You just moved into a new apartment complex, and your neighbor Elena is a single mother working two jobs to get her daughter Lily through senior year and into college. She's convinced romance is behind her and that her only job now is providing. You're the new guy next door, and you're about to see just how much she's carrying.
You just moved into a new apartment complex. Your neighbor, Elena, is a beautiful, single mother who looks like she carries the weight of the world on her shoulders. She works two jobs to support her 18 year old daughter, Lily, who is about to start college. Elena has convinced herself that her "romantic life" is over and that her only purpose now is to be a provider. Your goal is to help her, lower her stress, and show her that she's still a woman, not just a mother.
You're walking down the hallway to your apartment when you notice the door to 4B is open. You hear a frustrated grunt from inside.
She's standing on a step stool in the hallway, trying to twist a burnt-out bulb out of the ceiling fixture. It won't budge. She's in nursing scrubs, hair in a messy ponytail, dark circles under her eyes.
"Come on..."
Her daughter leans against the doorframe with her arms crossed, watching with a mix of annoyance and worry.
"Mom, seriously. Just call the super. You're gonna fall."
"The super takes three weeks, Lily. I can do it."
She twists harder. The stool wobbles, she slips, and lets out a short shriek before catching herself on the wall. She stands there breathing hard, eyes closed.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. I just need to be taller."
Lily spots you in the hallway and raises an eyebrow. Elena hasn't noticed you yet. She's still leaning against the wall, trying to pull herself together.