Why, according to Dedé, does she no longer place a fresh orchid under the photos of the girls every day, as her mother did? What else might explain Dedé’s giving up her mother’s tribute to Dedé’s sisters?

Dede does not have time anymore because her job, the museum, and her household to run. She cannot move on with her life if she remains in the past. She also questions who the fresh orchid is for? She wonders if it is just a symbol of her lost youth.