“She’s having a massive heart attack,” he says. “We’re about to wheel her in for an angiogram so we can see where the heart is failing. If need be, we’ll perform surgery. I need permission to do so.”

“I’m her husband, and you have permission.” He kisses Ma’s cheek. “He’s going to fix you up right as rain, me love.”

When they wheel her off for surgery, Da and I walk out to the waiting room where everyone sits, waiting.

Izzy, with eyes full of tears, immediately jumps up and wraps her arms around my stomach, her cheek pressed to my chest, and I’ve never felt so relieved in all my life to see another human being.

The lump that was in my throat eases a bit.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispers. “I hate that you had to go through that by yourself.”

“She’s going to be okay.” I kiss the top of her head and look over at the others. “She’s going in for an angiogram so they can see what’s going on. She’s definitely having a heart attack.”

“Oh, Da.” Maggie hugs our father, and Maeve joins them, rubbing his back supportively.

“She’s going to be better than ever,” Da says as he pastes a cheerful smile on his weathered face. I’ve never seen him more worried or look so old. But he’s trying to be optimistic for us.

“Jace is the surgeon,” Anastasia says. She holds the baby against her shoulder. “He’s going to keep her completely safe. I’d trust no one more than Jace. He saved my father’s life just a couple of years ago.”

“See?” Maggie says. “She’s going to be just fine.”

Jace is Anastasia’s brother-in-law. We’ve met him several times at family gatherings. I’ve never taken the time to sit down to talk with him, but if Stasia trusts him, so do I.

“We should sit.” I urge Da toward a chair. We’re gathered as a family in the corner of a big waiting room.

“Actually,” a nurse says as she approaches, “if you’d like a more private place for your family to wait, there’s a waiting room over here that might be better.”

She leads us just around a corner and opens a door. The light comes on to reveal a private waiting area, just the right size for our group.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let the staff know you’re in here so you won’t miss any news.”

“Thank you,” I say to her.

I sit, and Izzy sits next to me. Shawn and Lexi are across from us with Kane and Anastasia. Maeve, Maggie, and Da take up the rest of the seats.

“Did they say how long it would take?” Maeve asks.

“No.”

“This is the worst part,” Shawn says and rubs his face with agitation. “The waiting.”