CHAPTER NINETEEN - AN UNLIKELY FRIEND

  Nia hesitated for a moment, wary of revealing too much about herself. But Helia's friendly demeanor put her at ease. "Well, I love reading, especially sci-fi novels. I just finished 'The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet' by Becky Chambers and absolutely loved it." Helia's eyes lit up. "No way! I adore that book! Have you read her Wayfarers series?" From there, their conversation flowed easily, jumping from book recommendations to favorite authors. By the time Helia had changed into spare clothes from her gym bag and the floor was completely dry, the two women had swapped contact information and shared a few more laughs about the incident. "You know," Helia said as she gathered her things, preparing to head home and change, "this has been the most fun I've had at work in ages. We should grab lunch sometime, continue our sci-fi debate." Nia found herself nodding, a genuine smile on her face. "I'd like that. Maybe tomorrow, if you're free?" "It's a date!" Helia agreed. "Meet you