“I love you too,” I manage to say before the tears come. He brushes them away from my face. “You can’t fix the whole world, baby girl.”

I smile. “No but maybe Harlem. Harlem’s a good start.”

He kisses my cheek and walks back to the cab. I run inside because I don’t want to see them drive off. My mom quickly ends her call when she sees me enter crying.

“Are you sure about this?” she asks as she lovingly strokes my back. I put my head on her shoulder and sob.

Then, I take a deep breath and remember who I am and the enormous sacrifices that were made to get me to this point. “I’ll cry on my own time. Right now belongs to Lashay Horton. She deserves justice.” We get back on our phones and brace for one of many battles ahead.

The wind picks up outside, a tree branch taps on the window, like an old friend trying to get my attention. I look out and watch in amazement as color seeps back into Harlem. The rich reds, browns, and golds that I had drained from my beloved city have returned. This is Harlem saying, “Welcome back, daughter . . .”

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank:

My patient and phenomenal editor, Margaret Raymo. (You are officially invited to the cookout!)

My superagent, Adrienne Rosado. (Thanks for talking me off the ledge almost daily.)

My cover artist, Sopuruchi Ndubuisi. (Thank you for the stunning artwork.) And also Celeste Knudsen, who designed this beautiful jacket.

Last, to my friend and assistant, Shannon Ariss. Hey, Shan, we survived the writing process. We survived!

About the Author

Photo by Stephanie Girard Photography

MARIE ARNOLD was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and came to America at the age of seven. She grew up in Brooklyn, New York, alongside her extended family and now lives in Los Angeles. She is also the author of The Year I Flew Away.

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Books by Marie Arnold

The Year I Flew Away

I Rise

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