“My poor brave boy,” Patricia said, wrapping her arms tightly around his shoulders.

Daniel leaned into his mother’s embrace.

He pulled his left arm back to check the face of his watch, tapping the brown leather strap with his fingers.

“They took her into surgery over an hour ago,” Daniel said.

Patricia pulled back and finally turned her head toward me.

She reached out and patted my shoulder twice.

“We all know how overwhelmed you get with simple tasks, darling,” Patricia said.

I stepped away from her hand.