As Nattie and Joel thanked him for the lift and exited the car onto the sidewalk, Alex leant in, planted a passionate kiss on his lips, and told him not to be a fool.

It left Alan grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Alex opened the trunk and pulled out her bag, along with her siblings’ belongings.

She recognised Sam’s sports bag from his room at the motel. There was a note attached to it.

‘Alex. Give them the life you’ve worked so hard for.’

Alex unzipped the bag, peered in, and immediately closed it. Acting as casually as possible, she removed the bag, closed the trunk and then slapped the car, indicating to Alan he could leave. Alan did with a friendly toot of his horn, and Alex felt a tinge of excitement about seeing him next week.

There was something about Joe Alan.

Something that felt right.

But then and there, in that moment, all she could think about was getting her brother and sister back in their flat, sorting through their belongings and ordering them a pizza.

It was time to give them the life she’d worked so hard for.

And later that night, when she counted out the two hundred and fifty grand Sam had left for her, she could feel her hand shaking.

There was no way of thanking Sam for what he’d done.

He’d not only rescued her from death’s clutches, but he’d rescued them all.

They were together.

With a chance of building a proper life together.

As she watched Nattie and Joel bicker over slices of pizza, she felt the tears of happiness sweep over her lashes.

She didn’t brush them away.

They were a reminder of just how lucky she was, that above all things, Sam Pope was a man of his word.

* * *

That morning started just like any other.

Leon had risen from his bed early, making himself a coffee and watching the streets of the Bronx come to life, the sunrise like a call to action for the early risers. Businesses opened, and the traffic filtered through the streets, filling Leon with the usual sense of pride for his local community. Today was going to be a difficult day to navigate.

He had a meeting with a financial adviser at the local bank, hoping to get some support for the increasing pile of bills with which his pensions were unable to cover.

The very real possibility of leaving the apartment, where he’d spent decades with Lizzy, building a life he’d clung to lovingly ever since she’d passed away.

As he finished his coffee, he caught a glimpse of himself in the reflection of a photo, his tired, withered face ruining the radiant look of love from their wedding day.

He felt like a failure.