CHAPTER 77 CAREER CROSSROADS

The gentle spring had blossomed into a vibrant summer, and with it came a whirlwind of change for Jenna. Her manuscript, polished and perfected over countless late nights and early mornings, had found its way onto the desk of a small but reputable publishing house. The waiting game that followed was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. On a sweltering July afternoon, as Jenna shelved books at the library where she still worked part-time, her phone buzzed in her pocket. With trembling hands, she answered the call that would change everything. "Hello, is this Jenna Thompson?" a cheerful voice inquired. "Yes, this is she," Jenna replied, her heart pounding. "This is Sarah from Evergreen Publishing. I'm calling to inform you that we'd like to offer you a book deal for your children's novel." The world seemed to tilt on its axis as Jenna processed the words. She leaned against the bookshelf for support, her legs suddenly weak. "Are you serious?" she whispered, hardly daring to believe