Natalie's POV
I sat in my car outside the café for nearly ten minutes before I trusted myself to drive, Ms. Vance's text still glowing on my screen like something I couldn't quite bring myself to touch.
Following up on your consultation. We have an opening this week if you're ready to proceed with filing.
Ready. As though readiness were a single, clean state a person simply arrived at, rather than something built out of a hundred smaller decisions, each one costing more than the last.
I thought about Eleanor's hand on my shoulder. Do it quickly. Daniel moves fastest when he thinks no one is watching.
I called the office before I let myself second-guess it.
"Vance and Associates."
"This is Natalie Reyes. I got a text about an opening this week."
"One moment." A pause, some rustling
