This story was born out of late nights, big emotions, and a dream to build a life where I could continue to stay home with my boys. Thank you for helping make that dream a little more real.

1

Selene

There’s something beautiful about a fresh start in a small mountain town. No one has seen my past, my awkward preteen years, or whispers about my mother’s demons. There are no pitying glances about when my life imploded. There is a clean slate—a blank canvas for me to repaint my story.

Driving down Main Street I notice an eerie quiet in Shadow Grove that makes me pause. Usually, Aubrey could be seen flagging people down so she could share the latest town gossip or talk about what she saw on the news last night. She loves to hang out at Bear and Brew, the most amazing cafe I’ve ever been to, the coffee that could inspire loyalty, and the kind of baked goods that could tempt angels to sin.

Is there a holiday today I forgot about?

That’s the only thing that would make sense about why the town is so quiet. I can get so lost in work that entire days vanish before I notice. Thankfully, as a graphic designer, I can set my schedule. Umbra is my only client, and since they’re a world-renowned music group, I don’t have to worry about picking up any more clients.

I get access to all their music as it’s written and recorded so I can collaborate on designs for their veils and album art. It’s a job that most people would kill for. But for me, it’s more than a job—it’s an escape. A way to pour myself into a greater purpose—one just out of reach. It’s given me a sense of purpose that I lost somewhere along the way.

My grip tightens around the leather leash. My favorite hiking boots crunch softly against the gravel path as we amble through the trail. The late afternoon sun bathes Shadow Grove’s woods in a golden glow, softening the edges of this new place I call home and makes the world feel a little less sharp as if the whole town exists in the golden hour of a long-forgotten dream.