep red, orange.
Aga draws in a breath of the chilly Amsterdam air and pulls Lea close to him. She rests her head against his shoulder. She covers her mouth as she yawns "This place is so relaxing, Babes. Add the weather and the—"
"—the couch-y man beside you? Sarap matulog no?"
She laughs and playfully swats his arm "you're so hard on yourself!"
"Totoo naman ah!"
"No kaya. You're the sexiest man I knew, forget the hotness of my favorite Rugby superstars. They're nothing compare to you!"
"Bola mo Miss"
"Misis na po ako"
"Ha? di halata"
She smiles — a big, toothy smile "Sinabi mo 'yan ha! Sinabi mo 'yan!"
Aga spreads out the brochures the tour guide gave them and read some facts aloud to Lea "Do you know that Keukenhof is one of the largest garden in Europe? Obviously, yes diba? 32 hectares! That's a wow! And according to this leaflet, it opens for short weeks lang like for this season, ngayon lang siya and then after three or four weeks close na. Look how lucky we are?"
"I know, I know" she looks at him while reading then pokes his dimple "I'm so lucky to have you"
He stops and looks at her, forcing not to smile with her sweet words but his dimples are showing off, he changes the mood immediately or else he'll surely kiss her torridly in public "A-And Keukenhof literally means—"
"—Kitchen garden" Lea answers right away
"How do you know?"
"I've read it, Babes. Nasa entrance po. You know what attracts me the most? Those history signages!" She said with glee
He nods "Oh, I see"
"Wow!" She answers with an exaggerated sarcastic voice "thank you sa respect ha?"
He can see the displeased look in his wife. Proud— now he can read her expressions "What? What did I do?"
"What did I do? No, 'what did I say?' 'yan ang tanong, Sir"
"Okay, what did I say?"
The heck, and he really did asked her 'what did I say?' She hisses. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Ang insensitive mo, Aga. She rolls her eyes "Why do you always open up a conversation then closes it immediately when I give my point or opinion?"
Aga is clearly clueless of what's happening. He squints "I did not. I am not. I will not"
"oh, I see?', 'oh, I see?' That's a closing statement. It means 'okay, I get it. You can shut up now'"
"Okay? I don't know that" he defends
"Tell me, what do you know?"
He went silent and looks at Lea for a moment "Ang moody mo! Kanina mo pa ako inaaway. Bakit mo ako inaaway?"
"Am I?"
"Is that how you treat your husband?"
"Is that the right question you will ask your wife?"
He laughs. A priceless feeling for him is teasing or annoying her. He pokes her flushing cheek "Ang pikon, talo!"
"I am not"
"Yes, you are. Namumula ka na nga!" He laughs again
"Stop laughing. Break na tayo!" She pouts
He pulls her closer and hugs her "Sorry, you can't break the chain"
------
Hours later, the sun has set at early four in the afternoon. Aga brings bottled drinks and sandwiches to feed the hangry wife. He can see her smiling to every toddler that passes them.
"Do you want to eat this?" she offers her snack to a boy with she presumed the same age as Sam, his eyes were hazel brown.
The little boy nods 'yes'
"Here you go, take this. Do you want me to open this for you?"
The boys nods 'yes' again.
"Say 'please' first"
"Please" he finally speaks, clasping his cute little hands and smiles
"Here" she lightly squeeze his cheek "thank you"
"Thank you" the little boy repeats and runs towards the direction of she assumed to be the parents.
"You miss the bears" Aga cuts her gaze
"Super big miss"
"The question is—"
"—the question is..." she interjects "do they miss us?" she chuckles
"Sadly, no"
"Hurtful, no" she concurs, letting out a breath "so independent little human beings"
"Let's call them later" he said as he opens the bottled drink and hands it to Lea
"I left them to Mom and the babysitter's care when I think they were nine months old? I cried on the first hour I left them. I was crying all through-out the train ride to London staring at their picture, watching their videos. I battled separation anxiety for I think half a year? That was so hard, it was the longest and shittiest adjustment period I've ever encountered. I was so depressed, I left my children. That was I think a mix of late presentation of postpartum and stress"
She tells him everything— how she was so scared at the possibility of losing the newborn Eli, how she survived postpartum, how her hospital friends helped her unstable emotions and ends with how it makes her half sad and half happy that they're growing so fast.
