Chapter 91 Fading Strength
Chapter Ninety One
Rosanna’s POV~
Days passed in the Willow Creek Elderly Home, and I stuck to my usual routine as best I could. I ate breakfast in the dining hall with the other residents, walked a little in the garden if my legs felt up to it, and read by the window in my room all afternoon. But the cough I’d had for weeks kept getting worse. It began as a tickle, but increasingly it was accompanied by sharp chest pain that woke me up at night, making me tired and short of breath. I had tried ignoring it and convinced myself I only had a cold, but somehow I knew that something was wrong.
The nurses noticed too. One morning, Nurse Clara brought a tray of tea and toast. “Rosanna, you’re coughing quite a bit,” she said, placing the tray on my table. “We’re planning to have another visit with the doctor today, all right?”
I nodded, forcing a smile.“Fine, but I’m tougher than I look. Don’t fuss too much.”
She patted my hand gently. “You’re plenty tough. Just let us help.” It made me feel cared for, but it also made me realize how weak I felt. My body wasn’t the same as it once was, and at my age, every ache felt weightier.
As I sipped the tea, my thoughts drifted back to my life. The Clawford estate, where I raised Eleanor, held so many secrets in its old walls—codes, plans, the fight against Gregor’s empire. Eleanor carried that fight forward, fierce and brave, until she was gone. Now Valenticia took it up, running the family business with a strength that made me proud. She was so much like her mother, sharp and determined, but with a softer heart that worried about me too much.
Valenticia visited every day now, and that afternoon she came directly from work with a blazer on and a bag of fresh apples in her hand. “Nana brought you something,” she said, placing the bag on my table. There had been deep lines of worry across her face and forehead when she heard me cough.
“Apples, huh? You’re spoiling me,” I said, cheerfully trying to break the mood. I went to take one, but the hand that reached for it was tremulous, and she gently lifted it from me and peeled it with a tiny knife she carried.
“Apples, huh? You’re spoiling me,” I said, trying to lighten her mood. I reached for one, but my hand shook, and she gently took it from me, peeling it with a small knife she carried.
“You’re not eating enough,” she said, handing me a slice. “And that cough sounds worse. What did the doctor say?”
I chewed slowly, buying time. “Just a cold. They’re doing tests. Nothing to worry about yet.”
Her eyes narrowed, not buying it. “Nana, I’m serious. You don’t look okay. Come live with me. I’ve got a spare room, and I can take care of you. Your meals, meds, and everything.”
I shook my stubborn head as usual. “I like it here, Val. My friends are down the hall, and I have got my routine. Independence matters to me. You know that.”
She sighed, sitting closer. “I know, but I worry. You’re not alone, Nana. Let me be there for you.”
Her words hit deep. I wanted to stay strong, to keep my own space, but the pain in my chest and the way my energy faded made me wonder if she was right. Being with family might do us both good. I patted her hand. “I’ll think about it. Promise.”
She smiled, but her eyes stayed worried. We talked more about her work, a new toy line at Clawford, and a funny story about a kid at her community center who coded a game wrong and made everyone laugh. I loved hearing her stories, but each cough interrupted, and I saw her flinch every time.
That night, while alone in my room, I lay awake, as the pain was sharper now. I thought about Eleanor’s locket, the one I had given to Valenticia. It held more than memories, a hidden chip with secrets about Gregor’s network, names and codes we never fully cracked. I wanted to tell her everything, make sure she was ready if Gregor came back.
The next morning, Nurse Clara came in early. “Rosanna, the doctor wants you at the hospital for more tests,” she said, helping me into a sweater. “Your cough’s not improving, and we need to be sure.”
I nodded, too tired to argue with her. “All right. Call Valenticia for me, please?”
“Of course,” she said, dialing right away. I heard her tell Val, “It’s routine, but come by when you can.”
At the hospital, the air smelled like antiseptic, and the lights were too bright. A doctor named Patel sat with me after the tests, his face was all too serious but kind. “Rosanna, it’s pneumonia,” he said. “It’s spreading, and your age makes it harder to fight. We’re starting stronger antibiotics, but you’ll need close care.”
My heart sank. “Can I stay at the home?”
He shook his head. “I recommend home care with family. It’s safer, and you’ll recover better with someone around all the time.”
I thought of Valenticia, her offer, and her spare room waiting. Maybe it was time. “Okay,” I said quietly. “I’ll talk to my granddaughter.”
He nodded. “Good. We’ll keep you here a couple of days to stabilize, then set up home care.”
Valenticia arrived an hour later, rushing in with her coat half-on. “Nana, why didn’t you call sooner?” she said, sitting by my bed and taking my hand.
“They just told me,” I said, squeezing her fingers. “It’s pneumonia. The doctor says I need care at home. Your home, maybe.”
Her eyes lit up, but she kept her voice soft. “You mean it? You’ll move in?”
I nodded, feeling lighter despite the pain. “Yeah, Val. It’s time. Family’s better than these walls.”
She grinned with tears in her eyes. “I’ll get everything ready—your room, meals, all of it. You’ll be with me.”
We talked more, planning simple things like where my bed would go, what tea I’d want. But I also brought up the locket.
The nurse came in then, checking my chart. “Time for meds, Rosanna,” she said. “Valenticia, you can stay a bit longer.”
“Thanks,” Val said, staying close. We talked until I got sleepy; her voice served as a comfort as I drifted off.