Romanov

by Nadine Brandes

Even that shadowed dream was now fading. “Can their hearts be softened?” “It’s not up to you to soften theirs. It’s up to you to keep yours soft.

I nodded and forced my muscles to support me. “I understand.” I squeezed his hand, so tight it likely pained him. But sometimes comfort needed to sting more than the sorrow for it to break into the grief.

I realized that a part of forgiveness was accepting the things someone had done—and the pain that came with that—and moving on with love.