Emily set the electric kettle down on the bedside table and poured a glass of water, handing it to Angela.

Angela accepted it with surprise, a smile deepening the fine lines in her gaunt cheeks. "Thank you, dear. What's your name?"

"No need to thank me."

Emily lied smoothly, her expression calm. “Grandma, my name's Scott Clark." Angela repeated the name softly, testing it out. "Scott Clark?"

"That's right."

Emily moved over and gently helped her sit up at the edge of the bed. “Here, Grandma, let's get you comfortable."

Angela squeezed her hand and pulled Emily down to sit beside her, her voice full of concern. "Sweetheart, what brings you to the hospital? Are you here as a patient?”

Without missing a beat, Emily replied, "I'm visiting a friend. She's getting orthopedic treatment, and I happened to run into you on my way over."

Angela let out a thoughtful hum, her brow furrowing deeper. "Orthopedics, huh? What happened to your friend?"

Emily didn't hesitate, spinning another lie with practiced ease. "She had a little accident and broke a bone, nothing too serious. The doctors just want her to stay a few days for observation."

Angela's face relaxed into a smile as she patted Emily's hand. "That's good, then. Broken bones heal with rest and patience, and once she's better, she'll be out of here in no time."

Emily nodded, "Yes, I know."

She looked up, feigning curiosity as she met Angela's eyes. "And you, Grandma? What brings you here?"

Angela's smile didn't falter, her tone still gentle. "Advanced bone cancer."

Even though Emily had already known about Angela's diagnosis, hearing it said aloud still made her heart sink.

It was obvious Angela was in the middle of chemotherapy. Her face was drawn, her hair thin and gray, eyes sunken with dark circles beneath, and the backs of her hands were marked with the telltale pinpricks of endless IVs.

All the classic signs of someone fighting through chemo.

With late-stage bone cancer, the pain in her legs must be excruciating. Emily had watched her shuffle across the room, each step a struggle.

She lowered her gaze, lips pressed together in silent empathy.

Angela, ever the patient, was the one offering comfort. Her voice, old yet somehow still innocent, tried to soothe. "Don't feel bad for me, darling. I'm seventy-nine—I've lived more than enough. If I died tomorrow, I'd have no regrets."

Emily blinked, caught off guard by her candor.

Angela gave a little laugh, entirely unbothered. "I mean it. I'm so tired of hospitals. If my granddaughter hadn't begged me to keep going with treatment, I'd have gone home ages ago. I don't want to waste what time I have left stuck in here. I'd like to see the world a little. All these years, I've never even traveled abroad. It's such a shame."

Emily sat in silence for a moment, then spoke softly as Angela watched her with a gentle, encouraging smile.

"There's still a chance you could get better. You shouldn't give up."

Angela's eyes twinkled. “You sound just like my granddaughter. She keeps saying the same thing—over and over, until my head hurts. She wouldn't let me out of her sight until I agreed to stay for treatment."

Emily asked, "Your granddaughter?"

Just the mention of her made Angela's smile deepen, the wrinkles in her face softening with pride.

"Yes, my granddaughter. She's a good girl-so devoted. She listens to me about everything, except this. She may not have had much schooling, but she's made something of herself. She opened a café in the city, runs it herself, and even has a staff now. She's the boss, paying people's wages. Everyone there calls her manager."

Emily smiled warmly. "That's incredible."

Angela's voice brimmed with affection. "I know she's not a big shot in this city, but to me, she's the most impressive person in the world."

She gazed out the window, pointing in a certain direction, and Emily followed her gaze.

"Her café is right over there. She's a bit of a troublemaker, though—put a grand piano in the shop, told me anyone can play it if they want. She's always got ideas like that. It's ridiculous," Angela said, but her words were laced with tenderness and pride.

Emily chuckled. "She sounds wonderful."

Angela nodded, still smiling. "She is."

Emily hesitated, then asked, "Are you here alone at the hospital?”

"Oh, my granddaughter hired a caregiver for me. She's gone to pick up some lunch right now."

Emily relaxed. "That's good to hear."