When I accepted a new cleaning contract for my business, I didn’t expect it to reconnect me with a part of my past. The client’s name was Diane — my aunt and the person who cared for me briefly after my parents passed away years ago. Our relationship ended suddenly during my childhood, and I grew up without clear answers about why things had changed so abruptly. Seeing her name again brought back many memories I thought I had moved past.
After entering foster care, I focused on building stability for myself. By my teenage years, I was taking small cleaning jobs after school. As I grew older, those jobs turned into steady work, and eventually, I started my own company, PureSpace Services. It was a slow climb, but by my early twenties, I had a team, loyal clients, and a business I was proud of. Accepting the contract with my aunt wasn’t easy, but I chose to approach it professionally.
When I arrived at her home, she greeted me politely but didn’t recognize me. Our conversations stayed simple and surface-level as she went about her daily routines. While working, I found myself reflecting on how much life had changed. The distance between us felt less personal and more like a natural result of years lived in very different worlds.