I woke up on a soft bed.
It was a strange feeling. For years, I had woken up on a thin mattress that sagged in the middle, my back aching, my neck stiff. But this bed was different. It felt like something I could actually rest on.
I lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling.
'This is my house.'
The thought still hadn't fully settled in. It felt like a dream I would wake up from any second.
I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed.
Today, I needed to buy and order many things. Furniture. Appliances. A proper wardrobe. The house was still empty. It needed to become a home.
I stood up and walked to the bathroom.
The mirror showed me a face I almost didn't recognize. Not because it had changed. But because the eyes staring back at me looked different. Less tired.
I splashed cold water on my face and dried it with a towel that was still new, still stiff.
I walked down the stairs.
