Chapter 146

NOAH I was walking down the hospital corridor when I passed the nurses’ station and heard someone mention that a patient was threatening to jump off the roof. That kind of thing wasn’t unheard of in hospitals. I would’ve kept walking. But then I heard one of the nurses say, “An elderly woman from the Thoracic Surgery Inpatient Unit just found out she has lung cancer. Her granddaughter finally managed to schedule surgery with Dr. Watson… and now she’s saying she doesn’t want to go through with it…” My steps halted mid-stride. Thoracic Surgery. Granddaughter. Something inside my chest tightened. I turned so abruptly I nearly collided with Dr. Martin, who was walking behind me. “Sorry,” I muttered — already moving. And then I ran toward the rooftop. By the time I reached the rooftop, a small crowd had already gathered. A couple of nurses stood near the door, and security was trying to keep people back. At the far edge of the roof, I saw her. Grandma Evelyn. She was standing dangerously cl