As evening approached, the old man's attitude became a bit more gentle. He escorted them to the door, giving them a nod as he said, "You both have put in a lot of effort today. It's time for you to head home."

The topic of the surgery wasn't brought up again. Ariana and Calvin simply nodded their heads and left.

On their journey back, Calvin was filled with a sense of disappointment and remorse. He looked down and apologized to Ariana, "I'm so sorry, Ariana. You wouldn't have had to go through all this if it weren't for me. Perhaps we should think about finding a different doctor."

Ariana slumped in her seat and said, "No, he was right. It's possible that other surgeons won't be able to do what he can."

After a pause, she added, “Don't lose hope yet. The old doctor seemed a bit more approachable before we left. There's still a chance. Plus, talented people often have their quirks."