Present Day
The coffee shop in Hudson Valley is the kind of place that serves lattes in mismatched mugs and doesn't have Wi-Fi by design.
Aria chose it deliberately.
Neutral territory. Public enough to be safe. Private enough to speak freely.
She checks her watch for the third time. Leon is late.
Of course he is.
Some things never change.
Her phone buzzes with a text from Mrs. Henderson.
Sophie is asking when you'll be home.
Aria's chest tightens. She hates leaving her daughter, even for a few hours, especially now, when everything feels unstable.
Tell her I'll be back for dinner. We'll make pancakes.
The response comes quickly.
She's already planning the menu.
Despite everything, Aria smiles. Sophie inherited many things from her father, but thankfully, his inability to prior