Aga remains quiet as she finished her monologue of crazed babbling "You have me now. And together, we'll figure out how we will stabilize our emotions with our growing smart-mouthed, always curious, opinionated babies"
"I wonder if their verbal skills fit their age. Lately, I observed they talk too much"
"Obviously, mana sa Mommy" he teases
"Am I that talkative?"
"Yes and opinionated"
"And...?"
"And... I love that about you. Don't ever change that, Babes"
He grins and clicks his camera.
She tries to grab his camera "Ano ba? Stop that! Para kang paparazi eh, kanina ka pa! And ang lapit pa sa face ko!"
"Trust me, I take pictures differently"
"Dork!"
His eyes sparkle as he burst out laughing and it makes her heart go all fluttery in her chest.
"Alam mo ba anong ibig sabihin ng dork?"
"Jerk?" she shrugs "I don't know, I don't care"
"It means...whale's penis!" he laughs, hard
She hisses "Lame" she murmurs "What a lame joke! Joke ba 'yun? Should I laugh?"
"That's your mouth, you're entitled to laugh or not" he said with voice full of sarcasm
"Fucking ass, I hate you! Don't say that again!"
She frowns and he clicks his camera right away. He finds her so cute when frowning. Then, he viewed the photo —Lea frowning, raising her middle finger.
"Bad Mum" he shows her the photo, laughing "You're a badass here, badass"
----
The last stop of the whole day tour is short city tour and souvenir shopping before dinner. Amsterdam hustle and bustle is probably something Lea would love but her back aches awfully. She can assess that it was triggered by last night's three rounds of naughtiness. The pain reliever she took in the morning did not last for twenty four hours as promised pharmacokinetically. Walking through the crowded streets, with the below twenty degrees weather, contributes to the serious back pain she feels.
"You feeling okay?" he asks. Concern is written all over his face —his concerned Daddy face.
She laughs at his concerned-Daddy face. No wonder why Sam and Eli can power play him. She playfully slaps his face "Your face! Nakakainis, nakakagigil"
"What? My guapo face? Naiinis ka sa mukhang 'to?"
She rolls her eyes "Babes, can we just go to the resto or wait at the coaster na lang. I'm really not feeling good"
He attempts to check her temporal body temperature but she shove his hand immediately "not feeling good does not always mean having a fever" she lectures
"Oh, sorry naman Doc. Where exactly is the location of the pain?"
She laughs again, he's clearly mimicking her assessment line "Babes, please. Tama na. You're adding to the pain eh every time I laugh"
"Iba ka rin 'no? nakakasakit din pala yung tumatawa akala ko ba—"
"Okay na, okay na. Point well taken—" then a sudden jabbing pain hits her "Fuck! shit!" she grimace and applies pressure at her back "Di ko na kaya, uwi na tayo!"
"Saan nga yung masakit?"
She leads his hand to her chest "Dito, dito yung masakit"
"Totoo?" his eyes widened in worry and shock
She pursed her fingers "Joke!!! 'to naman. Nagpapanic ka na naman, Babes" She fully opened her coat and leads his hand at her back "I'm having a throbbing back pain"
Back in the coaster bus, she checks the time — forty five minutes left for the souvenir shoppers. She just wish that sitting inside the warm coaster bus will significantly subside the back pain.
Aga assists her as she removes her coat. She rest her body in the inclined seat. Then, he starts massaging her lower back.
The pain is killing her, devouring every inch of her body. No to three rounds of Babes time again, maybe two but three is still the satisfactory number of rounds — no regrets, no regrets, she tells herself.
"There, right there, Babes. Right there. Shit" she moans in every applied pressure
"Right here?" he teases, mimicking her moaning voice
She swats him "Shut up!"
"Babes" he continues to massage her lower back. His whisper tickles her whole being "Your voice turns me on"
She swats him again "Oh god, please! Spare me tonight"
He laughs "I warned you last night. Ginusto mo 'to!"
"But... but" she looks at him with a wide smile "I have no regrets" she giggles
He pinches her nose "Ang landi!!! ang landi mo, Mrs. Morales"
-----
There's something magical about Amsterdam, especially at night. The air is thick with history and the people are always nice. And most of them are drunk, but still. They're nice.
