Antirrhinum: Revenge of the Bloodied

“Artezia,” I called out a cousin of mine nang nagkita kami sa mobile bar ng resort. Well, our family’s resort. I am Arissa Erishelle Bellanova, the third Bellanova daughter, pero madalas, I don’t refer to myself as such. Today, though, is a different case. Because it’s a wedding. Heck, it’s my biological brother’s wedding, so I have to act like a Bellanova. It’s because of that damned deal. “Rise, you’ve arrived.” Artezia, or simply, Tia, smiled plainly at me as we saw each other, and she walked towards me. Tia and I, kung hindi kami kilala nung tao, malamang sa malamang, ay mapagkakamalan kaming magkapatid. The Bellanova gene is prominent sa aming dalawa. Ebony black hair, hazel brown eyes, and pearly white skin. The Bellanovas were well-known for that, at hindi kami excempted ni Tia doon. The only difference between me and Tia are our facial features. My face is more on the Asian side, and her face is more on the western side. “How was the biyahe from Manil

Nakahiga ako sa kama, and my cousins were on their phones. Si Ate Betsy, nasa balcony, may kausap ata na doctor, and Andreas was playing on his Nintendo switch. I laid back on the bed and I looked at the ceiling.“Ang tagal ni Tia.” I remarked.“Did you hear her mom’s voice, katakot!” Ate Judy remarked. “Grabe, nakatiis ka sa bahay na ‘to ng ganon kasama mo? All until 4th year high school?”I chuckled, not sitting back up. “Hindi ko naman nakaka-interact madalas ‘yong mommy ni Tia eh.” I sat up and met Ate Judy’s eyes. “Hindi naman ako taga-rito, diba?”“True,” Milano remarked. “hindi nga taga-rito si Rise.”I glanced at Milano and we smiled at each other. I don’t have allies in this house, but outside, I have a village who loves me, and cares for me. My ‘estranged’ cousins are among them. Kris, and his family, to

“I’m so sorry for your loss.” I bowed when I apologized to the woman. Someone died on our table during a craniotomy, and me, along with my senior, Dr. Lim, were there. We had to open her husband’s skull kasi nalaglagan siya nung gumuhong debris sa restaurant, pero hindi kinaya. He still died.The woman in front of me cried, and I heaved a heavy sigh. Dr. Lim and I excused ourselves from the grieving family, and we headed to the neuro lounge. The surgery went on for six hours din, so I stretched my neck, and rested on one of the sofas.Sharon Santos. That’s the name of the woman who lost her husband.I’m a second-year neuro resident. This isn’t the first time I lost a patient, pero I make it a habit to remember their grieving families. Hindi naman namin kasalanan that their family member died, pero we couldn’t save them. This is the least we can do.“How many fatalities?” Tanong ko kay Dr. Lim.

“You’re getting married to Armando Teng?” I rolled my eyes nang sinundan-sundan na ako ni Kris sa ICU, as I checked the SATs ng mga patienteng under neuro.“Kris, don’t you have patients to round to?” I asked, at siya naman, napairap. “I was supposed to tell you, kaso one of our patients coded, I had to be here.” Pumamewang ako at binalik ko sa nurses’ station ‘yong tablet for the electronic charts. “At saan mo naman narinig yong balitang ‘yon, Kris?”“Nasa oncology ako kanina, tapos nagtanong-tanong si Richie Teng tungkol sa’yo, he let it slip.” I sighed, and then I smiled at Kris. “Nako, Arissa, wag mo akong madadaan sa pangiti-ngiti mo. Wala kang maloloko dito.”“Ngayong alam mo na, will you be my witness?”“Hell no.” Kris deadpanned, and he walked away, kaya agad ko naman siyang hinabol. Magkatabi lang kasi halos ang ICU

I removed my scrub cap as we managed to save Mr. Rodriguez. “Nice save, Casimiro.” Bati sa akin ng senior resident ko, si Dr. Lagman. “Sabi nung EM ang bilis mo daw napansin yong severe TBI.” I sighed. Dr. Lagman and I scrubbed in with Dr. Lim, and Dr. Lim’s bringing in the good news to his wife. I went into the field without scrubs, so I don’t know kung saan napunta yong dress ko, and I’m tired. I got married and I went on the field within a day. I didn’t even notice na alas-diyes na ng gabi. Speaking of, nasaan kaya phone ko? I remember it being in my bag, but I was in the heat of the moment kanina pa, so I don’t know where my phone is, right now. I did, however, leave my bag with Kris. I looked at the OR board, to see if may surgery ngayon si Kris. Kris is a fellow in fetal surgery, pero he’s also studying under pediatric surgery, so he does some pediatric surgery din. The difference? Fetal surgery deals with babies sa loob ng tiyan ng mommy, and pediatric