Fifty percent of the people who had this operation survived. It was risky, made worse by how long her father had been sick. As she walked back to the waiting room, she hoped her father was part of that demographic.

She couldn’t imagine being alone in the world. He’d always been there for her. Lately, she’d been there for him.

Noah stood when she entered the waiting room.

“We’re supposed to go to the Cardiac Suite waiting room,” he said.

“Cardiac ...