For dinner, the group choose to eat at Midtown Grills. The couple were satisfied by their ordered meal —Dutch Filet Mignon, mixed platter and a bottle of Spanish wine.
"I can't believe you've ordered a platter!" Lea says as she takes a bite of the crab cake.
"I can't help myself. They are too good to look at and besides, andito na rin tayo... to complete the whole Dutch experience, sabi nila dapat nakakain tayo dito!"
Lea raises her wine glass in a salute to declaration of food love "To a happier weight gain together! Cheers, Babes!"
"Cheers!" he chuckles and clink their glasses "Thanks for the support, Babes. I know you'll be stricter to my diet after this"
"Yes! Buti alam mo!"
"See? I'm no different from Sam and Eli"
She laughs "'coz you're my eldest, Babe!"
"I know, I can feel it!"
------
The tour ends and Lea's back pain is still persistent, killing the happy mood. Her patience is running out, she sighs in disappointment "Sorry, Babes. We're supposed to end this trip happy"
"Shhhh" he rubs her back "it's okay, we had fun naman kanina, right? And you know—"
"—as long as you're with me, I'm already happy" she blurts out, wanting to say the statement first before he can say it
He throws his head back and laughs
In their room, Aga keeps running his hand down to Lea's back as she drowns herself in the bed with the crippling back pain "Babes, do you want me to call the medic na?"
She chuckles "What medic? i'm a medic"
"What I mean is—"
She holds his wrist to stop "Don't. No need, I will be okay"
He sighs "You are not okay, okay? I'm just worried"
"Can you just get my med kit? Black bag with the white cross"
Aga was shocked when Lea opened the kit. It's a roll-bag medicine kit— a one stop shop of what she will need in case of emergency.
"Why I didn't know you bring those stuffs?"
She frowns "Medicine kit, Babes. Medicine kit not stuffs. And I always bring this bag"
Lea prepares an ampule of Ketorolac and IV insertion supplies. She snaps the blue gloves on her hand.
"W-wait! Wait! What are you doing?" Aga asks frantically
Lea grins and didn't bother to answer to keep him insane of what she will do next.
"Oh, don't tell me you'll inject that thing by yourself"
"Why not?"
"Holy crud, are you sure?" his eyes widen
"Really? You're asking me that question?" she chuckles, shaking her head "I can administer medicine to others what's more to my self?"
She prepares the micropore plaster, IV cann and sterile gloves. Covering with an alcohol pad, she breaks the ampule's head and aspirates the content.
She looks at her tensed husband and smirks "Calm down, I do self medication"
"We can go to the ER or call the medic, you don't need to self medicate"
"Why will I ask for help? I can help myself. Watch me"
Worried, he holds his head with both hands watching his wife expertly assembling the IV kit "Shit. Why are you doing this? Hindi ba delikado ang ginagawa mo?"
"Why so afraid?" She laughs "Babes, takot ka ba sa needle?"
"No!" He answers but she can see the opposite answer in his face
"No? Then why are you so pale?"
Once she found the site for the IV insertion, she asks Aga to assist her with the torniquet
"No, I can't do it!" He refuses
She rolls her eyes "Babes, itatali mo lang, okay? Itatali. Pati ba naman pagtali takot ka?"
"Sabi ko sayo tatawag na lang tayo ng medic eh"
"Babes, itatali lang. My god, Babes"
When the IV catheter was fully inserted in her M-cubital vein, she takes the gauze and placed it underneath the catheter so it will collect any blood that may leak once she will remove the attachment.
And. There were blood.
A lot of blood.
Panic strikes Aga again. And. Lea is just laughing at her blood-and-needle-phobic husband while self administering the medicine.
"You know what, talo ka pa ni Eli at Sam eh. When they see me doing this, excited sila, nag vo-volunteer pa!"
"Oh my god, ito ba ang haharapin ko sa mga susunod na mga araw?"
"Yes because you choose to marry me! You've said; I can't break the chain"
"I think I can't do it — the blood and needles part"
"Nah. You'll get used to these things over time"
-----
"What are you doing? Thath bad!" Sam warns Eli as she tries to open Scarlett's phone
"I'll juth watch Paw Patrol, don't you like Paw Patrol, huh?"
