"OKAY, people. Hear me out." He started as he lazily sat on the corner of Maine's desk. Maine was just happy that her desk can handle Big Mike's weight, no kidding. "Agenda for today, reshuffling. Engines 1 to 4." He added.

Everyone looked in surprise and their mouths were left hanging, some with food, some were drinking water,but thank God, nothing came out of their mouths.

Everyone started murmuring, complaining and some were praying not to get reshuffled to other teams and a very few that didn't care, like Probie Fireman Alden Richards behind her.

"I'll start with Engine 4. Calpug, Ybañez, Salazar, Puig." Maine heard groans and moans as a sign of protest but no one really bothered voicing it out. It's not the people they will be teaming up with but it's the work hours and days change in their schedule are reasons for those groans and moans.

All the names that were called went to the other side, carrying their lunches. Nene sat down next to Maine. She's always here trying to make money, it's either selling some lunch and snacks or cleaning the firehouse on the weekends. They pay her a good amount of money. Then she goes to school in the afternoon.

"Engine 3!" Big Mike yelled that made Maine and Nene jump. "Fuego, Soriano, Bueno and Lustre." He continued.

All names called picked up their lunches and got around Big Mike to their teammates. Each area of the firehouse has a designated team area which means they have to move their stuff around.

"Engine 2! Tuico, Tanauan, Luzon and Guzman." He went on. The guys did the same.

"So, we are left with Engine 1. Halasan, Mendoza, Richards and me!" Cisco, Leon and Maine looked at each other. Allan was the only one not on their team, instead, he was replaced with Alden. Maine did not like it, but who is she to complain? She was just glad that she still has the three.

"Whether you like the people in your team or not, I don't give a flying fish. I suggest you deal with it or go home! We are not kindergarteners, I don't want to see anyone acting on they're own without their team. I don't need to see anyone disregarding your team leaders call whether it's right or wrong. If you don't like it, stay away from Red and let everyone do their jobs. We are not going to play the "my horse is bigger than yours." Big Mike's voice was heard from all corners and walls of the firehouse but his eyes were on Alden, who sits there nonchalantly.

All that matters to her is that she's still with Big Mike, her Kuya Mike. That's all that matters.

Later on that day, everyone isgathered together as part of their unwinding after the week's work. It is also the promised party for her at Slinkee's. Some of them are full time firefighters and some of them are part time and few are volunteers like her, Philip, Nathan, Dennis and Leon. And of course, the super, duper, feel-like boss Alden Richard.

She's not sure what this man has in his head that seems like he's out to get her. She doesn't easily get spooked but with this man, she felt creeped out and electrified at the same time. Bomber!

Alden has this sinister look everytime she catches him staring at her and she can't wrap her head around it. Why is he like that to me?

"Hey, Maine." Luisa pulled her out of deep thoughts. She looks up. "Big Mike asked if you are ready? We will just do it here at your house. We'll have it all delivered here." She blinked many times, trying to understand what was going on around her. She then realized that she's still in the same dimension as they are.

Alden is really getting into her. She's not like this but it seemed like her world is different now.

"Yeah, I guess." She said hesitantly then shook her head. She's trying to shake off all the negative thoughts and be in the present and not somewhere else. "But you guys are the one to clean up after!" She echoed back to Luisa.

"Sure thing, Bunso." Big Mike said in a booming voice.

In a few moments, one by one, everyone is here. No beers tonight?

"Hey, what happened to us going to Slinkee's?" She asked as Nathan walked in with some Smirnoff on his hand, Philip was carrying some virgin daiquiris, Dennis and Leon carrying big bags of Mang Inasal and Baliwag liempo.

Allan, Tracy, Jona and Bernie came, too. She's happy that all her friends are here but also she was kind of put off because Alden came, too a little later. Damn!

As what she had heard from people around, Alden is a loner. That's why it was really a surprise to her that he's here. One other thing that she heard from Lt. Conrad, who used to work with Alden's former boss, Chief Escallion, said that this guy loves to handle fire cases on his own. He goes in, commando style and does not think that he has a team to work with.

Maine is a team player, that's how here training was. She was taught to be independent but manages to work with others. She grew up to be a loner but doesn't mean she can't work with anyone? She learned all that from nursing school, fire academy and racing.

In nursing school you have to be on your own formulating possibilities in dealing with patients but she also learns how to share those ideas and opinions since she'll be dealing with life, human life.

