An ambulance parked outside the emergency area of Cebu Medical Center. Richard came out from the driver"s seat wearing a jacket and a cap with Mandero Hospital logo on it. Richard opened the ambulance door. Jenna got off wearing a nurse"s uniform. John stayed behind in the ambulance, unseen by the people outside. Ronald, wearing his investigation eyegla.s.ses, and simple home attire, stepped down from the front seat and ran into the emergency room and moved frantically from one bed to another. The people inside the ER was surprised by John"s frantic entry.
Then John said "it"s her" via the transmitter in Ronald"s ear when the eyegla.s.ses viewed Lisa in the monitor inside the ambulance.
"Lisa, what happened to you? He hurt you again?" Ronald shouted as he ran beside Lisa. He lifted a trembling fist on the air. "I really hate that guy. I don"t know what you saw in that hoodlum and married him." He slapped a palm on the bed. "That scoundrel." Then his face softened as he pressed a hand to Lisa"s face gently. "Don"t worry, I will surely put that horrible man to prison. I won"t let him take you away again."
John chuckled inside the van. "Don"t overdo it, Ronald."
Ronald held Lisa"s hand and bowed his head as he whispered, "don"t disturb my act."
Jenna walked in the emergency room and to the nurse"s station. She gave a letter to the head nurse. Richard stood by the door with an emergency bed beside him. The head nurse received the letter and looked at Jenna.
"Hi, I"m from Mandero Hospital. This is Mr. Ronald Mendoza," Jenna pointed Ronald, "he requested to transfer his sister named Mrs. Lisa Lopez that was admitted here this afternoon."
Ronald blinked, a tear fell and he sorrowfully brushed it with his arm as he approached the nurse.
Though everyone heard of his outburst and sympathized with him, the head nurse was not moved. She suspected Ronald for he had nothing to prove his relations.h.i.+p to the patient, aside from the name Lisa. However, she could not disprove him either. She eyed Ronald vehemently. "Sir, are you really the girl"s brother?" Her voice stiff, her face stern.
"Yes, I"m really her brother." Ronald replied, glanced back at the "sister" and shook his head.
"Sir, who was the man who brought her here? What was your relations.h.i.+p with him? And can you show me anything to prove she is your sister?" asked the nurse with an interrogative tone of voice.
Ronald"s face hardened. He balled a fist. "He is my sister"s husband. He called me tonight and told me that my sister is here." He loosened the fist. "He also said he left a note and money to pay for her hospitalization."
Then, unexpectedly, Ronald held the head nurse"s hand and moved his face inches from hers as he looked into her eyes. "Miss, she is the only family I have. I need to bring her now."
The nurse jumped in fright with Ronald"s abrupt moves and swiftly freed her hand from Ronald"s grasp. Her hands were in a frenzy as she scrambled in a rack and pulled two papers. "Here, sign this discharge and transfer papers first." And retreated, far from him.
"Do you have a pen, Miss?" Ronald said to the nurse but Jenna"s hand materialized in front of him with a pen. His gaze went to Jenna and smiled kindly, "Thank you." Jenna smiled back at him.
The nurse did not see their interaction for she was in a haste writing information needed on Lisa"s form and signed it. "Sir, the police is investigating your sister"s situation now. You can file the case in your sister"s behalf and put her husband to jail," said the nurse"s quivering voice, but her eyes stilled on the papers as she tried to calm herself. She wanted nothing than to get rid of him.
"Thank you for the reminder, Miss. I"ll do that," Ronald said as he signed the papers with his false name and signature. Ronald took his card from the table and hid it in his pocket.
After the drama concluded, Richard wasted no time and carried Lisa to the waiting emergency bed while Jenna removed the dextrose from the pole. Richard pushed the bed to the back of the ambulance with Jenna following. John, in a male nurse"s uniform and a baseball cap on his head, a.s.sisted the ascent. Richard closed the back door once Lisa was inside, ensuring no one recognized John.
On his way out, Ronald said, "thank you, Miss."
The head nurse sank at the seat and closed his eyes, feeling exhausted.
Ronald settled at the front seat. As they drove away, Jenna laughed her heart out.
"Oh my gosh, you really mess her up," Jenna said.
"Good acting there, Ronald," Richard said agreeably. John gave him a thumbs up.
Ronald clasped his hands and waved them above him. "Thank you, thank you." Then sweetly smiled at Jenna. "I think I deserve a reward."
Jenna"s eyes rolled. "Nope, we"ll be very busy after this." The boyfriend was crestfallen. Suddenly, he felt a kiss on his cheek. "Yahoo!" roared Ronald, throwing his hands up.
The three laughed out loud. They transported Lisa on the way back to Arch Lithe Villa that night without further interference.
The ambulance pa.s.sed by a group of Gallante"s men on their way to the hospital to lay claim on Lisa.