The applause always came first. It followed Lynda wherever she went now, sometimes soft and polite, sometimes almost raucous, sometimes it even hid itself behind words of admiration. People grinned when she walked in. they toss her name around like it belong to them, as if it was a shared secret. Invitations seemed to just appear in her inbox. Doors would swing open before she had a chance to reach for the handle. She was visible now, undeniably so.

And still, there were mornings when she woke ...