The Scars

0The old woman --- I forgot to ask about what her name was --- had slept tight comfortably on the bed after the tense moment she experienced. She could be seriously injured if only Kevin did not manage to snag her wheelchair swiftly.    0

    

The nurse had checked her blood sugar level and thankfully it was not too high for a patient diagnosed with diabetes. She did not have an opportunity to lick the confectionery as I snatched it from her. Kevin was in the lobby getting treatment for the wound he suffered from. His knees kissed the floor harshly and his fingers were pinched between the back upholstery and armrest pad of the wheelchair while trying to stop the wheelchair. It caused bruises on her knees and fingers.    

    

I fixed the blanket that covered the old woman's body. She might be dreaming so she moved her blanket in her sleep. I went out after ensuring everything was well done. Passing the nurse station, one of the nurses called me in.    

    

"How's grandma?" One of them, the girl with a dimple on her right cheek asked in curiosity. She was sitting with his back to the bar.    

    

"She is well. Now, she is sleeping." I was numb in my standing position.    

    

"You have to be careful next time."    

    

"I will. I'm sorry for what happened today."    

    

"Just make sure that you'll do your work well later." I nodded conscientiously.    

    

"May I know her name? Does she have a family?" I carefully inquired about the information regarding the old woman.    

    

"She does. We called her Mrs. Daud. That's her husband's name." She then explained something to the other nurse who approached her before continuing to talk to me. "How poor she is! Her son left her in the nursing home when she was seventy. It was a year ago. The most heartbreaking thing was her daughter-in-law said they would take her to the restaurant to celebrate her 70th-birthday. Guess what? She ended up in a nursing home." I felt like a knife jabbed my heart deeply.    

    

"How could they do that to her?” I complained. She shook her head.    

    

"I think your friend is still waiting in the lobby." She terminated the conversation and got back to her work.    

    

Kevin was sitting on the sofa leaning against the backrest with his crossing legs. His eyes were on his fingers. That boy did not notice my coming as he seemed busy paying more attention to his knuckles which had been plastered.    

    

"Is your wound serious?" My question surprised him.    

    

"No. It's nothing," he sputtered.    

    

"Good, then. You should go home and take a rest." I swirled in another direction, abandoning him.    

    

"Where are you going?" I twirled back.    

    

"Where else? I am working here. I suggest you..."    

    

"You're beautiful," he did not let me finish my sentence, "in that uniform." As I guessed, it was not a compliment. I was wearing a janitor uniform, with long sleeves gray shirt, and dark pants. The blue caps on my head protected me from the sunlight when I was out throwing away the rubbish or accompanying the patients. Doctor Donovan did not assign me to do the cleaning. It was all my initiative. "It doesn't mean you fit with that job. I just..."    

    

"Thanks." I cut him off. And in a second I set my stepson, leaving him behind.    

    

"You can't leave me like this!" He was grumbling with his big mouth when I was away.    

    

Day by day, I did my routine happily. I was getting close to the patients here. I did not have the skill to make them laugh with my story yet I patiently listened to them, got anything they wanted, and read a book to them before they slept at night. This would be a part of a great moment in my life.    

    

Kevin kept coming to the clinic even until the last day of the semester break. As always, I did not have time to interact with him. I was excused that I had a lot of work to do. My ignorance did not discourage him to visit the clinic. What did that boy want? I never found out.    

    

Doctor Donovan looked frigid toward him, although he acted out as normal as possible. Yet, the nurses were thrilled every time Kevin greeted them and even gave them his assistance. He treated them to lunch outside almost every day. That made them closer. I did not want to speculate about his motive. I hoped he did not have other intentions.    

    

Aside from all I had been through the past two weeks in the clinic, I loved my job here. Two impressing weeks, I spoke to myself while gazing at the name tag above the glass door. DONOVAN CLINIC. This unforgettable experience enriched me with many precious things. It was happiness I had long craved, meeting and interacting with people who treated me with respect. I bid farewell to Doctor Donovan, the nurses, and the patients before I left this exciting and full-of-good-memory place. The time at the lobby had stopped at ten past eight p.m. when I got out.    

    

The doctor had a patient that he could not drive me home. That did not disappoint me for I planned to take public transport, indeed. I had been waiting for the public transport in front of the clinic for twenty minutes. Not even one passed before me. It had been thirty minutes after eight at night. However, I usually still got one at this hour. Besides, it was rush hour at this time. It should have been easy to get one public transport to my address.    

    

The car's horn blared, deafening my ears. The window rolled down and the familiar face emerged from the bare window. His smile implied that he was offering me a ride. He slid out of the car and opened the door and instructed me to get into the passenger seat.    

    

"Thank you for your offer. But, I prefer to get on public transport."    

    

"You won't find any at this time."    

    

"It hasn't been late at night. I'm sure..."    

    

"Come on... I won't do anything bad to you. Trust me." His voice raced with the sounds of the vehicles. It was still clearly heard.    

    

Letting that boy yell behind me, I began walking. Kevin started the engine of his car and followed me. The car's bare window exposed his face he had to split his focus, on the street ahead and me.    

    

There was a public transport preceding Kevin's car. I hurriedly ran after that vehicle and flagged my hand. It stopped and I got into it. The car drove off. I could breathe out of relief, not being in the same car with Kevin.    

    

My arms were outstretched; the yawn was out of my mouth. The exhaustion subdued me so that I toppled myself onto the bed as soon as I arrived home. Then, in short, drowsiness took me to another world.    

    

I wished today would not come faster. The school gate was only ten meters ahead. My mother persuaded me to get to school earlier. She even did my morning routines. She was more enthusiastic than I was if it was about school.    

    

The first day of school would be exciting for most of the students. However, for a few like me, it was like getting back to hell. It might be sarcasm. The term "hell" sounded provoking. That was the fact I had to be prepared to endure during my school life.    

    

I was just done with cleaning and putting the trash into the bin when Angeline and her gang discovered me on the rooftop. Today was not my schedule to scour the storeroom yet the student in charge today was sick. Due to her absence, I substituted to do her work.    

    

"Wait!" Angeline blocked my way.    

    

"What?"    

    

"Show her the pictures! I want to listen to her explanation." She instructed her friend. That short-haired girl displayed the pictures before my eyes. In the first picture depicted lucidly in which Kevin and I were holding each other on the stairs. The other picture revealed we were attempting to grab the wheelchair. And the last one, Kevin was opening the car's door for me. I covered a giggle that burst out.    

    

"You know what? Your act just makes me like a celebrity, being stalked by the paparazzi. Is my life interesting to you that you always want to know what I do?" My sentences provoked her to hit a slap on my face.    

    

"I have only one principle in life, all I want, I will get them all," Angeline asserted.    

    

"But, I guess you won't get all this time!" Someone interrupted. Vera was leaning against the wall elegantly, with a book in her hand that absorbed her attention.