Chapter 19 - The Sanctuary|
By spring of the following year, the memory of Alexander Carter’s empire had completely faded from the city's headlines.
The old Carter Tower had been officially renamed The Monroe Building, housing non-profit organizations, art galleries, and green tech start-ups.
On a warm Saturday afternoon, Elena, Sarah, and four-year-old Sofie sat on a wide plaid blanket in Central Park.
The cherry blossoms were blooming, casting soft pink petals across the green grass. Children were laughing nearby, flying colorful kites into the clear blue sky.
Sofie was sitting between them, wearing a bright yellow sundress, carefully building a tall tower out of colorful wooden blocks.
"Look, Mommies!" Sofie cheered, balancing the final block on top. "It's a castle!"
"It's a beautiful castle, Sofie," Elena smiled, handing her a juice box.
Sarah leaned her head against Elena's shoulder, taking a deep, quiet breath of the warm spring air.
"Five years ago," Sarah murmured softly, watching the kites in the sky, "I didn't think I would ever see a spring day like this again."
Elena reached over, gently interlocking her fingers with Sarah's.
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"You built this day, Sarah," Elena whispered. "You fought your way back to the light."
"No," Sarah corrected softly, turning her head to look into Elena's warm, loving brown eyes. "We found the light together."
