He took a glance at his overused watch. “Just 11:30? Feels like forever already.” He mumbled to himself, then his eyes shifted to the sickbed which he watches over, that was crowded with Cedric, a two – year old boy down with diarrhea, and his 21 year – old mother, Lucia, who as luck would have it, looks nothing like a 21 year – old. Guess when you don’t have much to live on, it really takes its toll on the way you look.
He dragged his size 10 feet to one corner of the medical ward and reaches in for his pocket notebook to do his midnight’s edition of SOAPIE. He leaned on the wall and after writing the letter “S” to begin his charting on his pad, the red ink from his pen just seemed to be totally blocked. He turned his notebook over and scribbled madly to get his pen going. At first it was blotting, but seconds more and it was totally junk.
“So I’m up when everyone’s sleeping and my pen’s not working, Great!” He shook his head and bit his lower lip before a stray curse escape his lips. He was sure it wouldn’t come silently, if ever it manages to come out.
He lifted his back and focused on his other group mates. Oops, group mate only at that time, because the other members left already, were probably at the room opposite the ward doing their own sample charting, or more likely sneaking into a nap.
The one left with him, looking after the patient across Cedric’s bed was Shannie Bernal, rendering a tepid sponge bath to her feverish, diarrhea – struck patient. She was the best group mate ever, well, probably for Russell’s subjective eyes only.
It was almost midnight and here was Shannie, diligently fighting off sleep and trying her best to lower her patient’s fever. Russell Thought she’d make a great nurse someday. Shannie was studious, patient, and totally overflowing with compassion that’s for real. His astonishment towards her love for nursing was just hands down because if he’d be comparing himself, he’s probably fair poorer than poor.
Russell never wanted to take up nursing. Heck, never in his wildest dreams did he imagine he’d be wearing that white uniform he was donning that night, if not only for his mother’s wishing he’d probably be almost a Music Teacher or a great Pianist by this time. As a student nurse, he barely passed NCM 100 and 101 and he just sucked at regulating IVs. He dreaded the smell of hospitals and just couldn’t stand crying children. Though his heart get nudges each time he’d be seeing people suffering, it just proved to be not enough for him to actually love his soon to be profession. Who could fall in love with needles and viruses right? He’d tell himself once in a while.
But since he’s already suffered almost three years of nonstop torture, he couldn’t turn his back at this point. It’d just seem too insane. He just secretly hoped that maybe, a defining moment would come into his lap one of this days and it’d be a sign. Until then, he’d find a reason or two why he should endure the torture RLE schedule and lukewarm instructors, for the meantime at least.
And Shannie Bernal was a reason. Russell’s number one reason why despite the 6am call time for duties he still arrives at the hospital smiling – and on time. She was the reason why asking patients how many times they pooped or peed become bearable. Shannie was enough to force his slacker ass to study for his super long patho exam and do his MS homework of over a 100 topics to write by hand. Shannie was worth doing the graveyard shift with. A text message from her at 9pm saying “guys ptyan na nmn s duty 2. Gudluck stn at mamatay na nakaimben2 ng 10-6 duty. Hehe. Ingat kau ha, kita kits nlng mmya!” was enough reason to get him excited for a night that was destined to be weary and dry out of sleep.
As a matter of fact, Russell could honestly say that Shannie was the one thing he loved about nursing. And how he wish she knew.
By this time Shannie was finished with her TSB and just stuck a thermometer on hi patient’s armpit. Russell smiled lazily. Aside from having killer nursing skills, she was a pretty girl; simple yet appealing, very attractive – at least for him if not for the whole world.
Shannie looked Russell’s way and he beamed, decided to come over on the pretense that he had to borrow a pen.
“Have an extra pen? Mine apparently resigned from service.” Shannie smiled about his choice of words. It was easy to steal a smile from her. She’s easy to please and highly appreciative. “Sure. I have it in my bag,” she answered back, then bent down to collect her thermometer.
She was flipping the glass as Russell went on asking, “still febrile?”
