Her Unheard Weeps

Is this an interview?

Chapter 26

It was days after i've been hired from that hospital. At ngayon ako magsastart.

Sobrang kinakabahan ako. Ilang minuto din ako nakatulala lang sa labas ng mataas na gusali bago ko naisipang pumasok.

I was instructed to go to the person who interviewed me at hindi din ako nagtagal doon, the door of that small office opened and it revealed a woman on her mid 40s.

Pinakilala siya ng kaharap sa akin bilang instructor ko daw. Mrs. Tores, She will be the one assigning and instructing me kung sino ang mga magiging pasyente ko at kung anong room ako maa assign. But mostly, and mga doktor naman ang magpe page sa akin at magsasabi kung anong gagawin ko. She will just watch me closely.

And since bago pa lang din naman ako, I didn't do a lot of heavy works. Everyone assumed that just because i'm new means that i would start with basics. Hinayaan ko na lang.

Kaya umuwi ako ng hindi medyo pagod kaya may time pa ako para makipaglaro sa anak. Kahit na dito pansamantala tumitira ang yaya niya, sa kwarto pala siya ni ate natutulog dahil niligpit ko naman din ang mga gamit niya doon at nilagay sa mga box, same goes for mommy's things.

Alam ko nakakapagod bantayan si emie dahil most of the time ay gusto nitong magpakarga. Kahit nga ako ay nangangalay at nananakit din ang mga braso dahil medyo namimigat na siya. Kaya maaga ko ng pinapahinga ang kaniyang yaya. Ako na ang nagpakain at nagpatulog sa kaniya.

It's just been days since i started my work in that hospital and i already know most of the staffs were, they like whispering and mumblings...rumors..chismis.

There's this one time that i unintentionally heard some whisperings saying that there will be a new chief?..of surgeon?—na dadating daw mula sa original nila na branch. 'Yon ang narinig ko.

Hindi ko naman alam na branch lang pala itong ospital na ito. Does this mean na bagong patayo pa lang talaga ito? Akala ko talaga bagong pintura lang. And then i thought that maybe that's why they were looking for nurses like me. At tinanggap din nila ako, because maybe they were really short of nurses.

And then the head of nurses, which was bago ko lang din nalaman na siya din 'yong nag interview sa akin, head pala iyon namin.

She confirmed, announced on our floor with everyone gathering around, Saying that the new chief of surgeon will be a big person. Then everyone started whispering, like it was a big deal.

At since bago pa lang ako dito, hindi ko na inisip at sinawalang bahala lang iyon.

Kinabukasan ay pinatawag ako ni Ms. Tores, no'ng una ay kinabahan pa ako, i thought i was in trouble or i did something wrong while i was in my rounds o di kaya may mga instructions siya sa akin na hindi ko nagawa.

She has eyeglasses. Let's start with that, women with eyeglasses that is in their mid 40s are terrifying. Mostly they are.

"Ma'am? Pinapatawag niyo daw po ako?"

Tinaas niya ang kaniyang tingin galing sa chart na hinahawakan.

"Hindi"

"Po?" Kunot noo ko.

"Iba ang nagpatawag sa'yo"

Bahagyang umawang ang mga labi ko. This that lady nurse who said that i was being called just pulled a prank on me?

"Ah—eh..sorry po. Sabi kasi no'ng nurse—maitanong ko lang po, sino po ang nagpapatawag sa akin?

"Here" She handed me the chart she was holding. Kaagad ko iyong tinanggap.

"Someone is requesting your service"

"Room H306" basa ko sa chart. Bahagyang nanlalaki ang mga matang bumaling ulit ako sa kaharap. "Room po? Does that mean i get to handle a serious case? Prepping perhaps? Dahil naka private room po 'yong pasyente"

Finally! I get to have a serious case after spending most of my week here on the information desk!

"No—hindi. Your patient just have a minor injury"

"So no need for surgery?"

"No"

Bahagya akong napasimangot.

"Oh. E bakit po naka private room?" It was just in my thought pero hindi sadyang naisabi ko ng malakas.

The woman began to glare at me. Napatuptop ako ng bibig.

"Bakit Dizon? Ikaw ba magbabayad? Bakit ka nagrireklamo?" She snapped. "Look here...Your patient is not just a patient. She is huge...a big deal! And you don't need to talk to her or start a conversation. Just clean her wounds at lumabas ka na doon understood?"