"Mum will not be happy, thath an adult thing. Mummy warnth not to touch adulth thingth"
"Achi Abby hath thith, Achi Mikee hath thith, Ahia hath thith, they're not adult"
"No!" Sam grabs the phone "I say no"
But, Eli have quick hands to retrieve the phone "I'm older than you, lithen to me! Don't say no to me!"
"You're bad!" He grabs the phone again, Eli retrieves but it falls in the floor breaking the tempered glass cover
"Oh no! Look what you've done, Sam!"
"Not me, you did that!"
"Why me? Ith you"
With the commotion, Scarlett looks out for them and only to find out her phone's screen, luckily only the screen protector, has been broken
"Who did this?" she asks with a stern voice
Eli and Sam stare with unblinking eyes
"Who did this? Tell me or i'll call Mommy Lea"
The twins were alarmed by the warning. Mommy Lea can be very angry and they will not like it.
"I did" Sam confesses
"No, I did" Eli adds "I—I did, it jumpth out my hand"
"Who did this?" Scarlett asks again
"Me" they answer in chorus
Scarlett shakes her head "Lying is bad"
"I did it Mama" Eli answers "I want to watch Paw Patrol, Sam told me not to touch that becauth ith bad to touch adult thingth then h-he grabth the phone in my handth but it jump out. I'm sorry"
"So... you did this? What do you think i'll do now because you broke my phone?"
Eli looks at her, close in tears. She breaths out "P—punish me"
"Punish you?"
Eli nods 'yes'
"Why?"
"B—becauth I did not lithen, I break your phone, it can't be fixed, I'm bad"
Eli's words sting her heart and get her emotional instantly. Scarlett reflects on the little girl's words, what did she do to be punished with a heartache? Her's can't be fixed. The sadness of heartbreak she feels will begin to take over as she have to go back to her life before everything was not yet broken. Because... she, too, did not listen.
She let her heart rule over her mind.
She was blinded and became deaf. She was warned that what she's doing will not last and that it will just hurt her. But, she had not listened.
Her contemplation was interrupted when Sam cried aloud.
"Why?" she kneels and hold his shoulders "Why are you crying?"
"Pleath, Mama don't punish Eli. Pleath?" he pleads clasping his hands "Pleath, Mama. I'm sorry. We will not do it again"
"Shhh... shhh" she tries to stop his tears "Don't cry. Look at your sister, she's not crying. You must not cry too"
"But I get sad becauth you'll punish her"
"I will not, Babe. I will not punish Eli" Eli was surprised, she was spared from the punishment "An honest kid don't deserve to be punished. But, you need to promise me not to do this again"
"I promith, Mama"
"And you'll ask permission or tell me first if you want something, okay?"
-----
The next day, Lea regains her health. Thanks to the on-hand Ketorolac and the calming oils in the humidifier. Combination of synthetic and natural remedies are her best weapons.
The whole morning were spent in their room— doing movie marathon, the weather is still uncooperative but when night came, Aga makes sure that he can give his wife the best surprise while in Amsterdam —booked candlelight dinner cruise around the famous Amsterdam Canals.
They board the antique riverboat with a glass roof and an interior of modern and rustic design. The boat is quite large and spacey; inside, there's a raised platform for the string band and a cocktail counter for unlimited drinks at the boat's open deck.
Aga brings their cocktails to their table but Lea isn't around.
"Babes" she waves to catch his attention
His wife is sitting in front of the piano rocking her black chambray dress. What is she doing there?, he thinks
He can see Lea as she gulps, straightens her back and rub her palms together then begins to play the piano. The violinist blends in.
"This Carpenters song is for my husband sitting at 12" the crowd turn their heads to table 12 "We're newly weds by the way" she smiles widely as she raise her hand to show her ring finger.
You are the one who makes me happy
When everything else turns to grey
Yours is the voice that wakes me mornings
And sends me out into the day
You are the crowd that sits quiet listening to me
And all the mad sense I make
You are one of the few things
Worth remembering
And since it's all true
How could anyone mean more to me than you?
Listening to her reminds him of how everything that's gone wrong... everything that's gone right is all leading him to her —she is worth the wait. He's definitely one lucky bloody bugger.
