After Heart Surgery, I Woke Up to Learn My Three Children Had Gone Home Because Hospital Parking Was Too Expensive. I Lay There in Tears Until a Well-Dressed Stranger Entered,

hours. He said there was no point paying for another day when you’d just be sleeping anyway.” I had survived valve replacement despite the risk of never awakening; I had signed the consent papers knowing that. Yet each child promised to greet me upon waking.

David offered to take a day off from accounting.

“Mom, I’ll be right there. First face you see.”

Sarah promised my favorite yellow roses. “I’ll make the room pretty for you.”

Michael promised to arrive after his morning sales calls. “Wouldn’t miss it, Ma.” Thirty-two