Chapter Text
In one of the rooms in this 10th floor building, there is a woman who is currently drying her babies after their bath. Her t-shirt is soaking wet, thanks to their unstoppable wiggling. She figured she would take hers after eating lunch. They have been out for a walk, more like running, for an hour. Her energy is draining. She has been packing her suitcase and just finished this morning. This beef bulgogi kimbap is her savior.
Ring, ring, ring. She answers the phone quickly, “Moshi moshi”
Unknown caller, “Hey, are they ready? Have you fed and bathed them? Are you read—”
Fading. She looks at the caller ID, Nayeon. She answers, “Yeah, yeah they are now eating and I’m about to take a shower. I just finished eating.” She swallowed the rest of her food. She knew it is better to tell her everything at once, otherwise, these questions will never end.
“Good. First session will last only for two hours. We’re just introducing them so I don’t want to overwhelm any of the parties. The management is still skeptical about this idea, ‘Is this really necessary?’ but after this, I believe they will realize the benefit. Are you still there? Momo hey!”
Momo is now irritated. “I’m here and I won’t be able to get there on time if you’ll keep talking. I’m hanging up now.”
Let me play with them a little. “Boo-boo!” She pointed one finger to her eyes and Boo looked at her. She opened her right palm up and Boo sat. She gave her a treat. She pointed her finger down and Boo lay down. “Good job,” she rubbed his belly and gave him a treat. She clapped her hands twice to signal he’s good to go. “Dobby! Where are you?” She heard a bark from the restroom. She saw him pooping. Training pays off. “You pooped here? Good job!” Dobby liked it and barked again. He snuggled and licked her jaw. She gave him a bacon stick right after cleaning and proceeded to take a quick shower. She put on her Los Angeles Dodgers cap as she had no time to wash her hair. She put Boo and Dobby on a leash, brought a few snacks and toys and placed them in a bag, and her babies in their stroller. She checked herself in the mirror. She’s wearing a black sleeveless top with a white open collar short sleeve and baggy jeans. She thought she looked presentable, going for a casual look. She hopes Nayeon will go easy on her, after all, she’s lending her dogs for her therapy idea and it’s her first time to see her elder sister at work. She will snap a few pictures for memories.
Residents and interns of the Psychiatric Department at St. Luke’s Hospital are having their lunch when someone opens the door and announces, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m out early for today. Let me know if one comes or if anyone calls. I’ll be on DND by 5 in the afternoon, sharp.”
Dr. Mina sighs and says, “Take us with you! By the way, everyone, I know you must have heard, I’ll be taking a one week leave starting on Monday next week. Dr. Sana is kind enough to take my patients from Monday to Thursday while they are in Dr. Jin’s for the rest of the week. Be sure to stress that they have an option not to if they don’t feel comfortable talking to other therapists. Please double your efforts as you assist them and I shall bring you your treats!” The rest of them clapped and cheered. Dr. Mina catches Dr. Sana before she leaves.
“I’ll come over at the center after my shift. I want to hand over my patients’ files and go through one of them with you, if you don’t mind.”
“Sure, do you want to discuss over drinks? At Disengaged? I’m free this evening. We could visit Chaeyoung,” Dr. Sana smiled mischievously.
“Let’s see later if I’m up for your drunk ass and sloppy kisses,” she counters.
Dr. Sana went to her room, took a shower, dried her hair and put on her tracksuit. She’s in Basement 1 looking for her beloved 1998 Honda Civic Hatchback. As she’s making her way out of the hospital, she waved at the security guard. She turned right and saw a street vendor selling fruits and decided to buy bananas.
She arrived at the Garden of St. Jeanne 5 minutes before 2 in the afternoon. She parked her car and went inside. “Madam, this is not a gym. We don’t offer memberships here unless you’re elderly.” Greeted the woman in a scrub.
“Isn’t it? Someone told me she lost 10 pounds here.”
