Chapter 7 - Stepping Out of the Ivory Tower
For the first time in years, Eleanor left her driver behind and took the wheel of her SUV herself. With Lily in the passenger seat, they drove away from the manicured lawns of the estate and into the gritty, forgotten neighborhoods of the city.
Eleanor had spent her adulthood building walls of wealth to protect herself from the poverty she and her sister had briefly known. Now, driving through the dilapidated streets, she felt a profound sense of guilt. How long had her own flesh and blood been suffering out here?
They stopped at a local soup kitchen Lily remembered. Inside, a stern but warm woman named Rosa was stirring a massive pot of stew. When Lily called her name, Rosa’s face lit up with a mixture of shock and relief.
"Little Lily," Rosa gasped, wiping her hands on her apron and pulling the girl into a hug.
May you like
Eleanor introduced herself and showed Rosa the photograph. "We are looking for Sarah."
Rosa sighed heavily, looking at Eleanor with guarded eyes. "Sarah was a good girl. Fierce. Protected this one like a lioness. The last time I saw her, she was working two diner jobs, trying to save money for a lawyer to get Lily out of the system. She mentioned following a lead on some family she never knew she had."
