Chapter 15 - The Warmth Within
The snow had stopped falling by the time they stepped out onto Arlington Avenue later that evening. The city was quiet, wrapped in a peaceful, frozen stillness under a canopy of pale stars.
Clara wore her warm camel-hair coat, her hand resting comfortably in the crook of Nate’s arm. Walking beside them, skipping lightly over the patches of frozen pavement in her brand-new red boots, Emmy hummed a quiet, happy tune, her yarn-haired doll clutched securely under one arm.
They walked past the bakery where, a year ago, a little boy had pressed his palms against the cold glass. The sweet smell of cinnamon and vanilla drifted out into the night air, warm and inviting.
Nate slowed his pace, looking down at Clara and the little girl. The twenty-third-floor penthouse downtown still existed, but he hadn't slept there in months. The townhouse on North Street had a light burning in the window, waiting for them.
“Are you cold?” Nate asked softly, looking down at Clara.
May you like
Clara smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder as the crisp winter wind brushed their faces. “Not at all,” she whispered. “For the first time in my life, I’m entirely warm.”
Nate pulled them both a little closer, stepping off the curb and heading down the illuminated street toward home. The past was balanced, the ledger was clean, and the future stretched out before them—open, bright, and full of life.
