"She was extraordinary." Catherine smiled. "She became a medical doctor, the only woman in her class. My great-grandfather was an engineer, and he developed a tabulating machine that in some ways was a precursor of the modern computer," she said. "He sold the rights for a substantial amount of money, as well as stock. That's how the Smith fortune was created." Cocking her head at Conor, Catherine said, "Everyone in the family looks up to my great-grandfather for having had the idea and the business acumen to amass the kind of wealth he did, but in my mind, the larger figure of the pair is my great-grandmother." She blinked back another few tears. "I'm reclaiming the Smith name for her."
"I'm sure she'd be pleased with that decision." Conor paused a moment and added, "I'm sure she'd be pleased with you, too."
Catherine gazed up at him as her eyes focused sharply. A determined, intense look settled on her face. "I'm not sure that would be true up to this point, Conor. I've wasted many, if not all of the gifts I've been given." She shook her head firmly, the fire in her eyes growing brighter as she declared, "Those days are over! I've been looking at my life and counting the losses and the disappointments, rather than looking at the gifts and the opportunities I've been graced with. I swear that I'm going to stop that nonsense today. I'm going to make something of my life. I'm not sure what, and I'm not sure how to go about it, but I swear that I won't rest until I've made a positive contribution to this world. I'm going to be proud of myself," she declared fiercely.
Conor wrapped his arms around Catherine, a warm smile gracing his features. "Your family is already proud of you. You never have to prove a thing to us."
They stood together on the moonlit balcony, the cold wind playing havoc with Catherine's fine blonde hair. She looked out into the black night, her mind playing over the events of the last few months that had led her to this place. Her mind was overwhelmed with the details of the past year, and she consciously put them aside, not interested in looking back. Focusing her vision, she gazed at a bright star near the horizon and let her mind idly dream, her wishes for the future suddenly sharper and brighter than her memories.
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