Maya grabbed the last bag out of the back seat of her car and locked it. Crossing the hot parking lot, she climbed three flights of stairs to her apartment. She dropped the bags in the kitchen and started preparing the chicken. Turning on the oven to preheat, she patted the meat dry, rubbed the cream cheese mixture on top, and sprinkled on the bread crumbs. Setting that aside, she spread the green beans onto a sheet pan drizzled them with olive oil, and added salt and pepper. Docking her phone, she turned the music volume up and sang along as she made dinner. She popped the chicken and green beans into the oven and laid out the to-go bowls to divide them into once it was done.
She had been in her apartment for two months, and it was starting to feel like home. She missed the forest at h