"Yes po"

"I didn't even know why she requested you, o kung paano niya nalaman ang pangalan mo." She mumbled then her head snapped at me again. "Oh! Bakit nandito ka pa? go! Now! Wag mong paghintayin si Ms. Tas!"

I didn't pay attention to what she said about the patient's name at nagmamadali na lang na umalis doon.

I entered the elevator at bahagya pa akong nawala dahil hindi ko alam kung aling floor nga ba ang H306 kaya natagalan pa ako bago ako nakarating sa harap ng isang pintuan.

Kumatok muna ako. I heard a soft girly voice on the other end kaya pumasok na ako.

"Ms...Tas?"

Naka incline ang kama at Nakasandal ang kaniyang likod ng babaeng nakaside view sa akin. Nagpo phone ito pero kaagad itong humarap ng marinig ang pagtawag ko.

Bahagya akong napasinghap ng makita ang kabuoan ng mukha nito.

"Hello!" She smiled widely, making her eyes chinkier than they already was.

"H-hi, uh...if my memory is correct, ikaw 'yong babae na nakita ko sa airport ilang araw lang?"

Her mouth shaped in an 'o'

"Hala! Oo nga no! Ikaw 'yong nakita ko! 'Yong may kasamang baby?" She asked in a jolly tone.

Bahagya akong ngumiti Tsaka tumango.

"May sugat ka daw? Pwede ko bang makita?"

I changed the subject. Naalala ko kasi na kabilin-bilinan sa akin na hindi pala dapat ako nakikipag-usap sa kaniya. She's really that big huh? Maybe she really is, naalala ko din kasi ang scene sa airport na maraming nagsisitinginan sa kanila. Artista ba siya?

"Anak mo ba 'yon?" Tanong niya ulit. Now we were already facing each other.

"Ah oo... 'yong sugat niyo po?"

"Oh okay! Ang cute niya" she giggled. Pinaharap niya sa akin ang kaniyang braso na puno nga ng dugo. I examined it for a while at hinila na ang hospital cart sa tabi ko.

"If you don't mind me asking, anong nangyari dito?"

Hindi ko alam pero naramdaman kong bahagya siyang natigilan. Hindi kaagad siya nakapagtugon.

"Ms?"

"Ah! Nabasag ko lang 'yong vase ng mommy ko" she chuckled nervously.

Umawang ang mga labi ko. "Ms. Tas—"

"Oh cut the ms. Tas na lang!"

"Ah—eh. Hindi po pwede e. Ms.tas, i need you to held out your hand, there may be tiny pieces of glass on your skin because of the—"

"Huh?"

"E diba po nabasag mo 'yong vase? Baka may mga bubog diyan sa kamay ninyo. Akin na po"

nagulat ako ng bigla niyang kunin ang kaniyang kamay mula sa hawak ko.

"Ms. Tas. Hindi mo kailangang matakot. There will be a slight pain and discomfort but we really need to assess your arm kasi baka magka impeksyon pa kung magtagal"

"No, it's okay. Walang bubog. Let's just talk for a while. Mamaya mo na linisin" aniya.

"Po? I'm afraid i can't do that. Mapapagalitan ako"

"No, hindi 'yan. Ako bahala"

Tiningan ko lang siya ng ilang segundo. She doesn't seem hurt. Although and daming dugo sa kaniyang kamay, meron nga din sa kaniyang skirt. Pero kung titingnang mabuti, bakit parang walang sugat?

My gaze on her arm was cut when she hid her injured arm behind her back. See? Hindi man lang siya nasasaktan. Something is really off.

"Promise. After this, i will let you clean me up"

Bumuntong hininga na lang ako. There's rules in hospitals that we shouldn't use force on patients. Kung ayaw nila, we should just talk to them...calmly.

And here i thought i would finally get a serious case.

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?"

Napangiti siya ng malapad.

"What's your name?"

"Ash. Astrid Haydn Dizon"

"Hmm..nice name! I'm tasmin by the way"

Tumango ako. "Nice to meet you"

"Likewise. How old are you?"

"Twenty-six"

"Twenty-six. Hmm...so you conceived your baby in a young age?"

"Yeah..i guess" i bit the insides of my cheek.

"Anong pangalan ng baby mo? Babae ba siya o lalaki?"

