"Isabel, you made it!" Greg's voice boomed across the office lobby, his hand extending toward me in a hearty handshake. He was the project manager I'd been assigned to assist, and honestly, I didn't know much about him other than that he seemed eager to make me feel at home. He was one of those people who had too much energy for a Monday morning, and his attempt at levity only sounded like one more thing to add to my already full plate.
"Yeah," I said wearily, shaking his hand firmly. "I made it."
I had been trying to push down the frustration that had sat like a weight in my chest for weeks. The job at the marketing firm was a lifeline-the one that paid more than the gig I had before, enabling me to cover Hazel's growing medical bills without drowning. It meant I could keep my head abov
