t and luxurious. The building, located in a quiet, hidden area on the outskirts of the city, was old but well-main

e her and her younger brother alone. This made Laura step up from a very young age. She had to start working to support her mother so as the pressure won't weigh her down, she had who to take up extra shifts at the local diner to help make ends meet, she also had to look out for her younger brother, always made sure he did his

Laura feeling like she was drowning in debt. Despite working two jobs, one as a receptionist at a firm during the day a

The walls were covered with family portraits, which captured scenes from a simpler, happier time. There was a photo of Laura as a child, standing between her parents with a wide, smile an

or was covered in reminders, appointments, medication schedules, and a few messages of encouragement that Laura had written

through thi

ficult days. Elizabeth, Laura's mother, spent the majority of her time in bed now. Th

r her mother, she felt a terrible sense of helplessness. No matter how hard she worked or how much she sacrificed, nothing seemed to be enough. The medical bills continued to pile. It was as if she was fighting an already lost battle, but she would not give up. Laura refused to give up. Her days were a mess of work and anxiety. She would get up before dawn to m

that life was not always fair, and that some people had to work harder than others in order to live. She had accepted this, and while it weighed hard on her, she carried it with strength. But there were times, in the quiet of the night, when the weight of it all

, were concerned about her. They could see the toll it was taking, the stress and exhaustion had begun to form wrinkles into her smooth skin and her once lively

would say, signaling the

se to assist her in taking care of her mother and sometimes

, it was typically at the persuasion of Anita, and it's almost impossible to have fun. Her thoughts were constantly elsewhere, worrying about her mother, the

kept her going, even when she thought she had nothing more to offer. She had given up so much of her time, her energy, her own happiness but Laura believed it was worthwhile if it meant her

se dreams had been placed on hold. They were now only distant memories, hidde

el a sense of longing. The story was one of adventure and romance. It was the type of story Laura used to enjoy, and it gave her hope. But now it

ur life, Laura."she whispered softl

uch for me. "You de

softly squeezed h

this so you can get better. She sai

this book so you

r eyes. Laura read to her her mother un