The patient from the ICU has been more cooperative than I’d expected. She was all I talked about as I walked out of the ICU. She had came in in the late hours last night with a server stomach upset. Apparently her ulcer was just acting up.
I couldn’t help chuckle at the thought of what she’d told me earlier after agreeing to take the medications I asked Helen to give to her. I wasn’t the type to laugh or shun at people’s problems so I tried to get rid of the irony about it and focus more on the details of her situation. She’d said her ulcer started acting up last week after she caught her long term boyfriend cheating on her with their neighbor; a younger lady who attended the university she attended too close by.
Apparently, she’d moved in with her boyfriend and she’d thought they were just friends whenever she waved him at the door or something.
Then one day, she’s coming back from school all tired and wanting to do nothing but to jump into the shower with him only to be greeted by the horrible voices of their lovemaking from their bedroom. He’d regretted it and apologized. She forgave him and then he started giving her all the attention she needed. Then just a few days back, she caught him with a different woman. Again. At a club, tongues deep inside each other’s throats. She’d fessed up but he didn’t even show any remorse or try to apologise. She’d thought his non remorseful attitude was as a result of his drunken state but the following day, they had an argument when she tried to confront her.
That was three days ago. She knew messed up. She moved out. Went back to living with her mom but couldn’t feel any better. Her boyfriend never called and she practically put out her phone so she doesn’t call him. She’d been having ulcer attacks ever since.
How unbelievable is this guy, huh? The thought of Millie making out with her boyfriend last night was all over my mind the next moment I took the turn towards my father’s office room. Their relationship is so perfect. It’s always been so perfect. Millie has always been able to keep up with Tony’s bad sides and so did he for her. Which always made me wonder if I’m still single because I hardly tolerate all those attitudes from men. I’d probably kill that lady’s boyfriend if I were her. I mean. . . . . . . It’s hard not to, right? He’s got all those nerves up his ass!
I stopped before my father’s office door and could see him through the door screen . I watched him seated there, his glasses on and him peering into the laptop seated in front of him.
I couldn’t believe a couple of hours ago I’d been so sure and confident about telling him about my dreams. Now it seems so stupid. Tell him I’m seeing mom in my dreams? And the dream feels so real, it doesn’t feel like a dream at all? I couldn’t possibly do that to him? He looks pitiful enough, the last thing I wanted was reminding him about his wife.
I pushed the door open after contemplating on whether to go in or not. Maybe I’m just gonna ask him how he’s doing.
He looks up the instant his door opened, giving me a long smile as he saw me.
“Lexy” he called.
I pushed my thoughts behind my mind, putting on a smile as big to match his “hey Dad”
“Have a seat, Lexy” he pointed to the chair in front “and tell me what you’ve been up to”
I sat down and looked back at him, my smile unchanged. So was his. There was just something about his eyes. He was bothered about something. Infact, he was worried about him.
“Well,” I started “I just checked on my patient at the ICU and she’s doing alright”
“That’s good. The ulcer patient?”
“Yes, Dad. She’s much better now”
“I see. I just finished going through your patients report and it’s really great, Lexy. You’re doing great”
I chuckled lightly and replied “don’t be like that Dad. I’m not your daughter at the hospital”
I could see his dimples deepen when he smiled before replying “well what can I say when you do everything so right? ”
I smiled and his grew wider. Then his smile faded and he took off his glasses, reaching a hand to rub his tired eyes.
“I’m really sorry, Lexy,” he said “I’ve been so busy, I don’t even talk with you to know how you’re fitting in in all of this and how you’re relating to your colleagues and all . . . . . .”
“Dad . . . . . . ” I cut him off, leaning in closer “it’s alright. I know you’ve been busy”
“You can tell me everything’s alright but I know it’s not , Lexy”
I looked down, bereft of words. Looking up now, I spoke ” actually I’m worried about you Dad . . . . . . . I know you’ve been busy and all but you’re so stressed . . . . . . . . . Is there any way I can help?”
