“The treatment isn’t stopping it anymore.

I have a few months left, maybe until summer.”

The room went completely silent except for the low hum of street traffic through the double-paned library windows.

“Grandmother,” I said softly.

“Don’t use that voice with me, Lauren,” Margaret said, tapping her cane once on the rug.

“I’ve lived seventy-eight years, and I spent the last three making sure you’d be completely independent.

I’m perfectly satisfied with the timing.”