"Rachael, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired. Can I take the day off?" Eloise said, her voice sounding unusually content.
Rachael's tone softened, a hint of concern mixed with relief. "Sure. I’m glad you’re finally listening to your body. Take the day off, Eloise. You deserve it. Don’t worry about a thing here." With that, the line went quiet as Rachael hung up.
Eloise stared at the phone for a moment, a slight smile tugging at her lips. She had made it through the morning without a major crisis, and now she had an entire day to herself. Her thoughts felt unusually clear as she stood up, stretching her stiff limbs. She wandered over to the small wooden table by the bedroom window, sat down, and opened the drawer, retrieving her well-worn notebook.
It had become her one true companion ove
