Chapter 7 - The Mysterious Benefactor
Grandma Rose gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. ""Emily! Did you buy these? Oh, sweetheart, you shouldn't have spent your money on flowers!""
""Grandma, I didn't buy these,"" I said, dumbfounded. I approached the desk and picked up the envelope. The card inside was made of heavy linen cardstock. I opened it and read the words aloud:
> ""Dear Rose,
>
> I made it to my mother's bedside at four o'clock this afternoon. When I walked into her hospice room, she was drifting in and out of consciousness, but when she felt my hand, she opened her eyes. She smiled at me, Rose. She didn't ask where I had been for three years. She didn't mention the fights or the silence. She just reached up and touched my cheek, exactly the way you said she would.
>
> We talked for two hours. I gave her a spoonful of her own pickled vegetables, and we laughed until we both cried. I held her hand while she took her final breath twenty minutes ago. She passed peacefully, surrounded by love, without any anger left between us.
>
> If you hadn't been in row fourteen, I would have landed in Florida full of venom. I might have stayed in a hotel, waited until morning, and arrived too late. You didn't just give me your wipes and your plastic bag, Rose. You gave me my mother's last words. You gave me back my soul.
>
> Please pack your bags tomorrow morning. You and Emily are not staying in that motel.
>
> With eternal gratitude,
> Victoria Vance.""
Grandma Rose sank onto the edge of the bed, clutching the linen card against her chest, her shoulders shaking as she wept quietly for Victoria and her mother. ""God bless that girl,"" Rose whispered. ""God bless her and hold her through the night.""
""Wait... Victoria Vance?"" I repeated, looking down at the signature. The name sounded strangely familiar.
I pulled out my phone and quickly typed 'Victoria Vance Seattle' into the search bar. Within seconds, a dozen business articles popped up on the screen. Victoria wasn't just a woman with a fancy tote bag; she was the Chief Executive Officer of Vance Hospitality Group, one of the premier luxury resort management companies in the Pacific Northwest and Florida.
""Grandma..."" I murmured, staring at the screen in disbelief. ""Victoria owns half the beachfront properties on this coast.""
""She owns a broken heart, is what she owns,"" Grandma Rose corrected me gently, wiping her eyes. ""Money doesn't keep you warm when your mother's bed is empty.""
Before I could answer, a sharp knock sounded at the motel room door.
I opened it cautiously. Standing outside under the flickering fluorescent corridor light was a tall man dressed in a sharp, tailored navy suit. He held a leather clipboard in one hand and offered a polite, respectful bow.
""Good evening, Miss Emily, Miss Rose,"" he said smoothly. ""My name is Marcus. I am the general manager of The Grand Azure Ocean Resort down the road. Miss Vance instructed me to check on your comfort and deliver this.""
He handed me a small silver key card envelope.
May you like
""What is this?"" I asked.
""Miss Vance's private oceanfront villa at our property has been prepared for you,"" Marcus explained with a warm smile. ""A vehicle is waiting downstairs to transport your luggage whenever you are ready. Your entire stay—including private dining, wellness care, and oceanside assistance for Miss Rose—has been taken care of in perpetuity.""
