DOCTOR’S FEE (MOMMAS BOY BOOK SERIES) ENGLISH VERSION

I DID NOT hesitate to take her to the condo. It was closer to the hospital, so I just took her there first. At first, she didn’t want to go with me because she was waiting for her husband, and she said he might come when she left. I agreed and joined her in waiting for about an hour. As we waited, the rain got stronger, as well as the rumbling of her stomach that I could already hear. After an hour of waiting, she came with me.

“Eat now, Laura,” I said while arranging the food we brought.

Then I entered the room. She needs to change her clothes because she is soaked from the heavy rain. So am I.

“Use those.” I handed over the pair of pajamas, along with the panties and bra. It’s my girlfriend’s, Laura. She’s not here, so you can use it.” I saw that she looked at the bra. “Ah! Doesn’t it fit?” I asked.

“Ah, Doc. Won’t your girlfriend be angry when she finds out that you are with someone here? ” She asked me while taking the clothes I gave her.

“Ah! She’s not here, Laura, she’s in Cebu. Then why would she be angry? You are my patient. Why should I leave you alone?” I answered while serving her some food on the plate.

She was just looking at what I was doing. Then suddenly,

Krug.. Kruug…

“Get changed, Laura, so you can eat. I think you’ve passed out by taking medicine you shouldn’t have,” I told her. Because I heard her stomach growling loudly, I knew she was very hungry, but she was still trying to hold it back.

She stood up and went to the bathroom.

_____

IT IS ALMOST past midnight.

She still can’t stop looking at her phone. I watched her from the door of my room, and she just lay on the couch in the living room. She didn’t want to use the room and said she was shy, so she would sleep on the couch. I have two rooms in the condo. I couldn’t sleep either, so I went out to talk to her. She got up quickly when she saw me approaching. The sleepwear I lent her fits her a bit, because her thighs are big as well as her chest.

I sat on the extension of the couch opposite her. “Why are you still awake, Laura?”

She wrapped herself in a blanket. “I can’t sleep, Doc,” she answered.

“Has he messaged?”

She just smiled and shook her head.

“Go to sleep; you can’t stay up too late; you’re not in good condition yet,” I said.

“Thanks, Doc, If you hadn’t come, I might have been completely bathed in the rain,” she replied, looking at me.

I smiled at what she said. “Good thing I passed by there,” I lied. The truth is that I have really watched over her since she came out of the hospital because I had a strong hunch that nothing would come for her. And I wasn’t wrong.

“Can you take me to the hospital again tomorrow, Doc?”

“Why are you going back there?

“What if Paul came? I need to wait for him again. ”

“Laura, you can give him my address, then he can pick you up here,” I said seriously.

“It might be difficult for him to find me, Doc,” she answered.

“Laura, you’re my patient. Let’s just say that I don’t really have anything to answer you now that you’re out of the hospital, but-do you think-I can handle it?” I stood up. “If he really wants to pick you up-here! My door is open anytime he comes, but I won’t let you go back there without assurance that he will come.” I stopped smiling completely.

She didn’t react. She looked back at her phone. I noticed that I must have offended her with what I said because she remained silent. Of course, I felt guilty about my actions and-

“Alright-I’ll take you there again tomorrow. I have-I have duty tomorrow, so I’ll just go with you,” I said calmly.

A smile came to life on her lips. “Thank you, Doc. Tuason, thank you very much,” she said.

I just nodded after I went back to the room. It was like I was ashamed of myself because of what I said to her that, in the end, I also took back.

_____

LAURA’S POV

It’s such a shame. I think I’m bothering him a lot. But it’s a good thing he came earlier before the rain got really strong, otherwise I would have been completely wet. I keep looking at the phone. I feel like I’m fooling myself because it’s so loud that I can hear if someone calls or even texts.

“Paul, what happened?”

