The next day, after a full day of waiting to ensure Ilene's condition was stable enough, the day of the surgery finally arrived. Owen couldn't accompany Ilene because of work, while Kalea and Kai faithfully waited in front of the operating room. Somehow, Kalea couldn't bring herself to leave Kai's side. On the other hand, Arthur, Zeline, and Dariel sat on the hospital balcony, not too far from the operating room.
"Will the surgery go well, Dariel?" Zeline asked.
"I can't say with 100% certainty, but her condition was stable before she entered the operating room," Dariel replied, checking his watch as though counting each second Ilene spent in surgery. "The operation should take around 2-4 hours, depending on the surgical team. Let's hope for the best."