When she became a firefighter, Chief Marcus taught her how to strategize and share that to everyone as far as dealing with victims and with her medical knowledge, it helped her with her training. Big Mike, Lt. Conrad, Asst. Chief Bernie and Capt. Allan knows who she really is underneath that fire suit. They know that she's Nurse Maine of the Emerald Urgent Care Unit.

She stops with her thoughts. Of course he's here, he's part of their team. Alan and Bernie may not but he is. She shook her head and laughed quietly, she's acting like a lunatic, but who cares.

"You need to stop smiling on your own, people may think you are crazy." She turned to the person next to her whispering like a demon out of hell. She hated him.

"What's it to you, anyway?" She snarled. She's had enough of this self-centered feminist bastard. At least that's what she called him in her head.

"Oh nothing to me." He let the hang a little bit. "But for those innocent people..." She turns to him as he says the last part. She felt goosebumps at the back of her neck. This man is really creeping her out. She's losing control of herself whenever he opens his mouth.

Something about this man and death. That's what she could think of since all words that come out of his mouth always insinuates death or someone dying or will die. Damn this man!

"Are you done?" She asked him. Alden did not say a word but shrugged his shoulder like it was nothing.

"Hey, you two!" Conrad took their attention. "Don't you know each other?" He then asked. She furrowed her brows. She quite not got what Conrad meant by his question.

"He was wondering if you two knew each other because you guys are sitting not far from each other but do not talk." Allan stated the obvious.

"There's nothing to talk about or discuss." Maine replied quickly before Alden's venomous mouth opened and spew hot molten lava.

Alden took a sip from his glass and didn't even say a word. I thought so. Her mind did, though.She smirked.

"I'll go ahead of you guys." Maine waved everyone goodbye and they all waved at her.

"Stupid girl." She heard him murmur. She threw him a dagger look and walked away. She can not stand another moment around him. She's too irked at the moment to calm down.

"Whatever, jerk." She countered. She started walking towards her bedroom door and turned around before she opens it.

"Lu, you know what to do." She then walked without waiting for Luisa to reply.

As soon as she walked in her room, she locked the door. She did her nightly rituals and went to bed. She can still hear them. A few moments later, a peaceful and quiet sound of nothing came, she's asleep.

"IS SHE like that all the time?" Alden asked without pointing to anyone.

"What do you mean?" Big Mike asked, squinting his eyes.

"Like that, leaving people in her house and retreating to her bedroom?" He made his question clear. He knows these people know Maine but she's still a woman. It's dangerous for her to do such that. What do you care, Alden? Teased the other side of him.

"She's a careful person." Luisa answered. He smirked. "She knows us, that's why she can do that." She added calmly.

"But still." He murmured.

"What's it to you anyway?" Allan butted in, curious. "You seemed not to care for her before, so why ask that now?" Alden turned and gave Allan a dirty look. Allan just smirked. He knows something.

"We somehow observed that from you. You seem to hate her." Leon cooed in. Big Mike was just listening. He didn't say a word after that.

"Yeah, why is that?" Bernie joined in. He fell into a complete silence.

He does not care for her, he was only curious. He's observing all her moves and all her actions, the way she talks and the way she deals with other people. Something is off about her from what he knows and told. He intends to find out.

MAINE was so excited to wake up next morning not realizing the sun wasn't up yet. All she knows is that she's excited. She hasn't been in the hospital for the past whole week since they assisted in that fire in Tondo. She can't wait to tell Gerald, her nurse best friend, about her week.

She got up and fixed her bed. She then went to her closet to get her scrubs. She lay it out on her bed then went to take a shower.

"Maine! Maine!" She stepped back a little and listened carefully to who was calling her. There wasn't anybody that could come in and out of her except for her scandalous friend, Luisa.

"Luisa?" She came calling, getting out of her room.

"Yes. You're still here." Luisa said in a sigh of relief.

"Why, what happened?" She could see urgency on her face. She became alert.

"What time are you coming in?" Luisa asked.

"Not until 1000 hrs. Why?" She asked her back.

"Clansy is not in, Joyce went home and Gerald is freaking out. We have a surge of people in the ER and it's only him and two nursing interns, Dr. Chavez and Nurse Practitioner Raymundo." Luisa is on 120 km per hour talk.

"Hep!" Maine held her hand out to stop her. "Breathe. Go change and I'll meet you at the hallway." Maine said and turned around to her bedroom. No word came after that.

