Chapter 4 - The DiagnosisVictoria was seventy-four when the doctors found the problem with her heart.
At first, they called it manageable.
A condition to monitor.
Medication.
Rest.
Regular appointments.
Victoria accepted the news with the same controlled expression she had worn through boardrooms, lawsuits, family confrontations, and funerals.
But privately, she was afraid.
Not of death.
Of unfinished business.
Her home suddenly felt too large.
She moved into a smaller house near Emma's flower shop.
Lily visited often.
Sometimes she brought Charlotte and Grace.
One rainy afternoon, Victoria sat beside the window while the girls played on the floor.
Then she slowly removed her ring.
Charlotte stopped.
"You never take that off."
Victoria smiled.
"Getting tight."
She handed it to the girl.
Charlotte examined the gold petals.
"Pretty."
Grace leaned closer.
"Is that the family ring?"
Victoria looked at Lily.
The old phrase.
The family ring.
Once, those words had carried enormous weight.
Now Victoria answered carefully.
"It's one of them."
Lily opened the blue box.
Emily's ring sat inside.
She placed it beside Victoria's.
Two identical roses.
Charlotte stared at them.
"Which one is more important?"
Nobody answered.
Then Emma said quietly:
"Neither."
Grace frowned.
"Then why have two?"
Victoria smiled.
"Exactly."
The children looked even more confused.
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The adults laughed.
For the first time, the question felt harmless.
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