Charpter 1
She took a few seconds to find her key at the bottom of her bag.
When the door finally opened, the apartment welcomed her the same way it always did: silent.
She turned on the living room light.
She slipped off her shoes, one at a time, and left them by the door.
Her bag landed on the couch, still unopened.
For a moment, she stood there, looking toward the kitchen. She needed to decide whether to make something to eat or simply take a shower and pretend the day had never happened.
She opened the refrigerator.
A ready-made salad.
A bottle of wine, still nearly full.
A faint smile crossed her face.
Sometimes, that was enough.
She poured herself a glass from the only wine glass she kept in the cabinet and took it with her to the bathroom.
Warm water began to fall, washing away the noise of the office, the messages, the demands, and the hours that always seemed to slip away too quickly.
The shower wasn't long, but it was enough to ease the weight of the day.
Later, dressed in her pajamas, she settled onto the couch.
She turned on the TV.
She didn't choose anything.
She simply let YouTube decide for her.
Music videos.
Interviews.
One video ended.
Another began.
She lifted the glass to her lips.
Then, a face appeared on the screen.
She hadn't seen that smile in many years.
And suddenly, she realized she still remembered it.
To be continued...