Rebirth Of Gifflet

Chapter 14

"Pasok na po kayo, doc." Naiiling na lang ako sa pagbukas niya ng pintuan ng office ko raw.

Ang dami niya pang sinabi bago kami nakarating dito. He even invaded my personal life. Who is he to do that? Hindi ko naman nakikitang malapit sila ng lalaking may-ari ng katawang ito pero masasabi ko talagang mapagbiro siyang tao.

Magkatangkaran kaming dalawa at sa tantsa ko ay magkasing edad kami. Too bad, I don't know his name.

Peke siyang nakangiti sa'kin habang hawak pa rin ang pintuang binuksan niya. The office was located at the top. Nasa gilid din at nakakatamad maglakad para pumunta rito. Kung ako lang siguro ang pumili ng office, 'yung nasa first floor ang pipiliin ko.

He's the CEO but doesn't mean his the boss. Right, he pays the employees well but he should repay their respect for him too. Habang naglalakad kami kanina ay panay ang yuko at bati ng mga emplayado. They respect him that much, huh.

"What's your name again?"

Sinapo niya ang puso niya na parang nasasaktan. "That's kinda hurtful, dude. How couldn't you know my name when I'm the most handsome doctor in this hospital?"

I'm so done with his playfulness. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay at seryoso ko siyang tinignan. Nagseryoso rin naman siya at kunwaring inayos ang doctor 's gown niya.

"Ikaw naman, doc. Syempre walang makakatalo sa kagwapuhan ko— I mean kagwapuhan mo."

See? Even if he's serious, nakuha pa rin niyang magbiro. I don't mind honestly. I don't have the rights to change him.

"You know what, I only asked one question and you talked too much. Pangalan mo lang 'yung tinanong ko, a. Ba't ang dami mong sinabi?"

Tumawa siya pero nagsalita rin. "I don't really know why you don't know my name when I am one of the directors of this hospital." Umiiling-iling siyang nakangisi. "I'm Marley Finnegan. You see, I'm a cardiologist and a cardiothracic."

"I know. Kitang-kita ko. Nakatatak sa gown mo. Ang linaw ng mga mata ko para makita ko." Ngayon naman ay ako ang namilosopo sa kanya na tinawanan lang niya. He seems the kind of person who doesn't easily offended.

"Iba ka rin, doc 'no. Paturo nga ako kung paano humakot ng chix."

Hindi ko binago ang seryosong mukha ko. Wala ba talaga 'tong pakialam? Paano kung tinanggal ko siya sa posisyon niya? "You know what, go back to your work and remember that I said f**k you."

"I'm the top and you will be the bottom!"

"f**k off!" Sinara ko na ang pintuan ng opisina ko at narinig ko pang tumatawa siya. Really? He can joke with that thing? Iniisip ko pa lang sobra na akong nandidiri.

Nilibot ko ang tingin ko sa loob. I saw his table with the chair and soffas. Nasa magkabilang gilid ng square table ang dalawang long sofa at isang single sa isang dulo. A meeting space.

Dumiretso ako sa table at umupo sa upuan. I sat like a king. Pinaikot-ikot ko pa ang upuan para matignan ng maigi ang buong opisina. May mga libro sa likuran ko. I want to have a look but I felt tired. Wala naman akong ginawa. Hintayin ko na lang matapos si Dr. Viray para sa susunod kong gagawin. I still need someone's guide.

If I asked that Marley, marami na namang sasabihin. Knowing his mouth. I look at the table and saw thick papers on it. I took a look when I got curious. Binasa ko lahat ng iyon at nalamang mga impormasyon ng mga pasyente na kailangan ng specialist treatment. Special treatment, huh. Ang iba naman ay mga resumes ng mga emplayedong nag-apply. May iba pang alam kong importante at binasa ko lang ang mga iyon.

I did that for hours. I also signed the other papers na tungkol sa mga pasyente. I'm not dumb para hindi ko malaman ang mga dapat sa mga pasyente. Some has serious cases that really need attention. I also looked the resumes for the people who applied. And I hired those people who has the qualifications. I felt like a pro.

Ni hindi pa nga ako nakakapag-apply at graduate ay ganito na ang trabaho ko. Tumigil muna ako nang matapos ko ang lahat. Tinabi ko ang mga papel na hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin at mga resumes na hindi pasado. I don't think they are competent enough. But were they already interviewed? Kailangan ba 'yon?

Nag-unat-unat ako bago kinuha ang cellphone. I wonder how's Adrienne. I dialed her number and after two calls, sinagot na rin niya.

"How was it?" tanong ko kaagad nang sagutin niya.