"She's a girl. Her name is emie. Emerald Dizon"

"Emerald. What a cute name" she smiled.

Napangiti din ako. "Thank you"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Napatigil ako. "Huh?"

"A boyfriend. I assume you have one, o di kaya....asawa? What's the name of your baby daddy by the way?"

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. "Uh..."

honestly, siya pa lang talaga ang nakakapagtanong sa akin nito, na kung ano ang pangalan ng daddy ni emie, kaya hindi ko alam ang sasabihin ko, what am i supposed to say? Thomas?

"Oh i'm sorry, did i made you uncomfortable?"

"No it's okay" i smiled. "Wala. Wala akong boyfriend. Tsaka..h-hindi ko alam ang pangalan ng daddy ni emie"

"Oh" she looked shock. "I understand" tango-tango niya. Like she figured it out.

Tiningnan ko siyang mabuti, bakit ba na kapag tumatagal ang tingin ko sa kaniya ay may kamukha talaga siya? Na sobrang pamilyar niya sa akin.

"So do you know that i have a brother?"

"Huh?"

"I have a big brother." She said with a smile that i can't name. "I'm just saying that whoever the baby daddy is, i'm just guessing that my brother is more of an attractive man than he is. I'm mean..no offense"

Nagulat man ay In the end ay napatawa na lang ako. "No, not offended at all. I mean whoever your brother is, i'm sure he's more attractive"

"Really? You think so?" I can sense a grin on her face.

"Yeah. I mean, i'm just guessing too kasi maganda ka, i know your genes ain't kidding" i chuckled.

"Yeah...yeah he is. Veryyy..." She chuckled.

"So can i clean your wound now?"

"Okay. Aalis na din ako" aniya tsaka tumayo. Bahagya naman akong nataranta.

"You are free to leave as soon as i finish cleaning you up" mabilis kong pigil.

"Okay" she smiled and held out her palm. Kunot noong tiningnan ko iyon, "i need a clean towel, or even just a tissue, anything"

"Huh?"

She playfully rolled her eyes at nagmartsa papuntang cr. Mabilis ko namang siyang Sinundan. Nasa may pintuan pa lang ako ng lumabas na siya hawak-hawak ang isang rolyo ng tissue.

She wrapped a thick roll on her hands and held out her injured arm, nanlaki ang mga mata ko ng walang seremonyang pinahid niya 'yong tissue sa kaniyang braso na puno ng dugo.

At umawang ang mga labi ko ng tuluyan ng ma absorb ng tissue ang pulang likido and revealing her arm, clean arm, walang malaking cut o ano.

"Anong—bakit...that was fake? Was that fake blood!?" I looked at her still shocked

Tinawanan niya lang ang itsura ko.

"I gotta go. Nice meeting you" aniya at lumabas na.

"Mrs. Torres, i swear! Wala siyang sugat, siya pa nga mismo ang nagpahid ng dugo sa kamay niya"

My instructor just looked at me like i was crazy.

"Mrs. Torres, you gotta believe me"

"Ms. Dizon, give me one good reason why Ms. tasmin would do that? Huh? Why would she waste her time putting fake blood on her arm and go to a hospital?"

"Hindi ko alam ma'am pero—"

Inirapan niya ako. I just looked at her as she walked away. I just sighed at hindi na brining up pa iyon. Baka mamaya ay mapikon pa sa akin.

The next morning. I was again called by her. And she said na may nagre request na naman daw sa akin na kinataka ko. And i looked at my right and i saw two nurses whispering at each other while looking at my direction. Siguro narinig na naman nila na may nag request na naman sa akin.

Kahit nga ako ay nagtataka. Kibago bago ko dito ay may nagre request sa akin ng special service? I'm not even that important and known!

Nakarating na ako sa floor ng kwarto ng pasyente ko. Again, it was a private room. Not a ward, not just curtains, but a freaking private room! even though ms torres said na minor lang naman daw ang injury ng pasyente ko...minor na naman. Parehas nung sa babae kahapon.

I opened the door of the room and my mouth gaped.

"Hi! Good morning!" The girl said in a jolly tone.

"Uhm..."

I was really shocked...and confused. Like What the heck? Is this a prank or something?

Pasikreto ko namang nilibot ang tingin ko para maghanap ng mga tagong cameras because really...i think i'm being played!

"Hello!" Pag-uulit ng babae, then she smiled and held out her hand. "I'm yassy."