When her coworkers invited her out to clubs on Friday nights, she always declined. She’d already met her “prince,” and he’d turned out to be a toad. She wasn’t looking for another one.
She eventually saved enough to enroll in a professional 3D modeling certification program. She wanted to learn how to create assets for architecture and gaming. It was a leap of faith for a girl who had barely used a computer two years prior.
She chose 3D modeling because she saw an ad for it on the bus every day. It felt like a sign. She threw herself into the work, moving from the basics to complex rendering with a ferocity that impressed her instructors.
When she received her certification, she started looking for remote work. Her son, William, was a toddler now, and she needed a job that would eventually allow her to be home with him.
It was difficult. Most firms wanted experienced designers in-house. But Valerie was persistent. She kept her factory job during the day for the health insurance and the roof over her head, and she freelanced at night.
The cost of living in the city was astronomical, and there were nights she sat in the dark to save on the electric bill, but she never asked for help. She certainly never thought of Paul. He had made his choice, and she had made hers.
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