Christine stood in front of the mirror.

She adjusted the collar of her crisp white blouse, the fabric hugging her figure just right, and smoothed down the tailored black skirt that fell just below her knees. With a final touch of her lipstick, she admired the confident woman staring back at her.

After a moment of self-appreciation, Christine grabbed her purse and keys, her heart fluttering with excitement at the thought of seeing Nadia. It had been a week since she had last seen her, and the ache of separation had lingered longer than she had thought. She stepped outside, the cool morning air refreshing against her skin, and slid...