All in a Day's Work

A female medical technologist came in, informing everyone that it's time to extract blood from Darlene again. The young med tech saw Jenneth. She smiled at her, and Jenneth reciprocated. The young med tech looked like she was just new to the practice. It seems Darlene's arm will have to suffer again.

And the kid immediately panicked after realizing what is about to happen.

"Dad…" Darlene said as she looked worriedly at Kenneth.

"It's okay, Darling," Kenneth said to her. "Remember what Aunt Sam said earlier?

They need to get your blood to monitor your dengue."

"But it hurts..."

"It won't be that painful. Please bear with it," Kenneth said as he went beside Darlene.

He took her hand and held it.

Jenneth felt pity for the kid. And she also felt pity for the young med tech who seemed worried as she saw the patient. She doesn't know what she's worried the most – extracting blood from a very young patient or doing the act in front of her boss.

So Jenneth decided to intervene. "I'll do the extraction."

Everyone was surprised with what Jenneth said. Even the young med tech gazed at her boss.

"May I?" Jenneth said, indicating the tray containing the injection and Vacutainer. The young med tech can do nothing but do as her chief had said.

Samantha and Ryan gave Jenneth some space as she went to Darlene. Kenneth stayed beside his daughter, though.

"You're curious about my job, right?" Jenneth asked Darlene.

Darlene nodded. She is still obviously worried, but she looks more at ease compared to when he saw the young med tech earlier. Jenneth smiled at her as she thought of an idea to calm her down.

She took the alcohol swab and opened the package. "Okay. This is an alcohol swab. It's a cotton pad with alcohol. I'll clean my hand first so that it's clean when I extract your blood. And then, I'll also wear gloves." She took a pair of latex gloves from the tray.

"Let me see your arm." Jenneth took the arm that does not have needle marks. "Close your fist like this." She showed Darlene how she should close her fist, which the kid carried out. "Very good."

Jenneth examined Darlene's arm. "It seems your veins are not visible on this arm."

She flicked her arm gently for the vein to show up.

"That might be the reason why they always do the extraction on the other arm," Samantha said.

Jenneth just continued what she was doing. She does not want to transfer to the other arm since it's already full of needle marks. If this does not work, maybe she can just search for a vein on Darlene's foot.

"Got it." She finally saw a vein. She pressed onto it to make it more visible. "See that vein, Darlene?"

Darlene nodded.

"Now we will disinfect it." Jenneth wiped the area using an alcohol swab. She then took a blue rubbery strip from the tray. "This is a tourniquet. It stops the flow of blood." She tied it above the area where she will extract the blood.

"Ready?" Jenneth asked with a smile. Darlene just nodded, still a little scared. "Okay. Take a deep breath."

As soon as Darlene took a deep breathe, Jenneth inserted the needle on her arm.

"Do you love blueberry scone?" Jenneth asked as she filled the syringe with blood based on the amount she should extract.

"Yes…" Darlene answered.

Jenneth smiled. "I love it, too." She then pulled out the injection. "And we're done! See? It's not that painful, is it?"

Darlene nodded. Jenneth put a cotton ball soaked in alcohol to stop the bleeding of the wound. She then gave the injection to the medical technologist who transferred the blood to the Vacutainer.

"There you go." Jenneth removed the cotton ball and replaced it with a plaster.

"That's my blood?"

"Yup," Jenneth said to Darlene. "That's a Vacutainer. They will then put that on the machine to count the cells on your blood. Then we will know if you're getting better already."

"Can I see it?"

"Well, I guess I could take you to the lab one time," Jenneth answered. "Do you know that your Aunt Sam is also a medical technologist before she became a doctor?"

"Really?" Darlene was amazed.

"Yes, but I'm not used to getting blood samples anymore. Unlike your Aunt Jhing who looks like an expert in extracting blood from children," Samantha said.

"When I was hired in Manila, they always asked me to do the extraction to children. I guess, that's how I got used to it," Jenneth explained.

"I guess it's like an initiation rite?" Samantha said. "That's also what happened when I started my residency training. They always give me the younger patients."

"Being a doctor seems very fun," Darlene suddenly said.

