Later that night, they sat on Elo’s porch under the stars.
“Do you ever wonder what would have happened if we’d never met?” Sky asked.
“I don’t think I’d be here,” Elo said quietly.
“Don’t say that,” Sky said.
“It’s true,” Elo said. “You saved my life.”
“You saved mine, too,” Sky said. “You showed me what real strength looks like.”
At thirty-two, Elo received a letter from the United Nations inviting her to speak at a global conference on child protection.
“The UN?” she said to Daniel, staring at the letter in disbelief. “That’s huge.”
“You deserve it,” he said. “You’ve worked for this.”
She called Sky immediately.
“They want me to speak in Geneva,” she said.
“Ellie,” Sky said. “You’re going to talk to world leaders. That’s big.”
“I’m terrified,” Elo admitted.
“You’ve spoken to thousands of people and to Congress,” Sky said. “You’ll be fine. Just tell them the truth.”
For three months, Elo prepared. She wrote and rewrote her speech. She practiced in front of Daniel, Sky, Ariston, even a very patient Maya.
In Geneva, the conference hall was massive. Representatives from more than a hundred countries sat at long rows of tables.
Backstage, Elo’s hands shook.