His Memories of Her

10th

Catherine woke up from her phone ringing. It made her wonder because it is not like the usual way of her waking up. The sun ray's does not hurt her, it is even nowhere to be seen.

She quickly picks up her phone look at the time first with only one eyes, seemingly like she has plans to go back to sleep when the time says quarter to five in the morning.

“No wonder.” She mumbles to the wonder why the sun who loves her did not hurt her this morning.

“Hello.” She said answering the call without even opening her eyes after closing them right after she found out the time and sighs.

“OK I will be right there.” She said waking up properly all at once. Eyes open and sitting up on the bed.

She hangs the call and quickly run to her bathroom where she washes her face and teeth, feeling glad because she decided to wash herself up two hours ago before going to after she finishes up the share of her research for the night.

She went to her closet and pick random clothes hanger that is well organized. Already paired the blouses and pants and thankfully she has colors that perfectly match her usual black heels that she wears in one swift move after picking up her bag.

Catherine is just really a prepared person that made her life easy in this line of work.  She fixed her house last night before taking a bath. Washing the clothes and everything, leaving no space for unorganized thing even her working bag that she prepared last night leaving only her key on the doorstep.

She run towards her car, her house being on the first floor just made it her reach her car in no time. Started the engine and drive towards the hospital where the call that woke her up came from. It is about the patient she operated with Dr. Altman yesterday morning.

Although she does not see the need of her being called in as she is a cardio and not a neuro where the patient belongs but still, she went as she feels that no one would have called her if she is really not needed to be there.

The drive that took only a couple of minutes with her one hand on the wheel and the other holding a comb that is inside the compartment beside the wheels to do her hair while driving. Made her presentable enough when she climbs down of her car and run towards the private elevator that is only for the staff’s use.

“What happened?” Catherine said towards the intern in front of her.

“He coded, cardiac arrest.” The intern said showing her the chart that is already updated.

“Do we have his family now?” Catherine said wondering what could be wrong, they did all kinds of test even the contrast MRI but nothing shows that could have gone wrong. The only thing that is to be find out is that if there is any heart history the patient could have to know that, family is the closest thing from his charts from his past doctors if he ever had.

“We just called them, they are six miles away from us and could nit give us the exact time they would be coming so we are still waiting.” The intern said.

They continue walking towards the patient who seems to be stable right now but still the coding incident that could happen any minute from now is a threat. It is terrifying specially for a patient this young, twenty-five years old, he still has a long path of life ahead of him and because of that Catherine does not seem to just sit and wait for that to happen after checking him once again and went towards her office where she closed herself in after telling the intern of calling her right away once the family arrives.

“Just how unlucky you could get to get into this kind of situation on your way to school driving in your favorite car.” Catherine thought to herself and settled herself in.

“Good morning Dr. Altman.” The same intern said greeting Henry who passes by in front of Catherine’s office.

“Good morning.” Henry said back that the intern took as sign and walk away from Catherine’s office.

Henry looks at the intern and around, seems like checking and making sure that is no one around that now no one is, he leans towards the glass part of Catherine’s door giving him a sight of her scrolling through her phone completely unaware of Henry’s presence in front of her door looking at her, staring at her and examining her in every second and in every way possible.

“It seems that the world in on your shoulder.” Henry mumbled to himself but loud enough to make Catherine’s head started to move. It shook him enough and frightened him that he quickly and swiftly moved away from anywhere she could see him and run away catching his breath at the very first corner he reached.

“That was so close.” He mumbled while catching his breath in his own office. Where he settled himself as well, putting his bag inside of his locker so as his jacket and outing on his white lab coat with his name on it.

He takes a deep breath and started going through of the folders on his desk, his post ops that are needed to be his signatures for discharge and he needs to do that before his rounds of them and the ones not yet operated. So, he started it as he picks up his pen and started reading the last reports and signed them. Or that was what he is supposedly doing until he reached for the third one where he stopped moving and reading, lifting his head up and stare to nowhere.

