Not Until You

Chapter 02

Juniper's POV

One week later.

“Juniper, room 312 needs assistance!”

"Got it!" I called back, adjusting my ID badge before briskly walking toward the assigned room.

The hospital was alive with its usual rhythm—patients coming in and out, nurses shuffling between rooms, the faint murmur of doctors discussing cases in hushed tones. For the past week, my life had been the same as it always had been.

Work. Patients. Sleep. Repeat.

No one looked at me differently. No hushed whispers. No suspicious glances.

It was as if that night had never happened.

And I was fine with that.

"Good morning, Mr. Sanchez," I greeted, stepping into the room with a warm smile. "Kumusta ang pakiramdam niyo ngayon?"

The elderly man in the bed, his leg propped up with a cast, gave me a tired but friendly smile. "Mas mabuti na, iha. Pero itong pagkain niyo, parang wala pa ring lasa."

Napangiti ako. "Nako, pasensya na po, bawas sa alat kasi sabi ni Doc kailangan niyo maghinay-hinay."

"Eh paano naman ako gagaling kung hindi ako masaya sa kinakain ko?" he grumbled, but I could tell he was only half-serious.

"Ganito na lang, dadagdagan ko ng kaunting lemon mamaya para may lasa kahit papaano," I said, winking. "Pero bawal po ang chicharon, ha?"

"Tsk, tsk," he clucked his tongue, but I could see the amusement in his eyes.

Mahina na lang akong natawa at nagpatuloy sa mga sinasabi ang pasyente. Nakinig na lang ako at hinayaan siya hanggang sa dumating ang asawa niya.

"Hay, salamat! May dala ka bang pagkain?" Mahina nitong sambit sa asawa.

Napatingin sa akin ang matanda at napakamot sa ulo. Sadyang makulit ang asawa nito pero wala, may restrictions siya kaya ayun ang masusunod. Iniwanan ko na sila at naglakad na sa hallway.

"Paging Dr. Santiago to OR. Dr. Santiago, please proceed to the operating room immediately."

I exhaled deeply and adjusted the ID hanging from my chest when I hear a voice, mukhang may operation na nagaganap ngayon. Four years working as a nurse, minsan nalilimutan ko name ng mga Doctor dito. Sa sobrang daming tao at sa daming ginagawa, halos nawawala na yon sa isip ko.

My shift had barely started, yet the hospital was already buzzing with movement. Nurses and doctors zipped through the hallways, clipboards in hand, machines beeping in the background, while patients waited behind drawn curtains, some asleep, some restless.

It was routine.

It was comforting.

It was normal.

To this hospital.

And for me.

And that was exactly what I needed.

"Juniper, emergency room needs an extra hand!"

"On my way!" I called back, swiftly making my way down the hall.

As soon as I stepped into the ER, I was met with the usual chaos— nurses darting from patient to patient, doctors giving orders, and the occasional cry of pain breaking through the noise.

I grabbed a pair of gloves and headed toward the first available patient.

A teenage boy sat on the bed, wincing as he held his wrist. His mother hovered beside him, alalang alala sa nnagyari sa anak

"Hi, I’m Nurse Juni. What happened here?" I asked, offering the kid a reassuring smile.

"Nahulog sa skateboard," sagot ng ina bago pa makapagsalita ang anak niya. "Ayaw naman kasi makinig sa akin. Paulit-ulit kong sinasabing ‘wag masyadong mabilis—"

"Ma," the boy groaned, rolling his eyes. "Nakikinig naman ako…"

I chuckled. "Well, let’s see how bad it is." I carefully examined his wrist. "Kaya mo bang igalaw?"

He moved his fingers slightly and hissed in pain.

"Okay, mukhang sprain lang, but we’ll have to do an X-ray to be sure. Mabuti nang makasigurado na walang bali."

The mother sighed in relief while the boy nodded.

"Thank you, Nurse Juni! Ang ganda mo po!" sambit pa ng bata.

Nginitian ko lang ito. I finished wrapping his wrist in a temporary splint before moving on to the next patient.

An elderly man clutched his chest, beads of sweat rolling down his temples.

"Vitals?" I asked the nurse beside me.

"BP’s dropping. Pulse is irregular."

Heart attack.

"Sir, sumunod lang po kayo sa mga utos namin, ha?" I reassured him as I helped the doctors prepare the necessary medication. Within moments, a crash cart was wheeled in, and we moved swiftly to stabilize him.

I barely noticed the minutes passing as I bounced from one patient to another. An exhausted woman who fainted from dehydration. A child with a high fever. A middle-aged man nursing a deep cut on his palm.

Names and faces blurred together, but I didn’t mind.

I liked my job.

I liked helping people—easing their pain, giving them hope, making sure they left the hospital in a better condition than when they arrived.

It was exhausting, yes. Sometimes frustrating. But there was a kind of fulfillment in it that nothing else could give me.

And, more than anything, it kept my mind busy.

It kept me from thinking about that night.

The screech of tires.

The explosion.

The blood on my hands.

I shoved the thoughts away and refocused on my work.

By the time my shift ended, I was drained but satisfied.

And good thing, walang naghahanap sa akin.

I'm safe... for now.