2
I awoke to find myself in a hospital bed.
Stepping out of my room, I spotted Aiden across the hall in another ward.
"Thank you for performing the operation, Dr. Stewart," Molly, Maria's child, said from her bed.
Maria smiled, saying, "Molly, you can call Dr. Stewart 'Godfather' from now on."
"Godfather," Molly said sweetly.
Aiden gently touched Molly's forehead. "Be good and take care of yourself," he said.
"The surgery's done. Can we leave now?" I asked anxiously.
Maria gripped Aiden's hand, pleading, "Please stay a bit longer. I'd feel better if you're here in case of complications."
A nearby nurse reassured, "Don't worry, complications are unlikely."
She then added quietly, "It was just meningitis, not major surgery. Our staff could have handled it. Why insist on a specialist?"
"Aiden, why are you still here? Are you waiting for our daughter to die?" I yelled angrily.
Maria, embarrassed, replied, "I've never seen such a jealous mother, claiming her child is dying."