Carmine sat in the living room, her hands wrapped around a warm cup of tea, letting the steam rise into her face as she relaxed after finishing some housework. The soft hum of the refrigerator was the only sound in the quiet house. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself savor the calm.
Then, she heard the soft thump of footsteps descending the stairs.
Carmine looked up just as Diana appeared at the landing of the stairs, where the hallway turned off toward the front door. Diana gave a polite smile when she noticed Carmine watching her.
"Miss Carmine, I'm going to head out now," Diana said, her voice soft but cheerful.
Carmine raised her eyebrows in slight surprise. "You're leaving already?"
Diana glanced down at her watch. "Uh, yeah… it's already six o'clock. I should probably get home, or else my... parents might start worrying."
"Oh, of course," Carmine nodded, setting her tea down on the coffee table. She stood up and walked over to the kitchen counter, where she had a plastic bag of freshly baked cookies that she had made earlier in the day. She picked it up and offered it to Diana with a warm smile. "Here, why don't you take these with you?"
Diana blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Oh, no, I couldn't possibly—" she started, but Carmine shook her head gently, insisting.
"Please, take them. They're fresh from this morning. I always make too many."
Diana hesitated for a second but then accepted the bag with a grateful nod. "Thank you so much, Miss Carmine. That's really kind of you."
Carmine smiled softly. "You're welcome. I hope you'll come visit again soon," she said, a hint of warmth in her voice.
"I will. Thanks again," Diana said as she waved and stepped out the front door.
Carmine watched the door close, then sighed quietly to herself. She sat back down on the couch, the tea still warm in its cup. "I hope I wasn't too… overbearing," she murmured, tapping her fingers against the side of the cup, lost in thought.
What a sweet girl, she thought. What had come over me to doubt her like that?
She pondered this for a moment, realizing it was Diana's sweetness, her eagerness to spend time with Daniel, that had triggered those earlier feelings of doubt. Diana seemed so genuine, but maybe it was that very eagerness that had made Carmine suspicious at first. She hadn't expected anyone to take such an interest in her son—especially not a girl as nice as Diana.
But then again… Daniel wasn't unattractive. In fact, when he was younger, people had often complimented his looks—calling him handsome, commenting on his bright eyes and sharp features. Such a pity that his hair covers most of his face now, Carmine thought with a soft frown. Maybe he just needed a haircut to tidy himself up a bit.
For a brief moment, she considered offering to cut his hair herself, but she hesitated. Daniel was so private, and she worried he might not want her to touch something as personal as his appearance.
Maybe one day, she thought with a small sigh.
Finishing the last sip of her tea, Carmine stood up and carried the empty cup into the kitchen, rinsing it quickly before placing it in the sink. The evening was drawing to a close, and the house was quiet again. She wiped her hands on a towel and turned off the kitchen light before heading to her room.