Chapter 4 FOUR-ENISA

"Enisa , here's a quick one. What do you prescribe for an athlete with hereditary heart disease? Say, a relay racer?"

I turn my nose up in confusion. That topic wasn't in my books and I've never come across that question either but trust my uncle to try whatever he can to cut me off his tail and send me far away from his Clinic but he should Know that isn't enough to shake my stance.

" Hey that's not fair" I said standing up to take my medical book away from him. He was quick to get off his chair , stretching his hands that held my book above his head and away from my reach. He ran around like a kid and seemed to enjoy me running after him desperate to get my book.

"I'm studying to be a surgeon not a cardiologist!" I groan when it looked like my childish uncle was having too much fun with me.

" You never know Enisa. Back in my days , the medical schools don't let you choose your questions"

I rolled my eyes at his reference to his days as a medical student. He does this every time and it makes him seem so old.

"I'm studying to to get into medicine major at the university not the medical school! Don't you think you're getting ahead of yourself?"

"You never know Enisa , you never know" he said in a singsong voice. At times like this , it was hard to win in such situations with him. I knew why he was doing that and I won't give him an excuse to keep me away from his Clinic. I know why he is doing this. He wants me to give up and let it go but he really should know his niece better than that. I don't give up.

" Fine then! For a patient like that, I'd recommend an Exercise Cardiac treadmill" ***EXERCISE CARDIAC TREADMILL (: A machine used to obtain a continuous electrocardiogram (EKG, ECG) recording of the heart as a patient performs increasing levels of exercise. An exercise cardiac treadmill permits the detection of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) and provides a screening test for the presence of narrowed arteries of the heart (coronary arteries). Narrowing of these arteries can limit the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle during exercise."

My uncle paused and I sneered at him knowing that caught him off guard.

"Wrong. Prescribe Enisa , not recommend a machine"

" You think a doctor like you wouldn't have prescribed tons of drugs and shit like what fruits to eat and stuff. That's too much hardwork Uncle, kids this days do smart work" I said smiling at my comeback. He seemed impressed but was quick to mask it with a frown and muttered "kids this days" under his breath. I don't need anyone to tell me I have won.

He throws my book at me and returns to his seat throwing on his lab coat.

" So what do I do now, which patient do I attend to" I said breezily.

" None " he replied curtly.

" Huh common! You told me you'd consider it if I got your question right"

" Consider" he air quotes and I roll my eyes at him.

" Why can't you just let me try? I've seen you treat patients all my life"

And it's true. I watched my uncle treat patients since I was just a child. I watched him right from when he worked at a big hospital before setting up his own little clinic somewhere in the city. I have been with him since I was 6. Since I lost my parents. Technically, they didn't really die. I just lost them. They drove me to school one day and never came back for me.

They were never found and I didn't know if they were alive or not. The police searched far and wide but they was no trace of them. They Just vanished like a gust of wind. As a kid who still hugged teddy bears to sleep and got told bedtime stories, I thought it was all my fault and tha they abandoned me because I was a bad child. I cried myself to sleep every night knowing no one would tell me bed time stories and kiss me goodnight. I blamed myself each time as little as I was.

But as I grew up, I realized there was nothing a kid like me could have done. I was just abandoned. And I tried to move past that.

My uncle was my father's younger brother. I'd never seen him until I turned 6 and he showed up at the police station when the school had nowhere else to take me and claimed he was my uncle. A lot of investigations and processes proved him right and I wondered where he was all my life only showing up when my parents disappeared without a trace.

But as a kid who already felt useless and abandoned, I guess I needed someone to lean on and feel the sense of acceptance. We didn't really set off on the right foot. Poor man didn't know how to take care of a broken 6 year old kid that cried every night. Till date, I wonder why he didn't get me a nanny.

After school everyday, I stayed at the hospital with him till he gets off work. I never considered him a father and he never tried to act like one. But we became great friends and I watched him till I turned 19. I watched him treat patients all my life and it intrigued me. I had one thing in mind as I studied hard to get into college after high school. To my parents, I wanted to prove that they lost by letting me go. I don't care if they're already watching from heaven.

And so without a medical license or a certificate from a medical school, just by watching my uncle, I felt confident in myself and what I could do.

But my uncle wouldn't have it and never lets me try treating his patients. Says his patients aren't test subjects and i have to gain a medical license first. It's all bullshit but there's no winning against my uncle. He tries to keep me away from his Clinic every chance he gets cause I never give up trying.

"Get going Enisa ,my patients will be hear soon" there he goes again. Closing the chapter and avoiding the topic. I sneer at him in annoyance and return to one of the waiting seats in the clinic. We go through this every time and it always ends this way.

" Next time, I promise"

"You say that every time" I roll my eyes at him as he sends me a charming smile that he knows I can't say no to. Curse his charming smile!

His phone rings a moment later and I saw his face contort into a frown and then he gets up , excusing himself as he walked out the clinic.

I resume studying my books. I had no time to lose. I would sit for the college exams in a month from now and even though I've prepared Myself my whole life, I still felt so unprepared.

The table phone on my uncle's desk rings and I look out the window in search of him. He was no where around.

" So much for a doctor with patients" I grumbled already disturbed by the incessant ringing of the phone as I couldn't continue studying anymore. I push myself off my seat and answered the phone blaring hard on the table.

""Hello this is Ted's Clinic, how may I-----"

" It's an emergency Doctor! What the heck is wrong with your cell phone? We couldn't reach you through it and had to call the office Phone. We have six men down! The capo needs your presence now before we loose more.!"

The words were urgent and rushed and I could make out sounds that seemed like people were in pain from the background. I didn't understand a single thing he said and I wanted to ask him what he meant.

" I-----"

"Hurry!" And the line went dead. Are you kidding me? What just happened. I look outside in search of my uncle but I couldn't find him anywhere. I've answered tons of his calls and managed the situation pretty well but I've never had someone with so much urgency and impatience call the clinic.

"Where the heck did he go?" I grumbled and made to go out in search of him and tell him he has a 'crazy' patient to deal with. A dangerous thought Stopped me on my tracks.

" No Enisa. No" I shake my head but the devil's angel in me seemed to conquer the heavenly one that warned me not to even dare.

But this could be my chance.

My chance to prove to my uncle that I could treat his patients and do anything without a medical license yet or a proper education in college. After all, he's nowhere to be found as of this moment. He would never find out. I'd go and return like nothing ever happened. Yes. And just just like that, I let the devil's angel take it all. You win bitch.

I grabbed my bag and a few supplies off the counter and made to leave the clinic when it struck me that I didn't even know where I was going. Will it be weird to call back and ask for the address my uncle already knows? But it's safe to try right.

And so I return to call the number on the office phone. They picked up immediately.

" God! Are you still at the office? I think we're going to record the 7th death soon if you don't get your ass down here!"

I clear my throat in a bid to sound manly.

"Huh---huh right! The address, God I suddenly forgot the address. Stupid right?" I laugh awkwardly as I said that.

" Why are you acting weird man ? You've Known the address for years!"

Ouch. I think I screwed it up but Enisa never gives up.

" I Know right, hahaha. My car's navigation is suddenly acting weird, can you believe it? I mean I've been following the directions for years and----".

He cut me short

" Stop man! Just stop! 927 , te amor Mansion, get your ass down here Ted" the line went dead once again. I danced in victory briefly before grabbing my bag and rushing out of the clinic.

Sorry uncle Ted but I've got this one.