"They are all well," Carol said. "They went home to get some much needed rest. You gave them all quite the fright."
"Yeah… that sounds about right."
Time passed—seconds, maybe minutes—before Carol shifted in her seat, crossing her legs as she glanced toward Veronica again.
"I guess I should congratulate you," she said, her tone thoughtful.
Veronica's lips twitched faintly. "That's usually how this works."
"But then," Carol continued, ignoring that, "when I think about the fact that I'm going to be a grandmother…" She paused, "…it's kind of depressing."
"That's not a great start to being a grandmother."
"Yeah, I know," Carol admitted. "It tells me I am growing older. Time is moving," she continued, her gaze drifting slightly, no longer fully in the room. "And yet… I have put half my life on pause. Leaving my family," Carol said quietly. "My sons. Just to get away from all of this…"