I lay down first. It’s almost two o’clock in the morning, but I still can’t sleep. Even if I close my eyes, I can’t trick myself into sleeping! I can’t get Paul out of my mind. What happened? Why didn’t he make it? But-I’m not losing hope. I’ll go back to the hospital tomorrow to wait for him again. It’s also embarrassing for Doctor Tuason. If I stayed here with him, his girlfriend might get angry and they might fight, because who wants a stranger with her boyfriend anyway? Doc Tuason is really nice. Apart from being a good-looking young guy, he also has a good attitude. It’s rare to have a beautiful face and good manners at the same time. To be honest, I feel like he was my younger brother. I suddenly missed my brothers. I’m sure his parents were good people who taught him good manners. There is no doubt that he was raised well. I’m going to lie down first. I’ll just try to fall asleep.

_____

LAURA AND I both woke up early. I reached out to her, who was putting away the pillow and blanket she had used. I also saw that she was wearing the dried clothes and that she had washed the ones I lent her.

When she saw me, she was..

“Ah… Doc, I don’t know how to use your dryer, so I didn’t dry the clothes,” she smiled.

She walked slowly to the bathroom.

“Ah, Laura, let me!” I chased after her. “Does your wound hurt?”

She then touched her side where there was a seam and a hole where the tube was inserted.

“Sit down, Laura, I’ll check your wound.” I went to the kitchen to get my medkit.

Laura sat down.

“Can I?” I waited for her permission before lifting her clothes.

She nodded.

I helped her lie down. “Lie down, Laura, lean on the side so I can clean and take a good look at everything.”

I couldn’t stop staring at her face. Her round eyes with long eyelashes are beautiful, as is her curly hair. I could smell my shampoo on her because she had just taken a bath and was already good to go.

“Laura, I hope your husband comes later because you can’t take care of your wound by yourself, especially the hole in your backside,” I reminded her. I saw that the wound on her back had not been closed; it was still open. This girl is brave. I know how it feels, but she just keeps fighting.

“Ugh! Awtss,” she gasped when I pressed the wound on her back.

I looked at her. “I know it still hurts. I was the one who cut you, Laura, so I know when it will totally heal.” I continued cleaning her wound. “I’ll put some thick gauze on you so it won’t get hurt later when you leave and so you can move properly.”

I really don’t know why I feel this way about her. It really saddens me to see that the patient I cared for in the hospital didn’t get any better like this. Now I really believe that love is the strongest medicine and the one that will destroy you the most. Laura is an example of someone who enjoys themselves and forgets their hard feelings whenever they think of reuniting with their loved ones. Loved one? But where is hers? Why is she still here waiting?

_____

WE ARRIVED AT the hospital at nine in the morning. I first accompanied her to the waiting shed across the street so she could have shelter. I also introduced her to my well-known vendors there so she could talk to someone while waiting. And before I left..

“Ah! Laura, for you,” I handed her a brown envelope.

She took it and looked at it. s He was surprised when she saw the amount of money. She even looked at the people around her. “Doc-don’t, I ca… she said, handing me the brown envelope back.

I quickly waved her hand back. “Laura, that’s for you. You start when you get home, okay; it’s only a small amount, Laura, don’t worry,” I said with a smile.

I noticed she suddenly fell silent.

“Don’t be concerned, Laura; I’ve done a lot of that; a lot of people hope and wait for their loved ones, but they fail to show up. I love my patients and I don’t want them to be damaged after I build them up.” I smiled again. I don’t want to tell her that, but it’s better so she doesn’t hesitate to take the money.

She looked at me. “Doc, thank you,” she hugged me. “I will never forget you. Thank you very much,” she continued.

I couldn’t stop myself. I also hugged her and rubbed her back because she was crying.

“Thank you, Doc Tuason,” she said again.

A moment later, I said goodbye to her. I would still like to accompany her, but it will only make it harder for me to let her go. While the car was moving, I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. My throat was starting to choke and my eyes were watering. She didn’t stop waving at me and gave me a look before my car turned around to enter the main gate of the hospital.

“I hope you can go home, Laura.” I whispered to myself, “If I pass by again and you’re still here… I’ll take you home whether you like it or not. That’s a promise!”

June_Thirteen