Meredith POV
I’ve lived long enough to know that pain is inevitable. It’s threaded through every lesson life has taught me, every loss, every triumph. But as I sit here, watching my daughters—Aldreda, Johanne, Eda, Celeste, Beatrice—and now, their children, my grandchildren, I feel a different kind of ache. It’s the ache of a mother who has seen her daughters endure too much, and a grandmother who wishes she could shield her grandchildren from the harsh realities of the world.
Kol, Elin, Omar, Frey, Bes, and the others—they are my pride, my legacy, and yet, they are also reminders of how quickly time passes. Today, we are gathered together, a rare moment where the whole family can be in one place, and for that, I am grateful.
But my mind drifts to my sons-in-law—Bennu, Alexander, August
