Today's Reading

"I just thought I'd give you a sneak preview since nothing else has fit the bill," the agent said, putting an end to Leonie's wistful daydreaming. "It's a great neighborhood, very safe, and as you saw on the way in, you've also got the bonus of a private access door."

From what she could tell, the house was divided into three separate units, all of which had their own entrance. The basement living space looked to be accessed through a side door at street level, whereas they'd entered up steps and through one of two adjacent doors beneath the porch before taking the stairs to the top floor.

"You're right, it's absolutely perfect," she agreed, unable to hide her enthusiasm. But wasn't it just her luck that it wasn't available? "You said there's someone still living here?"

Strange, it certainly didn't look or feel like that. Notwithstanding the dust on the furniture and absence of any recent signs of activity, there was an air of disuse and almost...abandonment about the place.

"Yes. Officially, I shouldn't be even showing you this place," the agent said with a mischievous gleam in his eye, "because it's not yet on the MLS. But..." He turned to face her. "Personally, I think it's kind of special. This is a great neighborhood, and these old Victorians don't come along every day. It'll be snapped up quickly, so if you think you might be interested..."

"I'm interested," Leonie said determinedly. It was smaller than she'd hoped and considerably more expensive, but regardless, it was ideal for her needs. As the very first person to see it, she wasn't going to look a gift horse... Fate or blind luck? Either way, it certainly felt right. "When can I move in?"

Later, she called Grace with an update on her living situation. Upon first arriving in the city, Leonie had been in touch to let her friend know where she was, and as expected, Grace was dumbfounded to learn that she'd left the country.

"You're really going through with this?" her friend had gasped, crestfallen. "When you said you needed space, I thought you meant just a day or two to yourself, not that you'd be flying half a world away! Maybe I can appreciate your wanting to escape, but why so far? I won't be able to see you, and I can barely pick San Francisco out on a map."

She sounded hurt, and Leonie felt a fresh pang of guilt. Clearly Grace was feeling shunned and upset that she'd left so suddenly and without a proper goodbye. But at the time, she hadn't wanted to face anyone—Adam especially. Plus, her friend would surely have tried to talk her out of it. And Leonie couldn't risk that.

In difficult times, her instinct had always been to get away, put some physical distance between herself and trouble to lick her wounds before attempting to process how she truly felt about it.

"I'm sorry," she admitted. "It is hard not having you close by, but at the same time, you know I needed to do this."

"Running away from stuff never helps in the long run though."

"Maybe, but it works for me."

"Okay, I don't blame you for wanting a little time, but surely it's better to be with people who care about you instead of all alone in a big city where nobody gives a damn?" Grace countered.

"It's not like that. People are nice here," Leonie assured her, thinking of the helpful real estate agent who'd found her the perfect apartment today and Carla the hotel receptionist with whom she'd struck up a friendship of sorts over the last couple of weeks. "Everyone's been really friendly."

Gorgeous blue skies and bright Californian sunshine had an immediate lifting effect on her mood, and although it was as busy and bustling as any other, the city had a relaxed bohemian vibe about it too.

So yes, of course sometimes she felt lonely and missed everything she'd left behind, but that was partly the point, wasn't it?

Don't look back...

That afternoon, she'd signed the lease on the one-bedroom Victorian conversion and would be moving in at the end of the month.
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