“No, 37.4C, thank God.” She shook the thermometer thrice and after cleaning it with a wet cotton ball she slid it down her apron pocket. “let’s join the others,” she nodded and Russell followed suit.
Russell pushed the door for her and they found their group mates busy doing the sample charting inside the crowded room assigned to them.
“Shannie, what’s that word if I want to say my patient can’t breathe when lying down?” It was Christine inquiring while moving over the long chair to make room for the newcomers.
“Orthopnea,” Shannie told her without batting an eyelash as she plopped down the chair. She then reached for her bag and handed her extra pen to Russell who sat down beside her.
“Smart ass!” Marco joked on the other side of Christine. Shannie pulled his ear to return the banter. She then took her pocket notebook and worked on her SOAPIE quietly.
However, Russell found it hard to concentrate on his sample charting. Aside from the fact that he was terribly drowsy, the feeling that he was seated beside Shannie felt weird this time. His heart was thumping like a crazy rabbit on drugs and you bet it was downright disturbing.
Fearing that their clinical instructor would come soon enough and he’d still have no output because of his damn feelings, Russell stood up and sat on the armrest of the chair opposite the one he occupied before. He gave Haruna a nudge and asked help with his SOAPIE. He didn’t notice Shannie watching him move away from her and asking help from somebody else. Haruna gave him the charting he did the last time she had a patient with diarrhea and Russell took pleasure in just copying the material.
Their clinical instructor came moments later to collect the sample chartings and just called the student outside two at a time if it’s their turn to transfer the SOAPIE to the actual patient’s chart. Marco and Christine came outside first leaving the chair Shannie occupied free. Russell thought it would be wise to return to his original seat, and later he was sure glad he did.
“I’m sleepy,” Shannie told him once his ass touched the chair. He laughed after seeing her trying her hardest to pry her eyes open and how she tries her best to stop her yawning.
“Me too, don’t you think this is bad for our health?” Russell replied comically, and hearing her laughing chased all the sluggishness away in him.
“Move over.” She pushed him with her arm two seats away from her, and without warning nor permission, Shannie bent sideways and rested her tired head on Russell’s lap.
He smiled. At least she was comfortable with him. He reached for his backpack and lifted Shannie’s head a few inches high.
“What?” She looked at him above with her eyebrows furrowed and lips pouted.
“I just thought you could use this to cushion your head.” He inserted his bag and she lied cozily again. Looking at her with her eyes closed and looking at peace, Russell wasn’t able to restrain himself from touching her hair, careful not to ruin her tidy pony tail.
“Hey, don’t do that, we might think you two are boyfriend – girlfriend!” Uno teased him immediately and every single one of their group mates left inside turned to them and joined what Corinne started.
“Stop it Uno.” Russell said chuckling as he leaned back on the chair, raising his hands behind his head.
“Whoooo!” I’ll report you two to the faculty so you’d be separated next sem!” Corinne threatened in mock seriousness. “Don’t you know it’s not proper to fall in love with your group mate?” she went on teasing though her eyes were twinkling and her voice fell into a dreamy trance.
The door opened and Marco popped his head outside. Christine pushed the door widely and came in. “Shannie, it’s your turn with Sir Paul,” Marco informed objectively, not aware of the humor happening inside the room.
“Oh, okay.” She straightened up a bit and collected her things before she stepped out of the room.
“Shannie and who?” Diana inquired to Marco whos was inside already and stretching his arms. “I don’t know. Sir Paul only asked for her,” he replied.
It took a moment before Shannie came back and Russell had already dozed off when she returned. Shannie touched him on the arm and shook him slightly. “Russell! Russell!, wake up.” He lifted his head and ran a hand on his face. “It’s your turn. Uno’s outside already.”
Between some lecture, checking vital signs, some naps and throwing banter at Russell and Shannie, their shift that night was coming to an end. It was a little over 5am and their clinical instructor allowed them to go home.
