“She was completely fine,” Melissa answered quickly. “She was already playing in the backyard.”
“Did you remember to lock the back gate?” I asked. “The latch has been sticking lately.”
“Yes, David, the gate is locked,” she said, her smile never wavering. “Stop worrying about the house. You just focus on resting and letting the doctors do their job.”
I sighed, rubbing my thumb over my wedding ring.
“I just want this to be over. How long did the surgeon say it would take?”
“Two hours, tops,” Melissa said. “You will be in and out before lunch.”
“That’s not too bad. I guess I’m just being paranoid about going under anesthesia.”
“You absolutely are,” she said with a soft laugh. “When you wake up, I’ll be right here. I promise.”
“I appreciate you being here. It means a lot to me.”
“We have a long, beautiful future ahead of us,” she added, squeezing my hand. “Everything is going to change for the better after today.”
A young nurse in blue scrubs suddenly pulled back the privacy curtain.
She carried a small tray of medical supplies, her hands gripping the edges tightly. Her name tag read “Clara.”
“Good morning,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
