Medical Center.
Adam and Dr. Burke rushed into the OR to save Leonard.
Outside, a nurse followed Adam's orders and called the three Green sisters.
The troublemaker, Jill—the youngest—dropped her manicure plans and flew straight from LA to New York. Amy, the middle sister, was off gallivanting abroad but promised to hustle back. Then there was Rachel, the eldest, already in New York—and, well, she was a whole mess.
"What? My dad had a heart attack?!"
Rachel's voice crackled with panic over the phone.
When the nurse mentioned Adam was on the scene and Leonard was already in surgery, Rachel let out a sigh—while the nurse's forehead practically sprouted hashtags. Then she asked, "So, how long's the surgery gonna take?"
"…No clue," the nurse said, keeping it real.
"At least a few hours, right?" Rachel pressed, weirdly fixated. "I remember Dad's old surgeries—hours, sometimes over ten!"
"Aren't you coming soon?" the nurse nudged gently.
"Uh, yeah, I will," Rachel mumbled vaguely.
---
Eight hours later.
"Why's it you? Where's Rachel?"
Jill, fresh off a cross-country trek from the West Coast, blinked at Ross waiting there.
"Hey, Jill," Ross grinned, a little sheepish.
Back when Leonard had cut off Jill's credit cards as punishment and sent her to crash with Rachel—his "star" daughter—to learn a thing or two, Jill nearly "learned" Ross right into bed. If Rachel hadn't put her foot down, Ross—shameless as her ex-fiancé Barry—would've happily started a fling with his ex's little sister, right in front of her. Even though Rachel nixed it, some flirty moments stuck. Back then, Ross didn't care—he'd even hooked up with Janice, Chandler's insufferable ex. But now, married to Rachel with a kid, facing Jill alone brought back those awkward vibes.
"Rachel, uh, she'll be here soon…" Ross trailed off, even more flustered.
"What?" Jill froze, then exploded. "You're saying it's been over eight hours and she's still not here? What's she doing—hair? Nails? Don't tell me Barneys is having a flash sale!"
"Actually, yeah!"
Right on cue, Rachel strolled in—new haircut, shiny nails, decked out in fresh clothes, pushing a stroller loaded with shopping bags, beaming like she'd won the lottery.
"No way!" Jill's eyes bulged. "Barneys did a random sale today?"
"Believe it!" Rachel smacked a bag proudly. "I'd never splurge otherwise. Today? Buy and profit—total steal!"
"How long's it running?" Jill checked her watch.
"Too late," Rachel smirked. "Good stuff's gone. Why else would I be here now?"
"…"
Ross gaped at the sisters, veering so far off-topic they might as well have spat Leonard back to life in disgust.
Your dad's in surgery, fighting for his life! This cool with you two?
"Ahem, forgetting something?" Ross coughed, forcing a grin.
"Forgetting what?" Rachel blinked, then slapped her forehead. "Oh, duh! It's Emma's first birthday—they should've thrown in another discount!"
"…"
Ross stared at Emma, dolled up like a little angel by her mom, then thought of his father-in-law battling in there. He gave his daughter a pitiful look, praying silently.
"Daughters are Daddy's little jackets, Emma. Don't grow up like your mom—please don't grow up like your mom…"
Ross was already wise to the "black-hearted jacket" twist.
Little Emma, lounging in her stroller, caught her dad's goofy stare and giggled.
"Ohh!" Ross melted, clutching his chest. Fine, black-hearted or not, she's still my little jacket!
While the Green sisters dove into a heated chat about fashion steals, Ross ping-ponged between their icy nonsense and Emma's warm giggles—cold one minute, toasty the next.
Then the OR doors swung open, and Adam stepped out.
"Adam, how's Dad?"
The black-hearted duo finally remembered why they were there, jumping up anxiously.
"Surgery went great. Leonard's fine," Adam said with a smile. "You can see him soon."
"Phew, thank God," everyone sighed.
"Wait—Adam, why'd Dad have a heart attack out of nowhere?" Rachel piped up.
"Ask Jill," Adam said, nodding at the youngest.
"Me?" Jill blinked, all innocence. "What's this got to do with me?"
"What'd you say to Leonard right before it hit?" Adam asked, deadpan.
"Jill?!" Rachel wheeled on her, fuming. "So you set Dad off, and then you had the nerve to guilt-trip me for shopping at Barneys? Unbelievable!"
"It wasn't me!" Jill protested. "We were chatting fine—I told him I'm planning to apply to Harvard Law…"
"What?!" Rachel and Ross yelped in unison.
"Yeah," Jill went on, clueless. "I said I'd apply to Harvard Law, and he reacted like you guys—then, boom, that was it."
"You? Harvard Law?" Ross gawked.
"Yep," Jill said, like it was obvious. "Warner doesn't like arm candy. He's going to Harvard Law, so I'll go too. When he sees me there, he'll fall for me again!"
"You—Jill Sansa Green—at Harvard Law?" Rachel enunciated each word.
"Uh-huh!" Jill stared back, baffled. "What's the issue?"
"Now I get why Dad had a heart attack," Rachel said, clutching her chest in disbelief. "That's too wild a joke—even I'd be shook hearing it."
"Wait!" Jill finally caught on, shocked. "You're saying Dad's heart gave out because my plan blew his mind?"
Rachel and Ross nodded like bobbleheads.
Adam cracked a grin, remembering a few weeks back when he'd told Leonard that if Jill's boyfriend dumped her, she might turn it around and become the Green family pride. Leonard had laughed it off, unable to picture it.
Guess the prophecy hit too close to home.
(Chapter End)