"Is there a problem in here?" Dr. Neil asked when he sees the knights, Patrick and Leo, standing outside the gate like a statue in front of a man whose shoulders are slumped while looking at his daughter.
Based on what he is seeing. It's very obvious that the man cried due to his daughter' situation. His heart ache as he saw the father looking pitifully at his daughter. He then looked at the knights.
"If he needs some help you have to open the door and guide him to Lenny to be assited. Lenny knows who will be the attending doctor for her." He said to the two knights.
He is about to go home to prepare his report that he has to submit to the Royal Palace in charge of their department when he saw this scene, but before going home, he left first some reminders on what to do on the incoming patient and to the rest of the staff working right now.
For now, he wants to close his eyes and gets some rest first before he creates his report that he needs to submit to the head chief at the Royal Palace.
Last night, the patients suddenly pour in this hospital, St. Benilde, and being the head of this hospital, and with just other two doctors present, they have to work triple to accommodate all of the patient needs, making them all worn out. Nevertheless, the situation last night just added to his already tired physique as even before last night, he is already busy studying the illness that spreading in his neighborhood making the hospital like his own home.
All of the patients are showing the same symptom it will start first with a simple sneeze, followed by a cough and then a high fever, some patient can fully recover but some of the patients, usually middle to old age patient is having more severe symptom as difficulty in breathing, that, if not been treated, will result to death.
Seeing the father and daughter in his front made him remind himself that he needs to figure this out.
"Sir, the hospital, is open for you. Please come inside" he softly said to the man and looked at Leo "please guide him."
"No need, you are the one that I need...Doctor Neil.." Antonio stands up, with his sick daughter in his hand, and walked slowly towards him.
Doctor Neil hides his shock when he sees Antonio with dried tears in his eyes while walking slowly in the middle of the two knights. He is the attending physician of his wife, Lucia, who suffered the same disease that he is studying.
Antonio always visits his wife, and he always mentioned to him how adorable his kids and that they are waiting for their mom to recover. But now he is holding his daughter in front of him.
"Is this child is sick?"
"Yes... he got the same symptom like Lucia, I feel like this illness is slowly... spreading...and breaking apart my family ., now... I am worried that I and my youngest will be the next."
"Doctor Neil please help me. I don't think that Lenny can help me, she will just be asking the same question again. I can just answer it while you check on my daughter please, I am begging you."
"Yes, I will help you, you don't have to begged to me like this. Why don't you come first inside, then I will check the child. You also need some rest, did you run from your village until you get here in St. Benilde.?"
Antonio nodded his head and smiled at the Good Doctor.
"Leo, Please carry the child first." Dr. Neil instructed the knight and Antonio, allows Leo to get his daughter, Meredith, from his arms.
"Thank you... Doctor"
"You don't have to thank me." Dr. Neil said and show a small smile on his tired face. "A true doctor will not refuse their patient."
Yeah, he can't refuse someone who needs his help, even if his body is tired and his eyes want to sleep, he needs to keep going, and as if indicating that he is also in bad shape, his stomach made a sound. The good doctor touches his belly, his face is red, embarrassed by the sound his belly made, but what can he do, he is so busy that he missed his meals in time.
" I'm sorry about this, don't mind it," he said then continued to walk back inside the hospital.
"No, Dr. Neil, we can t ignore that, we want you healthy we need your strength to help all the patients here. Let me get you some bread and tea in the pantry. Please eat first." Patrick anxiously glance the good doctor in front of him.
"Yes, Patrick is right!" Leo agreed. "You have to eat and take care of yourself. You can't get sick, I can't imagine what will happen to St. Benilde hospital if you got sick."
Dr. Neil smiled. Obtaining this warm relationship with everyone around him makes his day complete. It proves him that he never regrets his decision to be a doctor.
Dr. Neil looked back to Antonio with a smile.
"Come you have to follow as so that you can rest as well. Patrick get another bread for the three of you, we should all take breakfast. You three can eat first. I'll check Meredith, before I eat."
" I know everyone is having a hard time, but let's not loose hope, all of the doctors and even the Royal Palace is doing their best to beat this illness. In fact, after this, I will head to the Royal Palace to submit my report and get some news with my colleage."
"Yes Doctor Neil." Antonio hopefully said while he observed and witnessed how everyone treats and take care of each other in this hospital, it made him thought that they can overcome this illness. That sooner someone will discover what this illness and will beat this illness that making them suffer.
"Thank you so much," He added and on that day, despite running for two hours, despite of all the fatigue he had and the pain thjat he endured, his lips formed the very first smile in that day.