Both laughed. Sana crossed the reception and hugged the woman. “Nurse Nayeon, I missed you. Are there any new members since my last visit?”
“No,” heavy sigh, “but Jane bade us goodbye last week.”
She gasped, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. How is Emily holding up? Good thing I have these bananas with me, cheer her up a little.”
“It seems she’s taking it fine. Emily is strong. We don’t want to push her and we just let her have her time. We hear sobbing at night, but, hey, no one could tell who’s who, could be anyone or everyone.”
She agrees. Even she damps her pillow at some nights. “Should I go to the dining hall?”
“Yes, they are, I think, on their dessert or asleep. I’ll meet you at the covered court at 4:00 pm. There’s a new program we want to introduce, sort of therapy, I guess, where we bring pets. Don’t you worry. They are trained and prohibited for those with allergies. We thought it may give them energy, make them feel they are still capable of caring for others, even animals.”
“That’s nice! I see no problem if the doctors agree. I’ll sanitize and sell these bananas for $3.”
“Ha, Martini will scold you!”
“He won’t, he adores me!”
Sana started volunteering in this nursing home when she also started her residency, that is two years ago. Initially, she treats this as her vacation, as working at the hospital is stressful and overwhelming. Don’t judge her. She also cares for her patients but she’s required to see them in a span of 20-30 minutes for an 8 to 10 hour shift. Eventually, she became close to the elders and realized she may have been doing this because she missed her grandmother. While here, she’s not a resident doctor. No answering to her superiors nor constantly reminding her interns. She guises herself as a psychology graduate doing her masters. Ingenuously, she was a Psychology graduate who’s currently a 2nd year resident.
She breezed through the corridors and did her special knock on the two way door. Knock, knock! She heard a man say “Hold yourselves ladies and gentlemen, a fairy is about to enter our hall!”
She pulled the doors with both her hands, turned around twice, as elegantly as she could in her three-striped suit. “Behold everyone, I’ve come to bring bananas! $3 a piece!”
The bearded man shouted, “What a capitalist! You didn’t tend to them while they’re still young! I used to sell them for only 50 cents!”
Sana saw Nurse Tzuyu signaling her to keep it down. She went to her and told her the bananas are for everyone to take. She hugged her before leaving to go after this man. She didn’t intend for them to talk while shouting. It may irritate others.
“Sana you cheeky, bring your price down. We’re at a nursing home forsake.”
She explained, “Well, you have money to pay for a nursing home. Seems you’re the only one against it. I’ll give you a discount, $2.99 a piece.” A woman, wearing a red sweater, laughs at their exchange.
“That is not convincing.”
“Hmm, how about $5 for two?” Sana gave him a peace sign.
“Okay. I’ll take it,” the man plucked two, “Let me have this and this one’s for you Cecilia.”
“That’s kind of you—” Cecilia reads the label on his shirt, “Martini. There’s a man or a woman going to this table and holding one. Ask how much they paid.”
“Where?” Martini looked around, “Aye, that’s Emily, a she/they. That’s no man, Ceci.”
“Don’t call me Ceci! You’re not my husband! Only my Jemy can call me Ceci!”
“Yes, only Jeremiah can call you by that name. Martini didn’t mean to, isn’t?” Sana calmly said.
“I’m sorry. I’ll try not to let it happen again,” Martini winked at her.
“What’s the commotion in here? Seems you’re having a heated discussion again.”
Sana got up and embraced Emily, who welcomed her. The former whispered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I’m sorry, I wasn’t here.” Emily hugged her tighter and patted her back, once and twice.
“Life with her is good. All is good. Her love is enough, is overflowing actually, that’s why I’m able to stand.” They broke the hug and sat at the table with the rest.
“Say what Emily, how much did you pay for that banana?”
“Not a penny. Thank you, Sana. Nurse Tzuyu just handed it to me.”
Cecilia interrupted, “Now young lady, explain yourself. Why would you rob this drunkard?”
