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act.
Rent.
Utilities.
Groceries.
Childcare.
Transportation.
The numbers never seemed to work.
Yet Clara kept moving forward.
She worked long shifts.
She updated her résumé.
She attended interviews whenever possible.
Most importantly, she cared for Lily with unwavering dedication.
On that New Year’s Eve, however, the challenges felt heavier than usual.
She considered
calling relatives but knew many were struggling themselves.
She thought about asking friends for help but hesitated.
Finally, she opened her phone and found the number of a former mentor from a community shelter program she had once volunteered with.
The mentor had always encouraged her and occasionally checked in to see how things were going.
Clara typed