Claire's POV
I stared at the elderly woman standing before me, her frail frame slightly hunched, but her presence was as warm and familiar as ever. My chest tightened, and before I could stop myself, tears welled up in my eyes.
"Grandmother…" I whispered, my voice breaking. It had been so long since I'd seen her, and amidst all this chaos, I hadn't even realized how much I missed her. Without a second thought, I pushed off the bed, ignoring the sharp pain in my ankle, and threw my arms around her. "I am so sorry!" The words spilled out, uncontrollable, as if a dam had burst inside me, releasing every ounce of regret and sorrow I'd been holding in.
She wrapped her frail arms around me, trembling, but her embrace was just as warm and just as comforting as I remembered. I buried my face in her shoulder, letting the tears flow freely now, allowing myself to fall apart in her arms.
