Bonita finally calmed down as she processed the situation, but frustration still lingered in her voice.
"Okay, Mom, but this isn't fair! Every time, it's 'Mandume says this, Mandume says that.' When will my say be heard in this house?!" she huffed, throwing herself onto the bed.
Maria sighed, crossing her arms. "Good. You better get along… and if I hear one complaint from Star about you, you won't like me." With that, she turned and left Bonita's room.
Meanwhile, Mandume led Star into the guest room.
"Here, this is your space now. Feel free to settle in, make yourself comfortable. Excuse the mess—I didn't know you'd be staying here, so I didn't get a chance to clean up. But we can take care of that now."
Star barely noticed the mess; she was too busy admiring the room. "Do you like it?" Mandume asked.
"Like it? I love it," Star answered, a smile forming—until the weight of reality crashed back down. Her mother was still missing. Her smile faded as she sat on the bed, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the fabric.
Mandume saw the shift in her expression. "What's wrong, Star?"
"Mandume… I may be comfortable here, but my mom is nowhere to be found. Tomas is probably torturing her. He said he'd make sure I never see her again." Her voice was heavy with fear.
"No, Star. We'll find her. Tomas won't get away with this, okay? First, let's clean up your room, then we'll go to the police and file a case against him."
"What if it's too late? What if he's already—"
"Shhh," Mandume interrupted, placing a reassuring hand on hers. "Don't say that. Your mom is alive, and we will find her."
Star inhaled deeply, trying to push the dark thoughts away. "You're right. I can't think like that. Mom is alive, and I will find her."
Mandume grinned. "Now that's the light I want to see in you! So, should we keep the bed in this position or change it?"
"Let's move it around a bit," Star said, rolling up her sleeves.
As they worked together, cleaning and rearranging the space, laughter filled the room. The heaviness lifted, if only for a moment. Mandume found himself watching her, mesmerized by her resilience. Seeing her smile felt like a rare treasure—one he wanted to protect.
When they were done, Mandume left to grab Star's belongings from the car. Moments later, Maria walked in, scanning the room with a nod of approval.
"Oh, I see you've already cleaned up," she noted, sitting on the bed.
"Yes, ma'am," Star responded politely.
Maria glanced around, exhaling softly. "This room hasn't been used in ages. You've brought life back into it."
"Mm." Star only hummed in response, unsure where the conversation was going.
Maria's gaze drifted. "We used to have guests all the time when my husband was around. He was a businessman, always hosting dinners, always surrounded by colleagues. This house was full of people, full of laughter…"
Star noticed the change in Maria's tone. "Is your husband alright?"
Maria hesitated. "Yeah… he's probably fine, wherever he is. He left five years ago. Just woke up one morning and disappeared. No explanation. No goodbyes."
"Oh… I'm sorry, ma'am."
Maria scoffed, shaking her head. "Oh, it's nothing. Five years isn't two days—I've cried enough."
Star tilted her head. "Maybe he had his reasons for leaving."
The words hit Maria like a slap. Her nostrils flared. "Reasons? Then why didn't he say anything before he left? Why did he abandon us—his wife, his son?"
"Son?" Star murmured to herself. Something about Maria's words felt off, but before she could dwell on it, Maria's anger flared further.
"You think I haven't asked myself those questions a million times? No answer, not then, not now!"
Star raised a hand, trying to calm her. "Madam, you just said you were over it. If you truly love your husband, and he loves you, you'll find your way back to each other. All your questions will be answered. The universe has heard your cry. Be patient. Have faith."
Maria stared at her, momentarily speechless.
"As they say, what's meant for you will always come back to you," Star added, though she wasn't entirely sure she believed it herself.
Maria exhaled deeply, changing the subject. "You and my son seem close, huh?"
"Not really. We only met late last year. We don't know much about each other yet."
"Mmm." Maria eyed her carefully. "What course are you studying?"
"Engineering in Electronics and Telecommunications. Second year."
Maria nodded. "Mandume is studying Architecture. He's in his third year."
"Yeah, he's—"
Maria cut her off with a sigh. "It's a good course. But now, with your situation—pregnant, your mother missing—it's all pressure."
Star straightened her back, meeting Maria's gaze head-on. "No, ma'am. It's not pressure at all. I will always be there for myself. Just as I found my way to this house for shelter, I'll do the same in the future."
Maria's expression darkened. Before she could respond, Mandume returned, stepping into the tense atmosphere.
"Everything okay?" he asked, eyes flickering between them.
Maria forced a smile. "Of course, son. I was just checking on Star and her room." Without another word, she stood and left.
Mandume frowned. "That was weird. What did Mom say?"
Star forced a smile of her own. "Nothing much. Just checking up on me."
They continued unpacking her things, though there wasn't much to sort through. As Mandume handed her the last item, he pulled out her phone.
"Here. Your phone."
Star's face lit up as she grabbed it eagerly. "Oh, I missed this! Maybe someone called me for a job!"
As she powered it on, an uneasy feeling settled in her stomach. A missed call could change everything—but whether for better or worse, she wasn't sure.