“Okay, I deserved that. I swear I wouldn’t call you ‘Ceci’ again. I’ve been sober for 7 years.”
Sana slightly giggled, “Now, now. Why don’t we just catch up and share stories? Cecilia, I heard a man visited you last Saturday?”
“Can you believe it? That young man told me I’m his granny. How can I when Jemy and I don’t have kids! But he’s a good one, told me he’s a mechanic, the same with my Jemy.”
Sana figured that must be Chan. They are of the same age. Her dad used to have their car serviced by Jeremiah, Cecilia’s husband. She continued, “Martini, seems you got a lot to tell with the way you’re scratching your beard. Come on, I know you know everyone’s story but leave Emily’s, okay?”
“For sure, that’s not my story to tell. Tell you what, Reggie accused me of stealing his shoes. We got the same model but his are green and mine’s blue. I asked Dr. Tae to look at him and tell you what, the poor man’s color blind.”
“Reggie, my guitarist, what color is my banana? I’m not sure if it’s green or yellow,” Emily raised her voice to the man at the opposite table.
“Emily, dear, that’s yellow!”
“Oh, thank you Reggie. I’ll eat it then.”
Martini whispered, “Goodness, Dr. Tae may have misdiagnosed Reggie or Dr. Tae is color blind.”
Everyone at their table laughs. Their conversion went on for a good 45 minutes until Nurse Nayeon gathered those who can participate at the covered court.
Momo pulled up, unleashed her dogs and placed them in their carriers. She noticed how her Ioniq 5 shares the same body type with the Civic on her left and thought to herself, even though cars evolved, now some are hybrid and electric, some designs remain the same. She’s about to enter using the front doors when Nayeon called her to take the back door as they are in the covered court. They went and she left the stroller there. She put Boo and Dobby on the ground and grabbed their bag. Nayeon was waving at them. She announced, “First place gets food!” Then she raced with her dogs towards the court.
Nayeon picks up Boo so that leaves Dobby to her. Momo got first, by the way. The other nurse, she figured is Nurse Tzuyu, announced that these dogs want to meet the elders and would like to show them some tricks and would be glad if they give them snacks after. The sisters introduce Momo’s children and take turns in showing off. Thereafter, they let the dogs roam free while they hand out some treats. A man with a beard asked if they could give him and if he could pet them. Momo gave him and was about to walk away when the man shared, “I used to have a Japanese spitz, a shiba inu. She helps me run the farm.”
Curious, she asked, “Is she still on the farm?”
“Yes, that’s where she lays. She developed cataract, lost her sight, and grew depressed. She loves watching the fruits grow, and always steals our blueberries.”
“I bet she’s having all the blueberries and is happy.” Boo went to Momo and scratched his paw over her legs. “Boo-boo meet Mr.?”
“Martini, not Mojito.” He showed his name tag. He gave him the snack and let Boo lick his hand.
“That’s a unique name Sir. Do you have siblings? Do they have, you know, the name?” A woman, sporting a short hair, joined them.
“They are named Mojito and Margarita. His parents owned a chain of bars. I’m Emily by the way.”
Momo chuckled, “Hello, I’m Momo. Do you have pets of your own?”
Emily shook her head and shared that her partner is allergic so they never had one. Martini inserted, “Cecilia is also allergic that’s why she’s stuck in there but it’s alright. Sana is with her. She got her own pet.”
As if on cue, Sana is marching towards them. She raised her voice, “Martini, who’s that cute little dog?”
“A shiba is bouncing her way on us, see?”
Momo looked behind and saw her. That’s no dog. That’s Aphrodite, in trainers. She followed this goddess until she settled with them. Sana looked at her and gave her a tight lipped smile and turned her attention to Boo and gave him a beaming smile with crinkled eyes. Momo was entranced, lost, until she heard Martini asking her where her other dog was. Then, she averted her eyes.