The library was quiet, as it always was at this time of day. The steady hum of the air conditioning mixed with the soft rustling of pages, and the scent of old books filled the air. Camilla loved the stillness of it. But today, the silence felt oppressive, a reminder of just how overwhelmed she was.
She shuffled between the aisles, checking in books, rearranging the returns, and trying to ignore the exhaustion that had taken up permanent residence in her body. She had always loved working here, the calmness of the place, the smell of paper and ink, but now—now it was just another reminder that she was stuck. The pay barely covered her rent, and the bills kept piling up. The baby’s medical expenses had drained what little savings she had managed to scrape together.
She caught sight of her