"There you go, Bro!" Ryan said to Kenneth. "It seems your daughter already found her purpose in life."

"Well, as long as we can afford it. If that's what she wants, then why not?" Kenneth smiled at Darlene and kissed her in the forehead.

"Lovely…" Ryan said.

Jenneth looked at Ryan and found him with his arm wrapped around Samantha's shoulders. She suddenly felt awkward. And confused. The way that Ryan looks at Samantha, it felt like he's teasing her. Which contrasts the way that he is holding her now.

'What is really happening?' Jenneth wondered.

"How about you? When are you getting married?" Samantha asked Ryan.

"And how did we end up talking about me?" Ryan asked instead.

"I don't know. I just think instead of calling another man's child your darling, you should have your own," Samantha answered.

"Oh? Okay. Then, remember this. When I have my own child, I will call her Honey and no one, as in no one, can call her that name aside from me," Ryan said.

"Then what can we call her?" Samantha asked.

Ryan pondered. "I will give her a second name. Like... Like Honey Shereen!"

Jenneth was stunned. She looked at Ryan, who suddenly became speechless as well.

"Honey Shereen. Not bad," Samantha commented. "Cute name."

"I think I know where that name came from," Kenneth said.

"Shereen means sweet," Ryan said, looking a little annoyed.

"Because Jenneth loves sweets." Kenneth smirked.

Samantha looked at Kenneth, and the latter seems to feel like he should tell her about their past.

"I think you still don't know. They dated before. Like, for five years?" Kenneth said.

"Really?" Samantha asked.

Jenneth can't help but feel awkward. Not that she's not yet over what happened before. It's just not that easy to hear someone talk about your past with your ex-boyfriend. Especially if you yourself can hear that conversation, like what's happening right now.

"I remember one time, we were chatting," Kenneth continued. "Jenneth was eating something like a cake, I think. Then Ryan suddenly said that if they had a child, they would name her 'Shereen' because it means sweet."

"That was a very long time ago," Ryan said.

"Yeah…" Jenneth murmured. 'A very long time ago.' So long they should not talk about it anymore. But what can she do if Kenneth felt like talking about it?

Good thing Darlene had some visitors. Her classmates came in, so Jenneth said her goodbyes to the others. Samantha also decided to leave, and Jenneth has a feeling she will not let go of the issue about her and Ryan that easily.

And she was right.

"So, you and Ryan really dated before?"

She kind of expected it, but Jenneth still felt surprised. Maybe because of that awkwardness she's feeling.

"It was… during college and a few years after…"

She looked away. Maybe it's true. She's still not comfortable talking about that. If only she could tell Samantha what really happened, but right now that's only what she can tell her.

Samantha kind of sensed that she's still not okay talking about it.

"If you want to talk to someone about it, I'm just here."

She looked at her and Samantha smiled.

Jenneth smiled back. "Thanks, Sam."

"You're welcome."

"Maybe next time, I can tell you about it."

Yes, maybe next time. Maybe if she's used to having Ryan in her world again, then she could totally be open to confront what really happened before. But for now, she still can't.

Samantha stayed in the nurse station, while Jenneth went to the elevator for her to get down to the first floor. As the elevator door closes, she can see Samantha talking to the nurses. She remembered that time when she was still her COCC trainee.

Samantha has the same authoritative demeanor but not intimidating. Like you know she's higher than you but still down to earth and approachable.

She's just everything that Jenneth wanted to be. It intensified when she saw that her friendship with Ryan became more special. Jenneth is not sure if she was able to replace Samantha in Ryan's life back then, but she's very sure her life became better as she tried to be like Samantha de Vera.

Well, she became a medical technologist and now she is the chief med tech of the biggest private hospital in the province. If that will be the basis, then she can say it was a success. Though personally, her life has setbacks. But that's how life is, right? It will never be perfect.

Jenneth recalled how Darlene was earlier. She looked better, and it seems her recovery will continue. Maybe it's okay if she won't see her anymore. That's for her to not see that person whom she does not want to see again. Yes, she wants to get used to having him back in her life again, but...

As much as possible, she does not want to see him that often. God knows when they will meet again. Just not now. Not in the near future.