A cool breeze swept over the grass, carrying the earthy smell of spring.

Hannah had a stable job now, and she had started saving a little each month.

The emergency fund was small, but it was hers.

She could buy oranges without checking every coin in her palm.

She could take Sophie to a dentist appointment without deciding which other bill would have to wait.

There were still difficult days.

There were always likely to be difficult days.

But their choices were no longer reduced to whether they could survive the night.