Welcome to the 44 Part 1

The sun wasn't even up yet, but Garden City Projects was already moving. The 44 had its own heartbeat - slow, steady, and loud enough to shake you awake before your alarm ever could. Kids yelling, somebody frying bacon, somebody else arguing on the balcony, and a car with a busted muffler rolling through like it owned the block. Cece stepped out of her black SUV and locked it with a soft beep. She took a deep breath, letting the morning air settle her nerves. This was her ritual - before the clients, before the emails, before the chaos - she grounded herself right here on the concrete she grew up on. Her shop sat on the corner, the only building on the block with fresh paint and a clean glass door. "I Am You Beauty & PR Agency" glowed in gold lettering across the front. Hair care products on one side, PR office on the other. Only Cece could pull off a setup like that in the middle of the projects.