The Old Man Patient

Gabe couldn't utter a word for a moment after what he just heard. "Come again?"

Gab let out a deep sigh and turned around, facing his back to his brother. "Alreign's biological father is here."

Gabe walked towards Gab and confusedly looked at his brother's face. "Are you sure? How do you know it was his father?"

"I knew after I saw his stuff in the ward. I think Alreign's adoptive parents kept in touch with him before. He had this album filled with Alreign's photos from when he was young until he graduated as a doctor," Gab replied.

"That's good news! Alreign will surely be happy about that; why prevent him from seeing his father?"

Gab pulled out a file from one of his shelves and gave it to Gabe. "Read it."

Gabe read the records inside the file, then looked in Gab's direction again. "What is this?"

"His father's record. He was getting weak. His condition was severe, and I don't want Alreign to see him like this. We both knew he's a soft-hearted guy. Also, it was his father's request," Gabriel replied. "He knew everything about Alreign, including his friends. That's why he recognized me right away."

"He knew Alreign died, right?" Gabe asked, to which Gab answered with a shook of his head.

"I guess after his adoptive parents died, he also lost updates about Alreign. Even when I'm visiting his ward to check on him, he's always asking how he's doing." Gabriel's gaze lowered, and his face showed glum. "I couldn't say his son was dead. I don't want him to be sorrowful in the remaining time of his life, so I lied about Alreign being well."

Gabe's expression changed as he analyzed the situation. "Gab, you're not doing the right thing. You're taking away Alreign's right to know about his father. He's also a doctor. What do you think he would feel if he found out? Also, Alreign was resurrected; don't you think this is the chance given to them to meet each other?"

Gab nodded and faced his brother. "I know. But I couldn't say no to the old man's request. As much as I want him to reunite with his son, I want to have his peace as well. He is my patient after all, and I want him to recover. Maybe this is their chance, but it's just not the right time. Not yet. Alreign didn't mention a thing about finding his biological parents while his severely sick father was swallowed by his guilt and regrets. Not now, Gabe."

Gabe didn't say a thing anymore; he understood his brother's point, and he knew his brother knew better than him.

He once again read the record and looked at the old man's picture in the patient record. He slightly smiled as he saw the resemblance. "Alreign has his looks."

Gab just smiled at what Gabe said.

The morning has come. Alreign was in deep sleep. It was 8 o'clock, and the rays of the sun lit his bedroom through his window. 

Alreign's eyes suddenly opened, and he immediately sat up—woken up by the chorus of the chirping birds. His brows furrowed as he tried to remember something, then he looked for his dream diary and pen in his bedside drawer. 

•Old man

• In Gabriel's hospital

• Always wishing to be healed to meet his son.

Alreign wrote in his diary.

Ever since he dreamt about the man in the alley, Alreign decided to take down every detail he would see in his dreams to confirm whether his dream could actually come true or if everything was just a coincidence.

His brows furrowed as he thought about the deal he talked about with Gab.

"Is he one of the patients I should operate on?" Alreign mumbled.

At 10 a.m., Alreign walked around Gab's hospital, looking for him.

"Uhm. Excuse me," Alreign called the female nurse he saw who wasn't doing anything.

The nurse walked towards him and smiled. "Yes, sir, how can I help you?"

Alreign wandered his eyes, checking if Gab was around, then looked at the nurse again. "Is Dr. Gabriel Luie Jones around?"

The nurse nodded politely. "He's in the meeting room right now. Do you have any appointments for him? Or is it an emergency? I can tell him."

Alreign just waved his hands and smiled. "No, thank you. I'll just wait for him at his office."

"Oh, okay." The nurse smiled. "I think his meeting will be over around 10:30 a.m."

Alreign nodded in response, then went to Gab's office after thanking the nurse.

After an hour, Gabriel finally went to his office, and he noticed Alreign was sleeping on the couch of his receiving area.

Gabriel sighed and quietly walked to his table, which Alreign noticed. He then got up and looked at Gab.

"Your meeting's over?" Alreign asked while trying to fix himself.

"Yes. Why are you here?"

"I'm here for the deal," Alreign immediately responded. 

Gab sat on his swivel chair, and his brows knitted. "You're starting now?"

Alreign nodded, emanating dedication and determination. "May I see the five patients' profiles?"

Gabriel grabbed an expanded envelope from his organizer and pulled five folders out of the envelope. He then rested them down on top of his table, showing them all to Alreign.

After a moment of looking at the patients' profiles, he noticed something was missing. None of them was the person he dreamt of this morning.

"Uh, Gab? I think you got one of them wrong," Alreign said, which made Gab check the papers.

Gabriel shook his head. "No. I pulled the right ones. They are your patients."

"Huh? Then, where's that old man?" Alreign asked. "I thought he's one of the patients I'm going to operate on."

"Old man? What do you mean?"

Alreign stopped for a moment as he thought about what he said. He then, aggressively shook his head and looked at the papers again. 

"Nevermind. I think I'm still half asleep," he excused.

Both of them almost jumped in surprise as the door slammed open, and then a male nurse came in. "Doc! We need your help. Mr. Aguillera's having a seizure!"

Gabriel's eyes widened, then he immediately ran with the nurse outside, leaving Alreign, who was now thinking about the name mentioned. 

"Aguillera?" he mumbled. "Why does it seem familiar? Where did I hear i—"

Alreign stood up as he remembered the name. "Right! That's the patient's name in my dream!"