Chapter 36

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Danny walked back into the waiting area and handed out cups of coffee to everyone. He bought a hot chocolate for Reggie but he was still asleep on the sofa so he placed it on the coffee table next to him for later.

"Did you get a hold of Martin?" Sam asked as she took her cup.

"I got his voicemail. He told me that they were all going out on the boat so I might've missed him. I'm guessing he was out of range." Danny sipped his coffee and added, "I left him a message to call me when he gets back."

He saw that Sam was about to ask him another question when a doctor in scrubs walked into the waiting area. Marcus stood straight up and eyed the doctor with a nervous look on his face.

They all waited with bated breath until the doctor said the words, "Success."

Viv was going to be okay.

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After everyone hugged and cheered, Danny excused himself and went off in search of Emma. He wanted to share this fabulous news with the woman he loved.

When he entered the ER he spotted, Frances, a nurse who knew him well from all of the many times he visited Emma. She would always crack jokes with him and he thought she was hilarious. She was standing with someone who looked like an EMT. He walked up to her and cheerily said, "Hi, Frances. Is Emma around?"

Frances gave him a sad look and replied, "Hi, Danny. She's in the break room."

"You okay?" Danny asked. She looked like someone ran over her cat.

"I'm okay. Thanks." She swallowed and asked, "How's your friend? Emma told us she had surgery."

"She's great. She just got out and the doctor's said it was a huge success."

"That's wonderful news," Frances replied, continuing to look at him with weepy eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay, Frances?" he asked again, genuinely concerned.

"I'm good. You better go see Emma before she has to get back to work," Frances directed.

He gave her another look before nodding his head and walking to the break room.

When he opened the door he saw Emma sitting on the sofa with her head in her hands. He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach and slowly made his way towards her. As he neared he asked softly, "Babe, what's wrong?"

Emma looked up surprised to see him. She wiped tears away from her eyes. "Hey, how's Viv? Is she out of surgery?"

"She's great," he replied as he hurried to sit next to her. He put his arm around her. "The doctor's said she's going to be good as new. But what's going on? Why are you crying?" He wiped tears off of her cheeks. "Something happen with a patient?"

Emma took a deep breath and turned to look at him; tears still streaming down her cheeks. "I have to tell you something and I don't know how to say it."

Danny grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "You can tell me anything."

She nodded her head and blew out a breath. Then in a soft, tender voice she said, "Danny, the heart that Viv received….it was Ruby's."