Jenn's POV
The morning light peeked through the curtains, soft and golden, gently warming my face. I turned over slowly, expecting to find Andres beside me, but the space was empty. Still warm. I stretched, feeling the sweet soreness of a night filled with stolen kisses, whispered promises, and the kind of closeness that wrapped itself around your soul.
Just then, the door creaked open. Andres peeked in with a sheepish smile, holding two mugs. "Good morning, sleepyhead."
I smiled. "Is that... chai?"
He winked. "You've converted me. This is officially my love language now."
I laughed, sitting up as he handed me the mug and sat down beside me. He looked at me like I was everything he ever wanted, and it made my heart ache—in the best way.
But before I could melt into the sweetness of the moment, his expression changed—nervous, serious.
"I need to tell you something," he said.
My heart skipped. "Okay…"
He took a deep breath. "I didn't want to bring it up last night, but I've been doing some thinking. And talking."
"Talking?" I asked, confused.
"To my lawyer. And my mom."
I blinked. "Your mom? Andres, what's going on?"
He looked into my eyes, steady and certain. "I want you to stay."
My breath caught.
"I know you're going back in less than ten days, but… I don't want that to be the end of us. I've been looking into ways to extend your stay, or bring you back officially. I don't care about the countries, the cultures—we'll figure it all out. I just need to know you're willing to fight for this too."
My throat tightened. "You talked to your mom about me?"
He nodded slowly. "Yes. And... she wants to meet you."
I went still.
That's when the weight of reality truly hit me. This wasn't just a vacation fling. This was real. Deep. Possibly life-changing.
"Andres…" I whispered.
But before I could say more, the doorbell rang.
We both paused.
"I'll get it," he said, walking out. I followed him a step behind, still trying to process everything.
He opened the door, and there she was—his mom.
Tall, elegant, with warm brown eyes and a calm presence that immediately made me nervous. She looked at me, then back at Andres. "So… this is Kainaat?"
I stepped forward, swallowing the knot in my throat. "Yes… um, hi. It's really nice to meet you, ma'am."
She looked at me for a long moment, and then… smiled.
"I've heard a lot about you. And I came to see for myself if you're the girl who's had my son up all night writing love letters he never sends."
I blushed, and Andres groaned. "Mom!"
She laughed, stepping in, and suddenly the atmosphere felt a little lighter. Still serious, but not heavy.
She sat with us for a while, asking questions—not the intimidating kind, but curious, thoughtful ones. She wanted to know about my family, my dreams, my fears. At one point, she even asked about my favorite kind of breakfast.
As the conversation went on, she reached across the table and gently took my hand. "You're different from what I expected. But maybe that's a good thing. If you make my son this happy, I'd be a fool to stand in the way."
Tears welled up in my eyes.
After she left, Andres pulled me into a warm hug, his lips brushing my temple. "See? We're already building bridges."
I held him close. "You really think we can do this?"
"I know we can."
And in that moment, with my heart full and my soul finally calm, I realized this wasn't just the end of a trip—it was the beginning of forever.