With $5000 to my name, I went apartment hunting. Although my attorney told me to stay in the house, my former family had just taken my car in the middle of the night. “You’re leaving that place.” @glowewithme said. I had just sold my wedding rings, a necklace, two vintage bags, and some clothes to obtain a car. IG went from creative hobby to “you support four people”. We set off to tour two apartments. The first one wasn’t “it” - “it” not as in “the one”, but not possible. Walking back to Whitney’s car a man yells “we gonna be neighbors?”. She answered. My discouragement silenced me. “There’s a real good one next street over, not listed.” We turn onto a one way street. A weathered “for rent” sign has a number scribbled on it. “Call it” Whitney said. No answer or voicemail. My anxiousness grows. “Send a text” she encourages. Our last showing was dark, dirty, sad, needing tons of work, but I was so willing. As we leave, the number calls back. “Can you be there in 30?”. We arrive. I look up at the second floor windows. “I wonder what’s in there”, I’d never lived in the city before. I tearfully looked back at Whitney, jaw on the floor. This was home, and I had never been so sure of something in my life. “When you know, you know” I always thought that applied to marriage. But this was my first undoubtedly “I just knew.” The light and energy and warmth I desired for my babies was all over the place. We reach the top of the sunlit stairs and he sees my teary face - “you wanted more modern”. “No no no, it has character and it’s bright and perfect”. Three bedrooms, two baths, and a built-in gate at the hallway stairs leading to the basement (the one spot - already baby proofed). It. Was. Perfect. “You’re a single mom and he won’t pay child support? That makes me nervous.” Whitney perked up “this is who she is, this is what she’s worth, she will send you her past work and incoming work, she begins her part time job in two weeks, and here is the brand she just started... this is only the beginning.” (Continued in comments).