EPILOGUE

Rose was silent, absorbing all that her grandmother had told her. A whirlwind of questions were rushing through her mind...

Meanwhile, Michaela could sense that Rose's speechlessness was hiding her disquiet. The girl's jaw was clenched tightly, as if she was trying to stop herself from screaming. But she knew she had to let Rose deal with her emotions without interfering, she could only offer advice or solace if asked.

Finally, Rose spoke up.

"What became of the Tanners?"

Michaela sighed. "When I came back to work, a few weeks later, I learned from Jake that the Tanners had left without saying goodbye to anyone, not even to Teresa who had gone almost everyday to their farm to ensure they were coping. One morning, she came back saying that the farm was empty. The cows, the pig, the horses... were nowhere to be seen, the chairs on the porch were gone, and the door and windows were boarded up. We could only assume that they moved to some other place to escape the memories and star over... and hope that they would be fine, wherever they were."

"Did you came across other children with this kind of disease, after that?"

"Yes, and every time, I did my best to convince the parents that with careful care and guidance, their child would have an almost normal life. One of them actually learned his letters. His parents had tried to provided their son as normal a life as he could have, withstanding proudly the taunts, pointing fingers, snide remarks. He was eventually accepted in school, but unfortunately he died during the summer.

"Do they ever become adults? Or are they all condemned to die so young?"

Michaela studied her granddaughter: there was something in the way she was asking questions, something familiar. And she suddenly saw herself as a teenager, plaguing her father with unending questions about medicine, treatments, procedures. Rose was mirroring exactly her grandmother's behavior, as well as Colleen's and Josef's inquisitiveness, when they had started assisting Michaela at the clinic. Would Rose follow in their footsteps and enter the medical profession too? Would she become an outstanding scientist like Marie Curie?...

Michaela could not help but smiling to herself. Of course, nothing would make her prouder than knowing Rose would become a physician too. But she should not get ahead of herself. She had to remember that her granddaughter was also showing great abilities in arts and in writing, very much like her uncle Brian. Whatever choice Rose would make for her future, Michaela would give her complete support.

As if reading her grandmother's thoughts, Rose said:

"You know, Grandma, I've been thinking a lot, lately... About what I'm gonna do, once I graduate. Soon, I'll have to send appliances for college. I've considered applying here, but that means not pursuing a medical career..."

There. Rose said it. So she was considering... No surprise here, would have said Sully.

"What about Denver?"

"What about you? If I go, who will take care of you? Alice and Mike are too young."

Michaela shook her head

"Rosie, Sweetheart, listen to me. I'm old, my life will soon be over... And don't tell me not to say that, you know I'm right," she interjected when she saw Rose open her mouth to protest. "Your life is just beginning, you have so many gifts to share, so many talents. Don't waste them for my stake. When I'm no longer able to stay on my own, well maybe I'll move in with your Aunt Katie."

"Why not with us? Dad would be at hand for your treatments."

"I don't think Diana would appreciate my presence," Michaela remarked quietly, but pointedly. Rose looked down: her grandmother was right, once again.

"Besides, you make it sound like I'm much trouble to look after," Michaela added with a rare touch of irony.

At this Rose laughed heartily.

"That's what Grandpa used to say about you, that someone had to keep you out of trouble, and that it was a tough job!"

At that moment, Michaela felt her husband's presence, right next to her. No, take that back, all around her, inside and out. He was there, smiling so proudly, so contentedly that, for a moment, she felt young again, her heart singing in tune with his. And for the first time in months, she laughed good and hard, openly. It felt wonderful.

Finally, she became serious again and asked:

"So you will apply to medical colleges?"

Rose did not answer right away, pondering her options. She was feeling the strong pull of the prospect of a career dedicated to help others, but she still wasn't sure she could become as great a physician as her father and her grandmother. That she would be able to find the right balance between the family life she craved for and a practice for which she'll have to fight hard, being a woman. She knew her grandmother would be thrilled to see her on her way to follow the "tradition", yet she could not bear imagining her grandmother's disappointment if she failed. So she refrained from giving any definitive answer.

"... I'll think about it."

The End