Claire leaned in, resting her head on Pandora’s knee.
“I know, really, but you too. If you go back to the city for New Year’s and it gets to be too much, just come home, okay? Don’t let anyone get to you.”
Pandora smirked and tapped Claire’s cheek.
“I’m only going to the city for a day. Do you really need to fuss over me?”
“Your beauty cream’s almost out. Do you have any more?”
Pandora never stood on ceremony with her granddaughter—she just asked for what she wanted. Claire had a real gift for medicine, and that homemade cream she made came from some old recipe passed down in the Carter family. The thing is, no one in the family had ever really studied it before Claire came along. She figured it out herself, mixing batches in her tiny kitchen.
“There’s still one jar left. I put it in your cabinet, but maybe you didn’t see it,” Claire said. Since it was all handmade and only lasted about six months, she usually made small batches.
“Mae came to visit last time. She took one look at my skin and wouldn’t stop asking what I used.” Pandora rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. “I told her it was a doctor’s special beauty cream, and she took a huge scoop for herself.”
Mae had worked with Pandora back at the hospital. They were close, but after retiring, they ended up living far apart. Mae wasn’t like Pandora. She got called back to work, so she was still at the hospital. Her son never really got it together, so Mae looked at Pandora’s easy life with envy.
But Mae always said, “I’d rather be at the hospital helping out than stuck at home, fighting with my daughter-in-law over the grandkids.”
Living with her son would have meant nonstop arguments, and working let her put together enough to pay the down payment on a home for him. Now he paid the mortgage, Mae had even hired a nanny for the kids, and she still had her own space.
It just goes to show, women like Pandora with education, culture, and a career got to choose how they wanted to live even when they were older. They didn’t have to rely on or plead with their kids.
“If Mae wants some, give it to her. I’ll make another batch for you,” Claire said.
Claire blinked and felt a little proud. She knew she’d said exactly the right thing. Pandora might always act easy-going, but Claire could tell she was worried now that Claire had her other grandmother in the picture, she might somehow play favorites. She wanted Pandora to know her feelings hadn’t changed. What they had went way beyond a normal family bond. Pandora had taught her so much.
Claire stayed the night and planned to go back to the country the next day.
This time Edison had come back with Jenny, who’d basically invited herself over. Claire had no idea what Edison had been thinking, letting Jenny tag along without saying no.
“Jenny says she wants to spend New Year’s in Solenia and get a feel for the local celebrations,” Edison explained. “New Year’s is a big deal in our hometown, so I brought her with me. There’s nobody looking after her in the city, so why not?”
With SUNNY announcing its launch at VIA Metropolis, things were looking up for VIA Group in a big way.
Claire gave Jenny a surprised look. “How did you talk Edison into this?”

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