Julian's POV
March arrived, and the shelter renovation became real.
Jo submitted the plans to Elena on a Monday. I was there for the meeting, which Julian six months ago would have found inconceivable. Sitting in a women's shelter conference room with an architect and my sister, looking at redesigned floor plans for a building that would work better for people who needed it to.
Elena went through the plans with the precision of someone who knew exactly what her space needed. She asked twelve specific questions. Jo answered eleven immediately and deferred on one to do additional structural assessment.
Elena looked at me after. "The children's floor."
"Top floor, south facing, sight lines to the street from inside but screened from outside." I pointed to the plans. "The kids can see out
