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,

Without asking me.”

“It’s for your protection!”

“Protection from what?” David said nothing, glancing at Sarah as she lowered her eyes.

A knock interrupted them. Malcolm arrived with his briefcase, accompanied by red-glasses-wearing Gloria Nakamura. Behind them stood an unfamiliar woman in her fifties, wearing silver earrings and a white coat bearing a Swedish Medical Center badge.

“Good morning,” Malcolm said pleasantly. “I hope we’re not interrupting.”

David rose. “Who are you?”

“Malcolm Chen,” he said. “I’m a friend of your mother’s.”

“A friend?” David laughed. “Mom doesn’t have any