Chapter 7

The doctor's eyebrows shot up in surprise at Eric's appearance, and he looked between me and Eric. "Are you the patient's family?" Eric straightened his back and gazed at the doctor with unwavering eyes. "Yes." At the same time, I said, "He's not." Both of them were startled. The doctor peered at him, and then at me before waving his hand. Ignoring Eric, he took out the agreement for a new artificial heart and placed it on the table. The doctor said, "The components of the artificial heart you installed five years ago are badly damaged. A new generation of artificial hearts will arrive soon, if this is delayed—" "What artificial heart are you speaking about?" Eric asked. The doctor's eyebrows shot up again at Eric's sudden gasp of shock. Blood drained from Eric's face as he crouched down and met my gaze. "Tell me, what did he mean by artificial heart from five years ago?" I looked at him composedly, my lips pursed into a tight line. "He means it literally." "Ellie, tell me—"