He was right the first time he saw her, it was clear as the midsummer's sky... she's the one. His heart and mind signaled him that she's the one.
Sorry if sometimes I look past you
There's no one beyond your eyes
Inside my head the wheels are turning
And sometimes I'm not so wise
You are my heart and my soul, my inspiration
Just like the old love song goes
You are one of the few things
Worth remembering
And since it's all true
How could anyone mean more to me than you?
The short presentation ends with the crowd applauding.
Aga thanks her by giving her a lingering kiss "you're the best at everything"
"Because you bring out the best in me"
"I love you, Babes" he sweetly says
"I love you more... forever"
Relishing the wine and Dutch fancy set menu at dinner, the whole night went fast. Their honeymoon short break is finally over but the honeymoon stage is not —the couple guarantees. They will head back to Manchester the night after and then leave for Philippines after four days.
Four days left to pack the 'most important' things, Aga reminds. But actually, it's still not enough to pack and leave things behind.
And actually, everything is important, everything has value and story. It's heartbreaking for Lea. She considers Manchester as her home, so much memories —both happy and sad.
"Lea, yung asthma attacks ni Eli ha? No eating any kind of nuts. And si Sam, when he sleeps, he needs his comfort pillow. Don't argue with him about that, huwag mo ng pilitin na humiwalay na siya doon" Lea's Mom reminds her the dos and don'ts "And please, extend your patience with them, huwag kang magalit kaagad"
What her Mom said were unnecessary —Lea wants to tell her she's Eli and Sam's Mom and she knew better what are the dos and don'ts when it comes to them. Smiling and letting herself to just zip her mouth, Lea let her Mom talk and talk and talk while en route to the airport, she needs it. She knows her Mom, among everybody, will be the one who will adjust the most. Her Mom used to look after the twins since they were babies (no, fetus) and in all decisions, her Mom was part of it. In the twins' eyes, Guama is the queen Mommy and Mommy Lea is only the second in the throne. Now is the first that she will be million miles away from them.
"Eli" she fixes the little girl's hair "you always listen to your Mommy and Daddy, okay? And remember what I told you? No shouting, no lying—"
"My nothe will be long if I lie, Guama? Yeth? No?"
The Guama nods "You don't want your nose to be so long"
She nuzzles Sam who's sitting on her lap "And 'no hitting' your brother!"
"And oh,... Lei, always have time with them —quality time, no work attached. Aga's here with you but that doesn't mean he'll look after them all the time or the yayas you'll hire. Yes, your work is twenty four hours plus plus, maybe you can ask the Admin to lower your number of duty scheds. Wala ka naman sigurong dapat patunayan pa, you give the time na lang to the twins and to your husband"
"Yes Ma, noted"
"Siguraduhin mo yang 'noted' mo. You need quality time for your family. Huwag ka nang maging workaholic"
"Yes, Ma" she laughs
"And, huwag ka ng mabuntis! Matanda ka na!"
And... that was the icebreaker in the silence of the scene
"Tita, 'yan po ang hindi ma ru-rule out sa case ni Lea" Scarlett says, teasing Lea's Mom
"What's wrong, Ma? Ngayon na kasal na ako, ngayon pa ba ako hindi mabubuntis?"
"Sige Lea, take the risk. But be sure na nakakuha ka na ng St. Peter's plan"
"Grabe Tita, patay agad? 'Di ba pwedeng ICU muna?"
"Ewan ko sa inyong dalawa, Scarlett. Basta, that is just my suggestion about that matter"
"Tita, your reminders naman po kay Aga" Scarlett teases
"Wala na, I think. Aga is a very patient and understanding man, he's uncomplicated. I trust him more than I trust Carmela"
Aga grins wide, he's happy at his Mom-in-law's appreciation.
Lea looks at her "Oy grabe si Mommy, hurtful yun ha?"
"May na-amoy akong new favorite child" Scarlett laughs
------
After eleven hours of long-haul flight, they've finally arrived in Manila. Greeted by Aga's family, they went directly to his ancestral house for dinner. Scarlett went straight to the hospital for her 8am Ortho-Surgery Residents case presentation.
"Welcome home" Aga whispers
She smiles and breathes out "Finally... I'm home, my dream home"
...
