Chloe figured that, given how much Arthur Brown had always looked out for her, he probably wouldn’t turn her down.

"Friday?" he said in response to her confirmation that the surgery was indeed scheduled for that day. “Let me see if I can take the day off to be there with you." In reality, he had a seminar that day—one attended by top specialists from various hospitals.

The hospital leadership was eager for him to go, and honestly, he wanted to attend too. But the thought of ...