My gaze lifts again to the very top of the dome, seeking the bright golden statue against the stars.
Forward.
Resilience.
Endurance.
A plan, however painful, begins to form, solidifying with each step I take along this winding path.
James’s disgusting demand.Public humiliation as the price for freedom.But if one night of degradation on Friday buys my freedom for good, if it severs his financial hold on my café forever, then it’s a price I will pay.
And Bancroft?Matthew and Lou are right.The petitions are more than just names on paper.They’re voices.Community.I’ll keep collecting signatures until those voices become a roar so loud Bancroft can’t possibly ignore it.
I won’t let Maddy’s Place go down without exhausting every option.
The path forward is steep, uncertain, littered with potential failures and heartaches.But standing here, breathing in the fresh air, surrounded by the quiet strength of the Capitol grounds, I don’t feel quite so lost anymore.
There’s a fight ahead, yes.
For my café, for this sense of home, for myself.
Am I tired?
Yes.
Heartsick?
Absolutely.
But defeated?
Not yet.
THIRTY SIX
MY EYES PEEL open to the orange glow of my desk lamp.Another night survived on this old couch.A weary groan escapes me as I sit up, my back protesting loudly.
Routine is kicking in, however grim.
Padding down the hallway in my bare feet and striped pajamas, I head straight for the espresso machine.
Just as the first drops of dark espresso begin to drip, the telltale click and rattle of the front door key echoes through the shop.Helen steps in, brisk and ready for the day, her eyes landing on me immediately.She stops dead in her tracks.She takes in my pajamas and the espresso machine mid-brew, her expression shifting from morning readiness to sheer exasperation, though her lips twitch.
She lets the silence stretch, looking at me, one eyebrow slowly arching higher and higher.“Bueno,” she finally says, her voice dry, but carrying an undercurrent of affection beneath the frustration.“No.Simplemente,no.”She shakes her head, closing the door and striding toward the counter.“I can’t get used to this.I refuse.”She deposits her things on her desk in the back room and returns.“We need to find you a place that isn’t your office.”
“I don’t know,” I shrug, filling two mugs.“I’m starting to like the convenience of it.”
She stops to glare at me as I hand her one.“Great!You’re officially losing your mind.”
I laugh lightly, taking a slow sip.“Is Grace in today?”
“Yes, she starts at noon,” Helen says, taking down the chairs and getting the tables ready.“Why?”
“So I can spend some time in my office looking for rentals.”I put my mug down and start helping her.
“Fantastic idea,” Helen says, looking me up and down.“Now, can you please go change before customers start arriving?”
“Yes, boss!”I give her a teasing smile and pivot to walk away.