He smiles and leans into his chair, then replied “oh I’ve just been busy working on this project. It’s nothing to worry about”
Your werewolf project? I wanted to ask that. I wanted to scuff at his beliefs? Then what if his project becomes a success? What if there was werewolves? No, I’m not gonna let him get into my head.
Shaking off the thoughts, I Said “okay, Dad. Did you eat yet?”
“Yes. But I could take you downtown to eat if you’d like”
“No, I’m not hungry”
“On diets, I see?” He mocked playfully.
“Of course not, Dad!” I exaggerated, causing him to laugh.
“Then how did you manage to maintain that beautiful body, huh? You’re just a replica of your mother, Lexy. She was just as slim as you, maybe a lot more beautiful too” I could see his smile distant, and his thoughts far away. Suddenly, he’s snapping his eyes back to me and rising to his feet.
“Come, I wanna show you something” he said, walking towards the door. I rose up and followed after him, letting him lead us into the laboratory facing his office room.
The white room was filled with equipments of all sorts. He proceeded further towards the end of the room, towards the last lab table. He stopped at the nearest cabinet to it and pulled it open. He retrieved a string of papers attached to a bind and sets it down in front of me.
“If you look through these papers, you’d come across several heart diseases,” he said to me “The fifth on the second page is one of the severest heart problems many surgeons has ever had to undertake. Now, by Saturday, we’re having a patient coming into this hospital with that heart problem”
I felt my eyes grew wide in fear for no particular reason as he said that last part. Someone with such severe heart problem? Coming here?
“I’m going to be performing his surgery on Monday, here at this hospital and I want you to be by my side while I do it”
Be his second hand?! I wanted to leap on him but that was too unprofessional here. So I mustered the biggest smile I could, grinning with an attempt to say anything.
“Oh my God, dad! You really want me to be your second hand?! ”
He nods, a smile tucking at the ends of his lips “that’s why I’ll need you to take some time off to get prepared. Study the surgery and master your part. Before that, we’ll be having a meeting to discuss this with the other doctors and nurses. Should in case I don’t make it to the surgery on Monday, doctor Gina would take my place. But it’s necessary you’re there, okay?”
My smile faded instantly as he said this. What did he mean by that?
“You have nothing to be worried about, Lexy,” he laughs “you’re such a scaredy cat. All I’m saying is there are situations where my attention is more needed at the ER and I’d have to leave the patient to attend to the other one”
He could see the relief in my eyes as I smiled.
“So,” he turns around to retrieve another paper from the cabinet. I watched him from the back, seriously considering telling him about my dreams. This seems a perfect time enough. Yes . . . . . . I’m going to.
“Dad. . . . . I. . .”
The ringing of his phone from his lab coat pocket stops me, rolling my words back into my throat.
He stops going through the cabinet and turns around to reach for his phone. He peers into it’s screen for a while before scooting away to receive it. I zoned out from whatever it was he was talking about on the phone with the caller and decided to make up my mind on what to do. One thing was for sure. I wasn’t gonna tell him about the dream anymore.
He walks back to me, putting his phone inside his jeans pockets, putting on a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“Did you wanna talk about something?” He asked.
“Oh, no! ”
He nods and hands the papers to me. We walked out in silence, the temperature suddenly quiet. I walked faster in front of him till I got into my office.
As I walked, I couldn’t help wonder what the call he had was all about because it definitely looked like it did something to him back there.
I walked into the room I shared with Craig and the rest. Katherina wasn’t here, neither were the others. Except for Craig, who sat close on his roasting chair, moving side by side. He has his head buried down, his long bangs making it impossible for one to see his face. You’d think he was sleeping if I hadn’t seen his fingers move and curl around the others.
He was in deep thoughts. He didn’t even see me come in.
Sitting on my seat, I pushed myself closer to him and whispered “girl trouble huh?”
He slowly lifts his head to see me. He looked tired, he’s probably been awake all night, his mind occupied by thoughts about his girlfriend. Since when did I start reading people again?
He nods his head before burying his face down again, causing me to laugh.