It was still dark but everyone was quick to change and pack their things, and next thing they knew they were heading out, groggy though still giddy, but Russell’s insides were on a protest. He could feel his heart beating wildly again and all his hidden thoughts were screaming at him. He was walking behind their pack and Shannie was about midway, but before she could go anywhere and cross the pedestrian, Russell decided it was time that he must be honest with her. “Shannie, wait!”
She looked at him and stopped at the opposite sidewalk. He reached the other end of the roan and without wasting more time, he bravely started, “I have something important to tell you.”
Shannie was unassuming and motioned that he went on. It caught her off guard and Russell ended up asking, “Can I take you home?” Shannie lived on an apartment 2km from the hospital and she was nice enough to grant his request. He tool and carried her things, pulled a tricycle over in two seconds flat, but the ride to Shannie’s dorm felt like forever for Russell and the air inside the tricycle seem to be too little, too thin that it was hard for him to catch a breath.
“Thank you for taking me home,” Shannie told him sweetly when they arrived , then extended her hand to reach for her things that he was carrying.
Russell cursed himself for holding back and acting like a sissy, so before his luck runs out, he made up his mind once more and did the one thing that would free him from all his burdens. He grabbed her hand that was reaching for her things, and after taking a deep breath, recited the words that would change his life forever.
“I know this is not the most romantic way to do this, or if this is the right time. But I have to say this before I go coma.” He sighed loudly to get the energy to continue. Shannie was too surprised to do anything but stare. Russell went on, “I like you Shannie, I do. I don’t care how proper this seems. I don’t give a damn what our group mates will say or however they’d look or if they’d squeal. I don’t care if they’d throw me into some distant other group away from ours, but I know I have to have you. I don’t know how long I could hide what I feel, or what we’d have from them, but I just want you to know that I loved you since that day, that very moment you thrust that needle on my vein a year ago. You’re the only reason why I’m still pursuing nursing. God, I just love you that much Shannie.”
For someone like Russell, saying and meaning those actual words really meant a lot. And to ride the momentum and lift the sparks a notch higher, without thinking much about it, he leaned slowly and planted a kiss on her lips.
It was soft but lingering, gentle but sincere.
And when Russell thought he had showed her how he really felt, it was time to pull away. Still holding her hand, he awaited for her reaction, her reply. His heart was palpitating like crazy and he feared he would die from arrhythmia.
Shannie was looking intently at him and as their gazes locked, he noticed that her eyes were… are those tears? Was she crying?
She was about to open her mouth when a flash of light from a car that passed halted her. Russell looked and saw the tail of a silver CRV disappear into view. It was his clinical instructor’s car, probably heading for his own home too.
When he turned back to receive his fate in Shannie’s hands, he was stunned when fat tears began to slide down her face. “I can’t Russell. I’m seeing someone.”
That came as a shocker. No news reached him that Shannie was being courted by anyone, much more, that she was already taken. “What? How come? Who?”
He was devastated and she knew it. Her tears kept on coming and it hurt her that she was really hurting him, but the least she could do was to tell him the very truth.
Her head dropped down, and in almost a whisper she revealed, “Paul…”
Russell’s eyebrows crumpled and he felt like his heart was about to burst to a million pieces with anger, his hand that held Shannie shook her.
“What?! You’re dating Sir Paul?!”
The stream of tears that overflowed from Shannie’s eyes answered his question as she grabbed her things from his hand and ran inside her place, the door making a loud bang of its own as she disappeared inside.
But nothing beat the bang that fell on Russell’s face.
Oh, and remember that thing about Russell’s nursing career and the defining moment that he was really hoping and praying for? The sign he was awaiting that’d tell him what he was supposed to be really doing in his life?
Amidst all the humiliation, rage, and wrath going up and down Russell’s spine, after Shannie slammed that door shut on him, he was left there in cold, all in his lonesome. The he silently whispered “wonder if they’d accept me in Conservatory of Music this time of the year?”
(The partner's behind the story)
Finding -Marco-™ Harlequin Lover
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