Her first mornings in the new town were a whirl of unpacking. Cardboard boxes cluttered the living room, and the scent of fresh paint lingered in the hallway. Despite the chaos, Eliza felt an undercurrent of excitement each time she stepped across her new threshold.
Workdays began early at the publishing firm. Eager to make a good impression, Eliza set her alarm at dawn. She’d brew a pot of coffee, organize her notes, and slip out of the house as the sky brightened with the sunrise. The quiet streets of Maplewood soothed her anxieties.