10

Aina stood outside Sarge's door but hesitated on knocking or ringing the doorbell. The memory of what transpired in the ER during her shift earlier bothered her. The little boy was coughing violently when his parents brought him to the ER. While assessing little Marcus, he suddenly sat up while coughing and then suddenly projectile vomited on to Aina. Slightly shaken, Aina tried her best to remain calm. Marcus was frightened but tried to stifle his crying when he looked toward his mom. She and Marcus' father were also coughing, visibly unwell. But mommy seemed more concerned about Marcus' soiled clothes than anything else. Fortunately, Mrs. Flores, senior and head ER nurse, intervened and Marcus calmed down and was able to be cared for and cleaned by the nurses.

Dr. Bautista had some tests done on Marcus and his family – the diagnosis: allergy to raw seafood; Marcus was also diagnosed with viral influenza. "You're lucky that your symptoms are just a bad cough. I recommend your family undergo an allergy skin test to determine what your allergy triggers are. This will tell you what food or other potential allergens to avoid. As for your boy, he needs to be admitted. Is your child's pedia from here?"

"Good afternoon. I'm Dr. Sarge, I already spoke with Dr. Lazaro. She's on maternity leave so she endorsed some of her patients to me and to Dr. Lam. Anyway, I read your son's chart and test results. We'll start with some fluids via IV to replenish the fluids he's lost from vomiting. How many times has he vomited?"

"From coughing, twice. A total of about 3 or 4, I think. The last one was just earlier..." Marcus' dad said. "The other doctor said we need to get an allergy test?"

"Do you recall the last thing you ate before you started feeling off?"

"Last Sunday? Sunday evening I think that was..."

"...party? Reunion?"

"My wife's aunt came from the south with some tuna and seafood from her farm there."

"How was the food prepared?"

"The usual...sinigang, inihaw..."

"Sashimi?"

"Yes"

"...and kilawin?"

Marcus' dad nodded. "I helped prepare the dish..."

"...and you ate a little while preparing?"

"It was very fresh...but now I remember my tongue and throat feeling a little itchy after."

"Okay. I'll prescribe some anti-allergy medicines for you and your wife. But I wouldn't advice you to drive or do heavy machinery work for a few days. Anti-allergy medicines will make you very sleepy. As for Marcus, we'll manage his fever and allergy. He needs to stay in hospital for two days."

From the station nearby, Aina observed Sarge at work in awe. She had failed to immediately realize that what Marcus' family had was an allergy and not something much worse. Another ER doctor had to take her place when Marcus vomited on her during her initial assessment. Because she was wearing scrubs, and Marcus' vomit was projectile, she caught a lot of it inside her clothes down to her knickers! Naomi rushed to help and gave her some extra clothes to change into. Aina quickly took a shower in the staff room next to the ER.

---

Aina stood at Sarge's apartment door because she wanted to read up on Marcus' condition. There were materials in the hospital staff room and library but she was also curious of what Sarge had in his collection. She didn't realize that he was standing behind her.

"...go ahead, you know the code..." Sarge whispered.

Lost in her thoughts, Aina replied, "I know. But...I think I should text him first."

"Ahh..."

"Besides, we just had dinner together the other night, maybe it might be too soon..."

"Too soon to admit that you like him, too?"

"...I told Dad, 4 months..."

"Four months?..I can wait...can you?"

"Can I really wait that long?" Aina said as she slowly turned after realizing that she had been talking to someone and not just to herself.

Sarge smiled, "I can...how about you? We can pretend for now. Just act the same way we've been doing like before..." Sarge suggested.

"I...don't know..."

Suddenly, it was like their surroundings disappeared as Sarge slowly leaned forward, closing the gap between him and Aina. She stared at him for a while then gently pushed him away. "I don't think I'm ready yet..."

"Sorry..." Sarge said. "By the way, did you need something earlier?"

Aina thought hard, "Ah...book...why didn't I immediately connect Marcus' symptoms to an allergy? I already suspected something was a little off with his parents when they got to the ER."

"Oh, did you?" Sarge said as he opened the door to his apartment and pointed Aina to the loft. "Go ahead, take your time."

"Are you sure? Thanks."

"Make yourself at home. There's a powder room next to the steps to the loft. I'll just take a shower then I'll fix us a snack."

"Okay."

Sarge commanded his virtual assistant to play some soft relaxing music. He then went to his room to shower. Aina browsed through Sarge's collection before picking out a book. She took it and sat at the desk and began reading.

"I'm making some flying saucers. How many would you want?" Sarge called out from the kitchen. When Aina didn't reply, Sarge thought that she was probably busy and engrossed with what she found. He continued to make their snacks then went up the loft with the food.

Sarge found Aina sleeping with her head on the table, He put down the tray and carefully sat next to her, brushing away some stray hairs that fell on her face.

"...allergy to raw seafood,,," Aina said a few minutes later, flustered at seeing Sarge and feeling his gentle and tender touch. Sarge gently placed his hand on the back of Aina's head as she straightened up. He pulled her gently and locked his lips over hers.