Violet and I live in a small city apartment. In the morning she makes strong coffee while I hang fresh laundry on the balcony---the smell of coffee and street air makes the kitchen feel special. We often read together: one of us reads aloud in the quiet morning while the other listens; sometimes we pause on a favorite line to kiss. In the evenings we wrap ourselves in a blanket on the couch, pages rustling as we laugh at the characters. We go to the gym after work---stretching to music, joking when one of us loses balance. After a workout we make smoothies or order something healthy and take a warm bath. City life means small rituals: cooking together in our tiny kitchen, dancing by the stove, ironing shirts while talking about plans, opening packages, and watching the streetlights from the window. Sometimes we stroll in the nearby park, holding hands and watching people go by---those simple minutes warm the day. Life in the city is simple and cozy: books, workouts, everyday chores, lot