Chapter 15

[Cordelia]

Curiosity drives me to accept the doctor’s offer of coffee.

We take our conversation to the small cafe located near the hospital lobby. Taking a seat in the back corner where we can have a bit more privacy, he tells me everything he has observed about my father.

“Heart attacks have very specific symptoms, none of which your father has. At your family’s insistence, three doctors and four nurses, including myself, have all checked his vitals and he seems perfectly healthy. His blood pressure is slightly elevated and he has high cholesterol, but that isn’t unusual for his age.”

He takes a slow sip of his coffee, wincing. “At best I say he had a panic attack,”

I take my own hesitant sip. The look on his face makes more sense now as this is probably the worst cup of coffee I have ever tasted.

“Panic attacks can sometimes feel like heart attacks,” he explains in more detail. “Your heart seizes for a microsecond and your body feels a considerable amount of pressure. It’