I’m soon pulling my luggage off the elevator and power walking over to my door, feeling full-on butterflies as I thrust my key into the lock. I wrench the door open and step inside, breathing deep and becoming overwhelmed with a sense of everything clicking into place. I’m home. The apartment is stuffy, the air is stale and a small layer of dust is visible on the furniture, but to my eyes, this place hasn’t looked so beautiful since the day I bought it and realized it was mine.

I immediately grip Calliope’s handlebars and close my eyes with a squeal of delight. I’m itching to take her out for a ride, but I know that will have to wait until tomorrow. I give her bell a quick ding and then run across the living room to the windows. I fling them open, savoring the cold gust of wind that flows in. I do a quick spin, soaking in the feeling of total comfort.

I charge into the bedroom next and stop dead in my tracks. I smile down at my bed before I leap forward and fling myself onto the mattress. God, I missed my bed! Italy was great but their mattresses are crap.

I reluctantly roll over and bounce onto the floor to open the bedroom windows. With the breeze on my face, I lean out to drink in my Midtown East view. I’m darn close to singing when my cell phone rings with an alert from the front desk. I tuck my head back inside and answer it.

The doorman tells me Cristina is here and I ask him to let her up. I hold the door open before she even arrives, hopping in excitement as I hear the elevator getting closer and closer.

She comes into view moments later and barrels into me, screeching and throwing her arms around my shoulders. We hug and yell for a considerable amount of time before letting go. My face hurts from cheesing so hard as she quickly walks into the apartment and I close the door.

“Kara, you look beautiful! Completely Italian!”

“Grazie,” I say, jokingly tossing my new cream-colored pashmina over my shoulder. “You look great too! I’ve missed you so much!”

“I’ve missed you! How do you feel? Are you happy to be home?”

“It’s a little strange,” I admit. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m overjoyed to be back, but it’s still a little weird.”

“I’m seriously so, so happy you’re back. You can never leave me again! Promise you won’t.”

“I wasn’t gone that long,” I say, pulling her over to sit down on the couch.

“What are you talking about? Six months is a lifetime. I latched onto Jason like a barnacle because I missed talking to you so much. He thinks I’m a psycho but that’s what he signed up for.”

“Poor guy.”