I nodded.
I knew that much.
Nora had loved engineering, although she later became a high school science teacher.
She said teaching gave her more time with Lily.
She never cared about job titles or expensive things.
Our favorite evenings involved takeout food, old movies, and falling asleep together on the couch.
But Grandma was describing a life I had never known.
“Nora developed a system that could detect dangerous equipment failures before they became emergencies. She brought the technology to my company.”
I stared at the photograph.
“She worked for you?”
“Not exactly.”
Grandma looked toward the window.
“She became my business partner.”
My mouth fell open.
Grandma explained that Nora had created a patented monitoring platform capable of integrating with numerous types of hospital equipment.
It had taken years to develop.
But when the first major licensing agreements were signed, the technology transformed Grandma’s business.
Eventually, it became one of the company’s most profitable divisions.
I tried to remember every conversation I’d had with Nora about her work.
She had mentioned old engineering projects.
Sometimes she received calls from lawyers or accountants.
She had once told me she was helping an elderly friend with a business matter.
I hadn’t asked many questions.
We trusted each other.
Or at least, I had believed we told each other everything that mattered.
“Why didn’t she tell me?”
Grandma’s eyes glistened.
“She wanted to. Many times.”
“Then why didn’t she?”
“Because of what happened when she tried to protect your work.”
Grandma explained that my father had confronted Nora after the settlement.
He blamed her for the failure of his venture.
He warned her that if she ever approached me, he would make sure I believed she had taken my research.
Nora knew how strained my relationship with my father already was.
She was afraid that revealing everything would pull me back into a conflict I had worked so hard to escape.
So she kept her distance.
Three years later, we met by chance in a bookstore.
I had no idea who she was.
She knew exactly who I was.