The adjustment period was three weeks —the humid weather, the family's new house, legal transactions, paper works... a lot of paper works and the food. For Lea, to cover the time that will be lost because she will be working and away from them for days, sending the twins to preschool was the best way for them to adjust with the culture and language.
The couple's back to work. Aga started working after a week of helping Lea with all of her and the twins' legal documents —they don't want to be aliens in their own country.
Lea's back to hospital work which would also mean that she will be back to living in the hospital's dormitory for days, deal with graveyard shifts and her body clock, and leaving the twins to the yayas and Aga's care. In short, she's back to her former single status life —a relief but not actually.
"Tito... I mean Doc, I think I cannot handle twenty seven Residents! How will I monitor them? How will I teach them? I can only be a Training Officer but not a Professor"
"You know, I also addressed this concern to the Board. When the applicants knew you will be working back here in the hospital, almost all of them who have already sent their application to other hospitals transferred here. Believe it or not, pinagalitan ko na ang HR bakit nag-accept sila ng ganoon ka daming applications where we can only open fifteen slots of Residents for Emergency Medicine and they just answered me na hindi nila na-expect din ang pag-dagsa ng applicants. And, most of them are your former interns and all their letter headings are directly addressed to Lea Carmela Sarmiento, MD"
"Five. I can only accept five Residents"
"Twenty"
"Eight. I have to consider my twins" she pleads
"Fifteen is the maximum number of Residents in each department, that's according to the policy of the Post-Graduate Program of the hospital. So, fifteen just divide them into two shifts in your scheduled shift"
"So... that would lengthen their number of duty schedules"
"Absolutely, right. Matigas sila lahat eh, ayaw ka nilang bitawan. The HR already advised them to transfer to other hospitals or departments because you could possibly accept a lower than ten Residents. Ayaw nila, gusto nila ikaw. We can't control that"
"I don't know if I will be flattered or get sad with that number"
"You know what Lei, if I am also one of the applicants, even if you ask the other Doctors also, I will choose to be your Resident or be under your training. Kaya, hindi ko masisisi ang mga applicants kung ikaw ang gusto nila. There is no better, disciplined and skillful with an exemplary training and affiliation Emergency Physician than you. That's why I can also say we're lucky to still have you here in the hospital even if you're already EU-affiliated"
"Tito, I humbly accept that appreciation but you know... I have my own family now. As much as I want to be a training officer to them kahit more that thirty pa sila, I can and I will. But, I have to consider and prioritize my family"
Doc Anton smiles "Totoo nga ang sinabi ni Aga, you've changed. Maybe, it's motherhood? Don't worry, I will not allow them to stress you over duty scheds 'yan ang bilin ni Aga" he laughs "Kami ang naghahabol sa iyo kaya kami ang mag-aadjust to the best and most available time you have"
"Did he threatened you?"
"Ha! You know your husband, he's kind-a demanding and yes, he threatened me! Parang siya pa yung on-duty dito. I told him; I never heard anything from Lea and Lea was never demanding, walang reklamo, hindi complicated, follows protocols and procedures unlike you"
Lea leaves the Administrator's Office with a heart half full of gratitude and half full of worries. That was the first hour of her eighteen hours.
She walks through the lobby going to the Emergency Room. She can sense that all eyes are at her, maybe because, she's a new face for some or she's that too charming chic in white coat. She returns a smile to every 'Good morning, Doc' she receives. It should... no, it must be a good way to start.
When she enters the locker room in the Emergency Room to breathe out and breathe in her Doc Lea mood, she was surprised when they stop for a moment whatever they're working at —some doing their make-up, some are eating and some of them are sleeping. The room went silent instantly and in seconds, most of them left the room. She thinks, they were all unfamiliar faces and she was a new face to them that's why she caught the attention.
"Good morning" she greets calmly
"Good morning, Doc" they replied with a formal gesture; a bow with both hands clasped at the front
She force herself not to laugh. She wants to tell them they were wrong with what they think about her.
"Confe" a familiar voice announces, she turns to look
"Oh my god! Hi, Doc! Good morning, you're here!" Doc Kristal hugs her
"What's with them? Why so formal?"
