Later, Dandara ends her evening on the phone, speaking with Theodore.
"Hey, babe," Theodore's voice crackles through the line, warm and familiar. "How was dinner?"
Dandara exhales slowly, leaning back against the headboard. "It was... unexpected. I thought I was meeting with a bride-to-be, but it turned out to be Álvaro."
There's a brief pause on the other end. "Álvaro? From your past?"
"Yes," she replies. "Our mothers set this up. It was bit awkward, though. I don't know what my mother was thinking, setting me up with Álvaro like that." She shakes her head, half-smiling despite herself. "I had to tell him that I'm in a relationship. He seemed... disappointed."
There's a brief silence on the other end, and Dandara can almost picture Theodore's concerned expression. "Did he take it well?"
