Chapter 7 - Epilogue on Hanover Street
Three months later, the morning air in Boston’s historic North End was crisp, carrying the rich, comforting aroma of roasting espresso beans and powdered sugar down Hanover Street.
At 5:45 AM, the wooden door of Greco’s Pastry unlocked with a familiar, cheerful jingle.
Sadie Cole pushed the door open, flicked on the warm brass wall sconces, and tied a clean white apron around her waist. Her bleach-stained sneakers were long gone, replaced by comfortable work boots. Her hands were dusted with flour, and her skin had the healthy, flushed glow of someone who slept through the night without looking over her shoulder.
She walked over to the large front display window, arranging a fresh tray of golden, cream-filled cannoli just as the first rays of autumn sunlight crested over the red-brick tenement rooftops.
Across the street, a black town car idling quietly by the curb flicked its headlights once in a silent, respectful greeting.
Sadie didn't flinch. She smiled, raised a hand in a brief, acknowledging wave, and watched as the town car pulled smoothly away into the Boston traffic, heading south toward New York.
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Inside the bakery, the radio played a soft, melodic tune, and the ancient oven in the back hummed with steady, reliable heat.
The field was hers now. And for the first time in her life, the harvest was going to be sweet.
