Chapter 22 - THE FAMILY NAME
The phrase family name became irritating after the portrait.
“You ruined this family name.”
What was the name?
Avery.
Letters.
Five of them.
My grandfather had bankrupted one company and rebuilt another.
My great-grandfather had cheated on taxes and later funded a library.
My father had been generous and controlling in equal measure.
Caroline had married into the name.
Elsie had been adopted into it.
Lenora had inherited it.
Gideon carried it.
None of us made it pure.
So when the anniversary book’s introduction said:
For generations, the Avery name has represented continuity—
I deleted the sentence.
The editor asked:
“What should replace it?”
I wrote:
This book records people connected by family, law, marriage, work, memory, conflict, and choice.
Too long.
She improved it.
May you like
No slogan about blood.
Good.