Doc Kristal laughs "Ahhh... because you're in the wrong locker room, ours is there" she points to another room "This is the Interns and Residents room"
"Oh, I see. Separate na pala"
"Yep, and adjacent to our room is the Nurse Station. Madami na kasi sila... i mean tayo!" She leads her the Consultants locker room where her former colleagues are.
They welcome her warmly with hugs and kisses opposite on how she was welcomed earlier. Then they to the conference room for the routine Monday-meeting.
The new conference room is in amphitheater-like set-up similar to Addenbrooke's confe rooms.
"Nice"
"State-of-the-art, you mean?"
"Uh-huh" Lea nods
"World class? Pwede na bang pumantay sa London?"
"Pwede" Lea laughs
"Well, thanks to your husband. He designed this"
"Designed especially for you" they start to tease Lea
"Shut up nga!" Lea hides her smile
"Asus! Nagtatampo pa rin kami sa 'yo kasi hindi kami invited"
"Wala pa kasi kayong visa, that's why" she defends
"Ba't ba kasi doon? pwede naman dito"
"I never thought or planned getting married there"
"What? Really?" they asked her in chorus
"Yes!"
"Why?"
"Chismis" Lea laughs "Basta... long story"
"Make it short then! Tell us!"
Their chismis in their seats, while the ER Head Physician is talking in front, was interrupted when the crowd applauded, they applauded too like fools even if they don't know what are they're applauding for and because the ER Head is looking at them.
"Doc Lei tinawag ka sa front" the Doctor sitting in front of them says
"What?" Lea confirms the reason why the ER Head is looking at them "Ayan kasi hindi ko narinig chismis kasi tayo ng chismis" she murmurs as she blames her friends
She went in front of the crowd, smiling and unsure with what to do "Sorry, I wasn't listening. What will I do?" she asks the ER Head
"Ah, just introduce your self and a short anecdote"
Lea clears her throat "Good morning!" she breathes out "I am Doctor Lea Sarmiento... I mean I am Doctor Lea Sarmiento Morales. Oh my god, why did I forgot that part?" the crowd laughs "Uhm, just call me Doc Lea not Doc Morales because first, we're two Doc Morales here in this hospital. Second, it will just confuse other staffs.
I was a former Physician here and now I'm back again. Thank you for the warm greetings I received. Some are familiar faces to me, but most were unfamiliar. It's just that... earlier, I can see the formal gestures. Yes, I understand that you do that but you can just drop that. Respect is what I expect to see and not formal gestures not just to me but to everyone in our department —even if you're a Consultant, Resident, Junior Resident, Intern, Med Student or Nurse because I believe we are all in the same goal to provide patient-centered holistic care and effective collaboration with other health care professionals is what we should do to achieve our prime goal.
I see no difference between a Consultant and Resident or between a Consultant, Resident and Nurses. Our individual knowledge to patient care is unique to each profession. For example, a Nurse can do bedside care which a Consultant or a Resident can't nor a Nurse can't provide medication orders by which a Consultant or a Resident can. You see? There's no difference. We are all uniquely equal. The Philippine setting has this notion that a Doctor is at the highest rank in the health care industry —a misconception. A big no. Being at the highest rank means you can do all things, you are knowledgeable even at the smallest details —in short, you are a perfect individual. But, as I see, a Doctor cannot function without the support of allied health care professionals. Now, how can the Doctor be at the highest rank?
The bottom-line is; Respect is essential in a team who wants to achieve a positive outcome. We are a team and each of us has unique skills to impart, which means each of us is important, whatever your status, affiliation, or designation.
So much to that..." she smiles widely to break the silence "I want to clarify things first, I just realize why and what the formal gestures for. First, I am not the wife nor the sister, I am just the niece-in-law. I repeat, niece-in-law... -in-law not even a first-degree relative. Meaning, I am not my Uncle-in-law —Dr. Anton Morales and I do naughty things way way beyond what you can do. So please, drop the formal gestures and the'Doc Lea's intimidating presence' vibe" the crowd laughs "Second, yes, I am an EU-licensed Physician but that doesn't mean I am greater than anyone else here and lastly; I have a very functional five senses, you have no chance to fool or lie to me. Thank you and have a non-toxic week ahead!"
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(cont.)
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