Chapter 10
Daniel’s first birthday party was in October.
A year to the day after he was born.
The whole neighborhood came.
Kids from the community center, running around the yard, screaming, chasing each other with balloons. Their parents sitting on the porch, eating hot dogs and potato salad, laughing. Tony and the guys from the old crew, all now working at the community center, manning the grill, wearing silly paper hats. DA Chen was there too, holding her own little girl, talking to Lila about preschool programs.
The blue house was full of people.
Full of noise.
Full of love.
Daniel was the center of attention.
Dressed in a little white onesie with a blue bow tie, covered in chocolate cake, sitting on the grass, surrounded by presents. He clapped his hands and laughed every time someone sang to him.
Dominic was sitting on the grass next to him.
No suit. No gold chain. Just jeans and a Rizzo Community Center t-shirt, his hair a little messy, cake on his cheek. He was making silly faces at Daniel, making him laugh so hard he fell over.
Lila was standing by the porch, talking to a group of moms from the neighborhood. Her hair was long again, falling halfway down her back, braided over one shoulder the way she used to wear it. She looked happy. Relaxed. Confident. Like she’d finally found her place in the world.
I was standing by the grill, holding a plate of hot dogs, watching it all.
A year ago, I never would’ve believed this could be my life.
A year ago, I was a girl with nothing. No family. No home. No purpose. Just a lot of regret and a lot of shame.
Now I had everything.
I had a job I loved, working with girls who needed me.
I had a home, a room with a window that looked out over the backyard, where I felt safe every single night.
I had Dominic.
My brother in every way that mattered. The man who’d once been my enemy, who’d become my fiercest protector, my most trusted friend.
I had Lila.
My sister. The girl I’d hurt so badly, who’d chosen to forgive me anyway. Who’d taught me what kindness really was. What love really was.
I had Daniel.
My godson. The little boy who’d changed all of our lives. Who’d taught me that it’s never too late to start over. That redemption is real. That love can grow even out of the darkest, most broken places.
Dominic looked up.
Saw me watching.
Smiled.
Waved me over.
I walked across the yard.
Sat down on the grass next to them.
Daniel saw me.
Lit up.
Crawled over to me as fast as he could, his little knees digging into the grass. He pulled himself up on my leg, reached his little arms up to me.
“Up,” he babbled. “Up, Elara.”
I picked him up.
Held him tight.
He smelled like baby powder and chocolate cake. He wrapped his little arms around my neck, rested his head on my shoulder, and sighed.
I closed my eyes.
For a second, I was back at the penthouse.
Standing in my ruined Versace gown, holding a pair of silver shears, watching Lila cry on the floor.
I thought about all the mistakes I’d made.
All the people I’d hurt.
All the pain I’d caused.
And then I opened my eyes.
And I was here.
In the backyard of the blue house.
Holding Daniel.
Surrounded by people who loved me.
People who’d seen me at my worst, and had chosen to love me anyway.
People who’d helped me become the woman I was always meant to be.
Strong.
Kind.
Brave.
Free.
Lila walked over.
Sat down next to me.
Leaned her head on my shoulder.
Dominic put his arm around both of us.
Daniel snuggled closer to me.
The kids laughed.
The grill sizzled.
The sun shone down on all of us, warm and golden.
Justice had been served.
My father was in prison, where he belonged. The corrupt officials were gone. The old, violent world we’d all grown up in was a thing of the past.
We were safe.
All of us.
Lila was confident, loved, running programs that helped hundreds of women in the neighborhood.
Dominic was respected, building a legacy of good instead of fear.
Daniel was happy, healthy, growing up in a house full of love, with a whole community ready to protect him.
And me?
I was finally home.
I looked at the three people I loved most in the world.
Smiled.
This was the happy ending I’d always dreamed of.
Not the one I’d planned.
Not the one with the fancy gown and the big wedding and the mafia empire.
Something better.
Something real.
Something worth every tear, every fight, every hard step it had taken to get here.
I kissed the top of Daniel’s head.
“Happy birthday, sweet boy,” I whispered.
He looked up at me.
Grinning, chocolate on his chin.
And in that moment, I knew.
May you like
Everything was going to be okay.
Forever.
