Reception - Astrid and Jack
She glanced down at her hand as Jack kissed it, and her smile softened. "It is not a surprise to me that your Wendy was such a beautiful lady," she said when he was standing straight, "not when you are such a charmer. Dan showed me the pictures from your trip, and told me many stories. She is lovely. You make a handsome couple, Jack. I hope I meet her some day. Perhaps, if the Gods are kind, I will."
She bent down and straightened her dress after that, her very best dress with the greens that made her hair seem even brighter and redder, and then stood straight once more. "I would show you pictures of my Sven if I could, for I think you would like him. He is tall, like you and Dan, but not nearly as tall as my Da. Hródolf has a look of him, but most people see his hair and know him as mine. Sven's hair is like sunshine and gold." She looked round for her son as she spoke, and found him in the arms of her sister for the time being, so she turned back to Jack and put her hand on his arm.
"I do not mean to make you sad. But I miss my husband, so I think you also miss your wife." Red wine, it seemed, made Astrid talkative, especially about things she rarely mentioned outside of her family.