Now, my name was printed on the banners outside.

“Are you ready?” Margaret asked.

“Yes,” I said.

We walked out together into the bright morning light.

The sound of camera shutters clicking was immediate and constant.

The flashbulbs reflected off the surface of the lake behind us.

Julian took his place at the podium first.

He adjusted the microphone, which let out a brief squeal of static.

“Good morning, everyone,” Julian said.

His deep voice carried over the sound of the wind and the lapping water.

“Thank you for joining us on this historic day for the Chicago shoreline.”

“For decades, this pier has been a monument to the industrial past.”

“Today, we begin its transformation into a public space for the future.”

He turned and gestured toward me with a sweep of his hand.

“This transformation is led by our principal structural engineer, Claire Bennett.”

The crowd applauded politely.

I stepped forward, taking my place at the wooden podium.

The cameras flashed rapidly, creating a wall of white light in my vision.

I looked out at the faces in the audience.