When he finally stepped back onto the street, the violet glow of the sign felt different. He wasn't just Leo, a guy trying to fit in. He was a part of a vibrant, stubborn, and beautiful lineage. He squared his shoulders, looked at his reflection in a shop window, and smiled—not just for himself, but for Julian, Martha, and everyone yet to come.
"Don't just stand there letting the air conditioning out," a raspy voice called from the back.
That was Martha. She was seventy, with silver hair cropped close and a collection of enamel pins that told the story of forty years of marches. She beckoned Leo toward a heavy mahogany table covered in loose photographs.