Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Alva spoke earnestly, "What I'm trying to say is actually quite simple. Us women, no matter how tough things get, should never look for shortcuts. We need to keep our feet on the ground and work hard. Opting for dubious shortcuts isn't the way to go, and we definitely

shouldn't rely on sheer luck!"

Roseanne nodded in agreement. "That's very true."

"You agree with me, right?" Alva asked, her expression one of hopeful redemption.

"Of course."

"Good, then I'm relieved," she said, nodding with satisfaction. "Let's cancel the lease on the villa as soon as possible. We might lose a bit in fees, but wouldn't it be better for peace of mind?"

Roseanne blinked in confusion.

"What's wrong? Can't bear to let it go?" Alva's face darkened, thinking all her advice had fallen on deaf ears.

Roseanne laughed, suddenly understanding the purpose of this conversation.

"First off, Aunt Alva, I completely agree with you. Women should indeed depend on themselves. But-" She changed tack. "I haven't been depending on anyone else. So, I'll consider your words as shared experience and definitely won't take them personally." Wasn't that clear enough? Anyone with ears and a brain could understand.

Roseanne added, "Moreover, I bought the villa for my parents. The contract is signed, and there's no backing out now. Lastly, I'd suggest that when you share life advice in the future, maybe gauge the situation a bit more. Giving advice is one thing, but giving orders is entirely unnecessary."

Alva's "let's cancel it" had made the decision for Roseanne.

To put it nicely, it was "out of concern"; less nicely, it was "meddling."

Roseanne wasn't going to indulge her.

Unsurprisingly, Alva stormed off.

As she left, she tossed back, "Sharp-tongued and unrepentant!"

Norris frowned deeply upon hearing this.

"Anne, don't mind her," Madge spoke up directly. "Coming here to lecture without knowing anything."

Her words hinted at an assumption of ill-gotten wealth.

Did she consider her own mother oblivious?

Roseanne, for her part, wasn't troubled by it. She was more concerned that if Alva knew, did that mean others knew as well?

If people kept coming one after another, although she could handle it, the nuisance was unbearable.

However, to her surprise, the following week was calm. No one else came knocking.

The moving process continued steadily.

Norris couldn't stand to part with the greenery. Moving the potted plants was easy, but the real hassle was the trees in the yard that had been growing for over a decade; relocating them would take

time.

MS

In contrast, Madge had it easier; her most treasured possessions were the books in her study's cabinets.

As long as she could take her books, she was content.

By the time everything was settled, several months had already passed.

The yard, filled with greenery and newly transplanted magnolia trees, added a touch of ancient charm to the Western-style villa.

Norris even started a small

vegetable patch in the backyard, where the recently sown spinach seeds were beginning to sprout, promising a harvest in a couple of weeks.

Besides that, Roseanne's swing, Madge's lounge chair, and the old house's wisteria were all relocated, bringing familiar vibes to every corner.

The front and back yards were

mostly bare for now, but come spring, the dry soil would transform into a lush green lawn, and the flowers from their previous home would bloom throughout.

Thinking of this, Roseanne felt the physical labor of moving was well worth it.

During the move, an "interesting" incident occurred.

Their neighbor, Louisa, seeing the family busily moving in and out, thought Norris had finally decided to move.

This meant not only would she have the space between their houses all to herself, but she might even extend her yard into theirs.