Tears ran down her cheeks, and Lothaire vanished without saying another word. Irene was left angry, confused, and sad. She really wasn't strong enough to stay here, and she felt embarrassed for being this weak.
Why did he have to use her loneliness against her?
When he had first left, she hadn't been feeling as lonely as was now. Back then she had many things to keep her occupied. So many things had been new to her, and she wanted to enjoy them. She was a mother again and even a grandmother. Heaven had still been a child, and Irene got the chance to raise her and feel the joy of raising a child that was her own flesh and blood. Nothing in the world compared to that feeling.
The role of a mother and grandmother was so fulfilling, but children grow and become less dependent with time. Heaven grew so fast and even though Irene was still needed as a parent and grandparent, she wasn't needed as much as before.