I looked up at the sky, the sun was already low behind the tall buildings. Mia was supposed to pick me up here, but she hadn’t turned up yet. I tapped my wristwatch nervously, thinking, "Maybe something came up." I was still trying to readjust to Earth after months in space. My mind kept slipping away to stars, and I lost track of time.
"Hey, you okay?" Mia’s voice came from behind. She smiled, but looked swamped. "Sorry, I’m late. Wanted to drop off a letter before I came." I took it, curious.
"It slipped my mind to tell you earlier," she said, "but I’m out of office next week. Some WIP at work, you know?" I nodded, my fingers tracing the envelope’s edge.
"FYI," she added, "the letter’s from your mission control. There’s a meeting ASAP tomorrow about your next steps. ETA and location TBD."
"Thanks," I said, feeling a little overwhelmed. "I can’t help it, but sometimes I want to give up. Earth feels strange after space."
Mia nodded, "That’s a bummer, I know. But you’ll pick up fast, I’m sure. BTW, don’t forget to LMK if you need anything."
The evening breeze was gentle. I opened the letter, and a gleaming city light blinked far below. "What a shame," I muttered, "I almost forgot how alive this place is."
"Come on," Mia said, "let’s sit and watch the city light up together." I smiled, feeling a small hope turn up inside me, ready for whatever comes next.
