Game over.
It is about stewardship, about knowing when to be ruthless and when to be gentle, about protecting what is yours without losing yourself in the process.
I have been underestimated my entire life, first because I was young, then because I was a woman, then because I became a mother, and each time, I allowed people to believe what they wanted, because underestimation is a powerful weapon when wielded correctly. I do not need to announce my strength. I live it, quietly, consistently, and without apology.
As I lay Meredith back in her crib and watch her settle, I feel the steady certainty that has guided me through every storm, and I know, without doubt, that this family, this life, is not a wea