Both women, in their respective homes, get themselves ready for the call. Maine knew Luisa wasn't due later this afternoon for work and she doesn't come in till ten in the morning. It's still early in the morning. The sun hasn't come up yet, well, kind of not yet.

In an emergency like this, it only took her 10 minutes to shower and five minutes to put her scrubs on. Picked up her phone wallet and newsboy bag, put everything in and pulled her car key from the keyholder. She's going to drive her car to work. She's a nurse today.

"I'll see you soon, pal." She tapped her helmet before setting the alarm on, went out and locked the door behind her.

"Ready?" Luisa asked. She's also ready. These two women learn to put themselves together in a matter of 18 minutes and they're out the door looking gorgeous, not just looking presentable, but looking drop dead, head turner, gorgeous ladies.

At the lobby, the guard was waiting for them since Luisa called to bring both their cars to the front. Ruby, the manager, has a spare key.

"See you at the hospital." Luisa said. Maine felt something from her voice.

She got into her car, as did Luisa. Since the sun is barely out, Maine already knows what Luisa is trying to do. They both turn the engine on.

"Last one is rotten egg!" Maine yelled as she zoomed out of the driveway into the street, Luisa hot on her trail. She smirked. "I'm a motocross champion, Lu and won a couple of piston cups racing cars in Montana, you can't outdo me." She then laughed inside.

Maine looked at the rearview to see Luisa being held at the stop light. She giggled. She knew that Luisa won't let this one down. Maine continued on and in six minutes, she's in urgent care.

"Thank God, Beshie. I am about to go bald." Gerald dramatically screamed as she walked in. "My beauty is weathering away." Gerald continued on his gayly actions. She caught Luisa's car arriving at the corner of her eyes. It did not pass Gerald's antenna.

"You two raised, didn't you?" Gerald asked with his hand on his hip, one on the chest and one brow raised to the Nth power.

"Nothing new." Priscilla Raymundo, the nurse practitioner, butted in as she passed by Gerald and her, watching Luisa hands the key to the guard and walked right in and stopped in front of them.

"Nicomaine Mendoza! That was not fair! You intentionally blocked both lanes so I won"t be able to pass you!" Luisa's face was so red. Maine laughed so loud and it made her more mad.

"You two, stat." Dr. Chavez interrupted them. "You two can argue and race some other day." He added smiling widely. He knows these two ladies are the most playful adult he ever met. But when it comes to their jobs, they are the most reliable two there are.

Dr. Chavez briefed them quickly of what was going on. Since three in the morning, patients are trickling in like the urgent care is a grocery store. Most of them are complaining of a stomach ache and some are throwing up and some are, well, let's say they can't make it to the restroom, let alone to the toilet.

"I suspect food poisoning. I am going to call the poison control for assistance." Dr. Chavez said. Maine fell in a complete silence. She was looking at the charts of some patients. They all come from the same demographic.

"What made you think it was food poisoning." Dr. Chavez knew that Maine had a general idea of the answer but he also knew that she is a very inquisitive person.

"Aside from being in the same demographic area except for two, I also gathered from a few of them that they ate the same thing last night before going to bed." Maine was listening.

"Doc, how about the two other patients, what made you think it is also food poisoning?" Luisa asked.

"They ate the same thing from the same place." Maine answered in deep thoughts.

"That's right. So I administered IV hydration on all of them. Thank God, Gerald here and Prescilla are quick to assist me. I felt horrible for the two interns who just started yesterday, I sent them home already. They looked so bushed. Remind me to call their university." Dr. Chavez is the most loving person and considerate head she had ever met.

"May I go see them?" Maine asked. Dr. Chavez just smiled and nodded in approval. Maine got up so fast and went out of the conference room.

"Gerald, come on. What are you waiting for? Men? I won't fall from the sky. Haller!" Gerald can't do anything but scratch his head and get up. Everyone laughed including herself.

This is one good thing about working with people like them, it seems like you are not working. There goes the saying, when you love your job it doesn't feel like work.

The went on with a couple more cases but was taken care of right away. They have to send out four patients in an ambulance for a bigger hospital since three of them are showing worst case symptoms and one went on cardiac arrest already. As soon as they stabilized him, he was sent to the closest medical center.

__________
End of TPA 10: Food Poisoning

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03.27.20

The Periwinkle Affair
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August 26, 2019