Summer arrived with a genuine sense of relief after freshman year's demanding pace, Ivy returning home to find her mother's new apartment — purchased finally with settlement proceeds the previous year — feeling considerably more lived-in and settled than her brief winter and spring visits had allowed her to fully appreciate.
"It finally feels like home," Marina observed, watching Ivy settle back into her old bedroom, now permanently established in their more spacious new space. "I confess, it took me longer than I expected to feel genuinely comfortable here, after so many years in our old apartment. But I think, finally, this actually feels like ours."
"It's beautiful, Mama. I'm so glad you're settled here properly."
The foundation, now well into its second full year of operation, had g