"I was hired immediately. Hindi na ako kailangang interviewhin since I came from this company. I resigned before because you want to."

"That's good. Are you in the house?"

"Yeah. I'm fixing something because I got my first project."

"That fast?"

"I told you. I came from this company before and they trust me that much. Kung hindi mo alam, magaling ako sa trabaho ko." That made me smile. Sasagot na sana ako nang may marahas na bumukas ng pintuan ng office ko. Nang mag-angat ako ay nakita ko ang galit na mukha ni Dr. Viray. Nawala ang emosyon ko. "I'll call you again later, okay? Take care."

Binaba ko na ang tawag at malamig na tinignan si Dr. Viray. I know this will happen. Kuyom ang kamao niya at nakaigting ang panga niya. He's mad.

"How was it? Sit down and let's talk about it."

"How evil are you? You planned it all, aren't you? You wanted to get rid of me? Kung 'yon naman pala edi sinabi mo na sa'kin at ako ang kusang aalis sa ospital na 'to! Idadamay mo pa ang trabaho ko?! She almost died!"

"You think it's my fault?" kalmado at malamig kong tanong.

"It's clearly your fault! You should be the one operating her but you left it all with me! You think I can do it alone?!" galit na galit niyang sigaw.

"Did she die?"

"Wala ka ba talagang pakialam?! Muntik nang mamatay ang pasyente at muntik na akong mawalan ng lesensya!"

"I do care but it's not my fault."

"Ganyan ka ba talaga?! You don't know what I did to save her life! I f*****g did everything for me to do that! I have to set aside my everything to save someone's life! Isang mali ko lang mawawala na 'yon sa'kin lahat!"

"Exactly. Operating a patient is not just. You have to put everything and set aside everything you have to save the patient. You think it's easy to be a doctor? You have to stand on your own to deserve to be called a doctor. Let me ask you, what's your purpose for being a doctor? Because it's one of the highest paid profession?

"What do you think why I let you do the operation alone? It's not my benefit but it's for you to grow. You have to do it alone for you to grow. You said every operation you did was with me, right? Gusto mo bang habang buhay ka na lang nakadepende sa'kin sa mga operasyon mo? What happened was part of your job. She almost died? Bakit nangyari 'yon? Because you didn't do the job properly."

Sakrkastiko siyang natawa. "Coming from the person who said that I will never be a good doctor. You said I will always be your assistant, right? That I'm suck with this job! How could you say that to me!" galit at sakit ang nakita ko sa mga mata niya. Naiiyak siya pero pinigilan niya iyon.

Napabuntong hininga ako. That asshole said that? I know I was wrong because I let him do that and it's opposite of what I've said. Tinamad lang ako kanina at sa tingin ko ay kakayanin niya iyong mag-isa. But what I've said was the truth.

"Then what you did proved that you are a great doctor. Every major operation was at least two or more doctor that will do the job. You see, you did it alone and I can say that you are a good doctor. If I said that before, it's because I never seen your ability and skill before."

Nakatitig lang siya sa'kin at tutop ang bunganga. Hindi alam ang sasabihin. "Go and rest. I know you are physically and mentally tired. Ako ng bahala sa mga dapat kong gawin. If you doubt what I did and said, you have the rights to leave this hospital. But one thing I wanted to happen was I want you to be independent when it comes to your job."

Hindi siya nagsalita at inis niyang tinanggal ang bouffant cap niya. Sa tingin ko ay dito siya dumiretso pagkatapos ng operasyon niya. Nakayuko siya at parang ang bigat ng dinadala. Tinitigan ko siya hanggang sa dahan-dahang tumalikod at tuluyang lumabas ng opisina ko ng walang sinasabi. Naiintindihan ko siya.

Napabuntong hininga ako ng malalim at pinaikot ang upuan ko. Ano ba 'tong ginagawa ko. Kung tutuusin nga ay dapat wala akong pakialam sa buhay ng lalaking ito at sa mga nakapaligid sa kanya. Tangina.

"Wow. You did great, pare. Imagine, saying motivation things." Inis akong nag-angat ng tingin at mas lalo akong nainis sa pagmumukha ni Marley. Why is this fucker here?

"Why the f**k are you here? I'm not in the mood to f**k you." Humalakhak siya na mas lalo kong ikinainis. Naiinis na ako sa buhay ng may-ari ng katawang ito at maiinis pa ako sa lalaking ito.

Tinaas niya ang papel na hawak at lumapit sa table ko at nilapag iyon doon. Walang hiya siyang umupo sa visitor's chair na kaharap ko at parang tanga kung umupo.