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,

it. We didn’t want to wake you.”

“The nurse said you left,” I said, “because of the parking.”

Sarah’s smile flickered. Just for a second.

“Oh, that was Michael,” she said with a little laugh. “He was being dramatic. You know how he is.”

“Hey,” Michael said. He tied the balloon to the foot of my bed. “It was thirty-two bucks, Ma. That’s highway robbery.”

“Thirty-two dollars,” I said. “That’s highway robbery.” Michael grinned, missing my meaning. David approached, kissed my forehead, and drew up a chair.

“How are you