The coffee shop buzzed with quiet energy, the steady hum of conversation blending with the hiss and gurgle of the espresso machine. Juniper sat at a small table by the window, her laptop open in front of her and a fresh notebook to her right. Snowflakes drifted lazily past the glass, the city moving at its usual brisk pace just beyond the cozy warmth of the café. She twirled her pen between her fingers,