CHAPTER 3

Celine's Point Of View

 

WHEN I ARRIVED at home, Cyrille immediately entered my room. She's sleeping, probably tired because of her school work. Cyrille stopped studying for a few years because of her illness. Since she was diagnosed with Bipolar, Doc Almoreno stopped her from studying because her mood could be triggered in the school's environment.

 

But a few years later, her mood has improved a lot. Her mood is no longer fluctuating unlike before when she was happy and then she would suddenly feel sad.

 

After checking her, I decided to go downstairs to organize the things that I bought. Half a minute also passed before I finished arranging my purchases.

 

Our stocks are not enough so I decided to buy. Unfortunately, I didn't immediately see where my wallet was. I just remembered that my wallet was in my bag when I got into the car.

 

What happened earlier was very embarrassing. I never thought that would happen to me. Fortunately, Doc Emman was there to lend me money to pay for my purchases.

 

Speaking of Doc Emman. How is he? What is he doing?

 

I shook my head and went up to my room then took a half bath. When I finished, I immediately dressed in pajamas and surfed the internet.

 

I stalked Doc Emman but that's how sad I felt when I saw that his i* and f* accounts were private. I'm ashamed but I decided to add and follow Doc Emman on his f* and i*.

 

He has pictures on f* but some of them are from when he was an intern-his pictures were taken a long time ago. I was about to go to sleep when suddenly someone notified me on my phone causing me to look at it.

 

"Oh my gosh!" I screamed loudly.

 

I can not believe! Is this true? Did Doc Emman just accept my friend and follow request?!

 

I bit my lower lip while smiling and unconsciously typed on my phone.

 

(Good evening, Doc! Tomorrow I will pay you for my groceries. Thank you for saving me. Stay safe and God bless, Doc!)

 

A few seconds passed before I saw on my phone that he was currently typing. I can't help but to smile while looking at my phone. Even though he looks really grumpy, there is still a part of his heart that is very kind an generous.

 

(Noted.)

 

I thought he was typing too long! Hmm!

 

Despite that, I still couldn't stop myself from smiling. I bit my lower lip once again and thanked him. It's very rude if I just seen his message. He didn't read my message again so I decided to lie down on my bed.

 

A few minutes passed before I felt sleepy causing my eyes to close and I fell asleep.

 

The next morning I woke up early. I immediately sat up from lying down and stretched. It's still early but I have to take care of my sister for her school.

 

I was about to go to the kitchen to prepare her something to eat but I was surprised to see Cyrille currently preparing food on the table.

 

"Good morning. You woke up late that's why I decided to cook our breakfast," she said while smiling as she placed the bowl on the table containing the rice.

 

I smiled at her and opened my arms telling her to hug me. "I'm so proud of your improvements, Cy." I uttered while hugging her.

 

When we separated our bodies from the embrace, she immediately smiled at me then invited me to eat.

 

We finished eating before we decided to shower and get dressed. I will take her to her school like I used to do. Cyrille knows how to drive because I taught her before but she doesn't have a license.

 

"How is Dr. Almoreno as a boss?" She asked.

 

My forehead furrowed because of her question. No one knows yet that I chose to be a secretary over being a nurse.

 

"Ah.. H-huh? W-what are you talking about? Haha." I'm stuttering.

 

I heard her chuckle then shook her head, "I won't tell mom and dad. You don't have to worry about. Just like how we used to be, no secrets and no lies." She said with a smile.

 

I smiled back at her and told her everything. At first she couldn't believe it either, but when she processed everything in her mind, she teased me.

 

"Hey! I thought you would never like someone again? Why did you fall in love with Doc Almoreno?" She said teasingly.

 

I snorted and smiled before speaking, "Hey! It's just an infatuation. Being in love is too much!" I laughed my tongue out.

 

When we arrived at Cyrille's school, I immediately said goodbye to her. "I'm really sorry if I can't pick you up at your dismissal. Promise me you won't do anything else. Go straight home, okay?" I reminded Cyrille.

 

Before, we were afraid to leave Cyrille alone because she might have something to do to hurt herself but as time goes by, we learned to trust her especially now that her condition is gradually improving.

 

"Okay, I'll see you when I get home." She uttered then kissed me on my cheek.

 

"GOOD DAY, DOC!" I greeted Doc Almoreno with a smile when he entered his clinic.

 

I was twenty minutes early so I immediately arranged my things on my desk. From now on, this will be my routine: take Cyrille to her school every weekend and go straight to the Hospital, then work as Doc Emman's secretary.

 

It's not difficult because I enjoy what I do. Even though I gave up being a nurse, I became Doctor Emman's secretary. Other than that, I still help patients when they have queries about what they should do.

 

"Good morning," he said seriously and entered his clinic.

 

Too early to be grumpy!

