The second time my heart stopped, around hour fifteen, Delphine actually left the room to take a phone call. My father stood by the window, not watching the medical team work to restart my heart, but staring out at the parking lot like he was planning his escape route.

By the third cardiac event at hour seventeen, they had had enough of the drama. My heart flatlined for almost two full minutes while Dr. Cross and her team worked to bring me back. The sound of that endless, piercing alarm should have terrified them. Instead, it irritated them.

“You know what?” my father announced as the medical team finally got my heart beating again. “I’m starving. We’ve been here all day and there’s nothing we can do anyway. Let’s go grab something to eat.”

My mother stood up immediately, gathering her purse like she’d been waiting for permission to leave. “Finally. I saw a nice bistro on the way in. We can be back in an hour.”

Delphine was already halfway to the door. “Thank God. I’m literally dying of boredom. Plus, I need better lighting for my Instagram story about this whole ordeal.”

And just like that, they left.