The first few weeks in California passed more quickly than Aira expected, mostly because she did not give herself enough time to sit still. Remaining busy became her way of avoiding thoughts she was not yet ready to confront. Every morning she woke before sunrise, partly because pregnancy made sleep uncomfortable and partly because silence frightened her. The apartment still felt unfamiliar, and sometimes she needed the sound of movement just to remind herself that she had truly started over.
University life demanded more energy than she anticipated. Returning to school after years of marriage felt strangely intimidating. Many of her classmates were younger, confident in ways she no longer felt, and carefree about deadlines and presentations. During introductions, people spoke about caree