 

I just distracted myself on viber to see the patients who will consult with Doc Emman and listed them on a clean paper so that I won't have to take out my cellphone during work hours.

 

Minutes later, a patient entered the clinic and immediately gave me the sheet they got from the triage.

 

"Just a moment, Mrs. Alviar." I said with a smile.

 

She nodded and went back to the couch while I knocked on Doc's sliding door to ask if it was okay for him to counsel a patient.

 

"Doc, Mrs. Alviar is here." I said.

 

He took a deep breath three times and nodded. I just nodded and approached Mrs. Alviar then helped him enter the innermost part of Doc's clinic.

 

That's what I did after a few hour. I also answered consultants' queries through phone and continued guiding the consultants.

 

It's breaktime and I immediately stretched. Doc Emman is talking to his last patient now. What I do now is definitely more tiring compared to my previous job. I just sat all night now. Sitting is more tiring for me than doing something.

 

When Doc's patient got out, he immediately told me about the patien's next check up, causing me to write it in my journal.

 

"Thank you, Ma'am." The patient uttered.

 

"Oh! Just call me Celine." I said shyly.

 

She thanked again and left the clinic. I arranged my other things scattered on my desk before I decided to knock on Doc Emman's sliding door.

 

"D-doc, it's about the money I borrowed from you. I'm about to return it," I said with my hand against my back.

 

He stopped from writing something on a sheet of paper then turned his attention to me.

 

"You can bring the money back to me next time. I still have something important to do, Ms. Navarro." He said.

 

I was about to go out but it occurred to me that it was break time so I asked him again.

 

"Doc, are you going to buy something outside?"

 

"Pocari," he answered sparingly.

 

I nodded and walked out of his clinic with a smile. After that I decided to go to SM which is located just across the Hospital.

 

The guard helped me cross so I thanked him. When I got to the mall, I was happy to go in to buy something to eat and Doc Emman's Pocari.

 

I first went to Burger King and ordered to eat there. After I ate, I quickly went to the mall and bought Doc Emman's Pocari. I was about to open the glass door of the mall but suddenly someone opened it causing me to look back to see who it was.

 

"Doc Sanchez?!" I was surprised!

 

"Ms. Navarro. It's nice seeing you again," he said while smiling.

 

"How are you?" I asked.

 

We are currently walking back to the Hospital. I don't know but I feel very relieved about Doc Sanchez. He is very cool as a Doctor, not like Doc Emman who is very rude and cold. Doc Sanchez is jolly. You will not be afraid to make fun of him as long as your joke is not below the belt.

 

"I'm doing good! You? How are you?" He asked me back.

 

I'm super happy. But there is something in my heart that is sad because the Emmanuel I was with at the mall who helped me was different compared to the Emmanuel he is showing now. Maybe he treats people differently when he is inside the Hospital compared to when he is outside the Hospital.

 

"Your best friend is grumpy, isn't he" I asked him out of consciousness.

 

"Have you fallen for him yet?"

 

"What?" I answered him back.

 

I didn't hear much of what he said earlier because of the noise of the road. We are almost at the hospital. My only concern is that Doc Emman might not like the Pocari I bought because it is not that cold compared to when I took it from the refrigerator.

 

"I said, you will be late for work hours. It's about time," he said.

 

I immediately looked at my watch and my eyes widened! I'm dead! Clinic hours will start in just 3 minutes!

 

I immediately said goodbye to Doc Sanchez and thanked him before I ran quickly into Doc Emman's clinic. Fortunately, there are no patients yet, so the blockage in my chest has eased a bit.

 

"Doc," I uttered while knocking at the sliding door.

 

After knocking, I opened the sliding door. I immediately handed him the Pocari before he looked at me and obviously had second thoughts about whether he would take the Pocari I was holding.

 

"Doc, I didn't put anything in your Pocari. When you fall in love with, your heart beats by itself. Not because I put a spell inside that bottle," I teased.

 

He just took a deep breath then rolled his eyes. "You may leave," he said causing me to leave his clinic.

 

I bit my lower lip slightly then sat happily in my seat. His other patients came again so I was also busy with my work.

 

Time passed before my shift ended. It's only three minutes before I go out, so I set up my table and things.

 

I saw and observed many patients. Some of them are quiet and others are talkative. It's good that they are doing well because based on my research, mostly those with mental illness lose their control and temper. If I even think about encountering something like that, I won't take it, what more if I face them right in front of me?

 

I heaved a deep breath before I stood and knocked at Dr. Emman's sliding door. "Doc, I'm leaving. Thank you for this day." I said with a smile.

 

He just nodded and brought his eyes back to the paper above his table. I was about to leave but he spoke causing me to stop walking away.

 

"We'll be having a medical mission on Nueva Ecija next week. Right now, start preparing yourself and your things." He uttered.

 

"Copy, Doc!" I said with a smile then walked out of his clinic.

 

to be continued