𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞 | 𝐣𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧

𝟎𝟐

𝐑𝐔𝐁𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐋𝐈𝐙 approached the familiar house next door, its paint still the same soft turquoise, the air around it carrying the scent of jasmine and something faintly sweet, maybe panela, maybe just memory. ruby hesitated at the steps, heart fluttering, while liz, steady as ever, raised her hand and knocked twice against the worn wooden door.

they waited only a breath before it opened with a gentle creak, and there she was, nina, luna's mother. her hair, now streaked with silver, was braided over one shoulder, and her eyes, warm and golden-brown, lit up the moment she saw them.

"liz, ¡hola mi amor!" nina beamed, her voice melodic and wrapped in the unmistakable rhythm of medellín. she pulled liz into a tight embrace, rocking her slightly the way old friends do when too many years have passed. "ay, dios mío, it's been too long, too long, no?"

liz smiled as she stepped back, her eyes glistening. "much too long."

then nina's gaze shifted downward, and her expression melted into something tender, something achingly soft.

"ay, mírala... ruby," she breathed, kneeling slowly until she was level with her. her hands cupped ruby's cheeks, her thumbs gently brushing across her skin like she was handling something sacred. "ay look at you, ruby, all grown up like a flower in spring."

ruby blushed, a shy smile curling at the corners of her lips. "hi, mrs. cortes."

"no, no, no," nina tutted warmly, her accent thicker now, voice playful. "none of that mrs. cortes business, you call me tía nina, sí? always have, always will."

ruby giggled, and nina's smile only widened. "you have your mother's eyes, mi niña... but that smile, ese es de tu papá. ay, how time flies, eh? you were just a baby when i last saw you. and now look at you. hermosa."

"thank you," ruby whispered, heart blooming from the kindness.

nina stood slowly, brushing her palms down the sides of her skirt. "come in, come in, it's cold out, and i have cafecito on the stove and some buñuelos, not as good as my luna's, but not bad, eh?"

liz chuckled, linking arms with nina as they stepped inside. ruby followed close behind, her eyes dancing from the worn photos on the walls to the familiar scent in the air. a thousand quiet memories seemed to live in every corner of the house, and now, a new one was about to begin.

"tía nina," ruby piped up again, her voice soft as she wrapped her small hands around the mug of cinnamon tea set before her.

"sí, ruby?" nina said gently, glancing over from where she sat across the little table, her eyes still sparkling despite the years. she always had that light about her, like she carried stories in her bones and music in her smile.

ruby looked down at the steam swirling from her mug. "you know how my mummy passed, right?"

nina's expression softened immediately, and something in her shoulders fell with the weight of memory. "sí, mi amor... god must have needed a perfect angel that day," she murmured, her voice laced with sorrow and reverence. "elisia... she was light, even when things were dark."