Valerie opened her wallet, counted the few crumpled bills inside, and let out a heavy sigh. Money was running dangerously low, and finding a decent job in Chicago was proving tougher than she’d ever imagined. She mentally ran through her list of essentials, trying to calm her racing heart. The freezer held a pack of chicken thighs and some frozen burgers. The pantry had rice, pasta, and a box of tea bags. For now, she could get by with just a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread from the corner store.

“Mom, where’re you going?” Little Tessa bounded out of her room, her big brown eyes searching Valerie’s face with worry.

“Don’t worry, sweetie,” Valerie said, forcing a smile to hide her nerves. “Mom’s just heading out to look for a job. But guess what? Aunt Zoe and her son Parker are coming over soon to hang out with you.”

“Parker’s coming?” Tessa’s face lit up, her hands clapping in excitement. “Will they bring Muffin?”

Muffin was Zoe’s tabby cat, a fluffy bundle of affection that Tessa adored. Zoe, their neighbor, had offered to watch Tessa while Valerie went to a job interview downtown at a food distribution company. Getting to the office in Chicago meant a long commute—way more time on buses and trains than the interview itself would take.

It had been over two months since Valerie and Tessa moved to the Windy City. Valerie kicked herself for that impulsive decision—uprooting her life with a young daughter, burning through most of her savings on rent and groceries, all banking on landing a job quickly. But Chicago’s job market was brutal. Despite her two college degrees and relentless determination, finding a stable position felt like chasing a mirage. Back in her small hometown of Peoria, Illinois, her mom, Linda, and younger sister, Emma, depended on her as the family’s rock. They weren’t exactly great at managing without her.

“Muffin’s staying home, sweetie,” Valerie said gently. “He’s not big on road trips. But we’ll visit Aunt Zoe’s place soon, and you can cuddle him all you want.”

“I want a cat too!” Tessa pouted, crossing her arms.

Valerie shook her head with a soft chuckle. Tessa always got like this when pets came up. Back in Peoria, at Grandma Linda’s house, they’d left behind Shadow, their sleek black cat, and a yappy little dog named Peanut. Tessa played with them whenever they visited, and now she missed them terribly.

“Honey, we’re renting this apartment,” Valerie explained. “The landlord doesn’t allow pets.”

“Not even a goldfish?” Tessa asked, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“Not even a goldfish.”

Right now, pets were the least of Valerie’s worries. Her mind was laser-focused on one thing: finding a job. The last of her savings was dwindling, and every day brought a fresh wave of anxiety. At least she’d paid six months’ rent upfront, but that had nearly wiped her out.

The doorbell buzzed, snapping Valerie out of her thoughts. Zoe and her five-year-old son, Parker, stood at the threshold. Zoe, as usual, carried a Tupperware of homemade chocolate chip cookies and a slice of her mom’s famous lemon pound cake. Like Valerie, Zoe was a single mom, but she lived with her parents in a cramped apartment nearby. Saving up for a place of her own in Chicago was like trying to win the lottery.