Henry’s flashback

“Hey.” I said to Michael who is on the other end of the phone call which I received as soon as I woke up.

“Bro, I need a favor from you.” He said in somewhat weak voice. I have not seen him for a couple of days now, including the weekends that were usually spent with us being together to hang out, to play basketball sometimes or just will go to the mall and will just spent hours in the arcade or food stalls and so I knew something is wrong with this i***t.

“So, it is not true that idiots do not catch a cold. What is it?” I said chuckling with my own teasing.

“Leave me be.” He said followed by a cough that I am sure enough by how it sounded is bad.

“Ok, what is it?” I said trying to hold myself on doing more teasing to this sick human.

“I just want you to accompany Irene to school. Her brother asked my brother to ask me to accompany her every morning.” He said.

I thought it is just too much coincidence that he decided to walk to school at different time after all these years and in that time, and at that time Irene would walk out of their house and we three would go to school together. It occurred too frequently that I find it like it is arranged. I did not bother to ask just because I am happy that I could be with her going to school and back home until in front of her house that I did not thought too much about what I thought at first. And now that I know, I suddenly feel like “Finally” even though I feel bad for Michael catching a cold which is very rarely to occur, I could walk with her alone.

“Is that all?” I said after going through my thoughts.

“Yeah. I know you like her so make something out of this day. I am tired waking up so early.” Michael said complaining aside from pointing out something I have been hiding since I have this thought in me since the very first time, I saw them meeting each other again after a long time.

“I thought you like her.” I blurted out, the thought I have been keeping to myself as I just could not bring myself to ask him.

“I do, but as a sister. Her brother would kill me even before I could ask him if I could date her.” Michael said with a trace of fright in his voice.

“Well, given by your history even though I have not met her brother, I am sure he would do that.” I said agreeing to what he said. Michael is a famous playboy which the whole school knows. But it is not because he hooks up to all the girls, it is just that he is handsome and rich that all kinds of girls would hook up with him. And even though I hate to say this because it would hurt his dignity, he is a frail man when it comes to girls. He falls way too easily that even though unworthy girl comes to him, he would accept her not because he wants to play with her but because he would believe their seemingly weak gestures and as a man, he would feel the urge to protect this weakness and care for it that at the end, he would end up falling in love with them. He would be hurt when they got tired of him and leave him, he would cry over a night about it and the next day, another girl would flock to him which what has been adding gas to the fire of him being a playboy which I pity him and blame him all at the same time.

“Yeah, but I know that if it is you. You will do just fine.” Michael said that surprised me.

“We are just on the same page with her.” I said defensively.

“You will never fool me. I know you more than you know yourself so just admit it and be thankful that I have given you this chance.” Michael said that left me speechless.

“Well then, thank you.” I said lowly making him chuckle loudly to his phone which could be heard too loud to my end.

“So, should I knock on her door just to let her know that I will be the one picking her up today?” I said as I stood up from my bed and started preparing as it is soon will be our usual time.

“No. she never knew that her brother made me walk with her every morning and afternoon from and back to their house. So, just walk in front of her like our usual on our usual time so it will not be that too obvious. And since I told my brother that it would be you and not me, I am sure her brother would accompany her until out of their doorstep to check up on you so just be yourself.”  Michael said that somehow scared me.

I have not met her brother even once, and from what I am hearing from Michael, I would be killed by her brother if I make even just one small wrong move so I prefer not to meet him like this, like I am not allowed to say anything to him to make a good impression.

“Go now and I will go back to sleep.” Michael said and ended the call.

I look at my phone and gulp before I look at my own reflection in the mirror and said “It will be fine.” And started to move myself as fast as I could.

I finished doing my morning routine quicker than my usual, I guess that is just how nervous I am. I bid goodbye to my parents and walk out of our house and walk. Trying my best to walk as slow as I could while being too conscious of the time as I keep looking at my wrist watch and seeing that I am still a bit early and if I hurry I would end up waiting for her in front of their house.