Chapter 9 - The Promise Kept
That evening, after the museum doors had closed to the public and the crowds had drifted out into the cool Boston night, the three of us climbed up to the rooftop terrace of the Mercer Center.
The city skyline glittered against the dark velvet sky, a million tiny lights stretching out toward the horizon like stars brought down to earth.
Leah leaned against the glass railing, looking up at the glowing moon.
“Grandpa would have loved this view,” she whispered softly, clutching her battered library book to her chest.
I stepped up beside her, wrapping my arm around her shoulders, while Julian stood close on my other side, his hand brushing against mine.
“He’s seeing it, sweetie,” I said, resting my cheek against Leah’s soft hair. “Every single part of it.”
The wind carried the faint, distant hum of city traffic, but up here, above the noise and the chaos, there was only peace. The lies had been dismantled. The stolen history had been returned. The shadows that had chased our family for years had finally been replaced by an unbreakable light.
Julian reached out, intertwining his fingers with mine. His grip was warm, steady, and secure.
“We built something lasting,” Julian murmured quietly, looking out over the city.
“We built it on truth,” I corrected, smiling up at him.
Leah looked between us, breaking into a bright, knowing grin that looked so much like her grandfather’s it made my heart ache with pure joy.
“Momma? Does this mean we live happily ever after now?”
May you like
I laughed, tightening my hold on both my daughter and the man who had helped us reclaim our rightful place in the world.
“Yes, sweetheart,” I said softly, looking out at the glittering skyline. “I think it does.”
