adeena.

adeena was never good with words, but she showed affection through acts of service, which was why she had gone to visit quentin. they had briefly dated when she first arrived in town, yes, but they had discovered they were better as friends. it was a good reason to check on him after his recent surgery. "i heard you're awake," she said as she entered the room, knocking three times on the door to announce her presence. "how are you? i brought you something to eat. hopefully, it pleases your stomach and helps forget about the stitches for a moment."

adeena knew what it was like to have young children and also what it meant to be a single mother, perhaps that's why her sudden closeness with katie made so much sense. it was as if, somehow, the difficulties they both had faced and were facing in motherhood fit together. "is there anybody home?" the question was more of a charm, as she knew the other would be there since she had notified her of the visit beforehand. in her hands, adeena carried a freshly baked pie. "it's been a long time since i tried following such a complex recipe, but i hope it tastes good. i did my best." a slight, friendly smile. in the end, mothers would always be united.

ava is the reason adeena was at university that afternoon. she had promised her daughter she would accompany her on a visit to explore the campus, meet the professors, and consider potential courses. however, during a brief break, adeena found herself observing people and reminiscing about her own student days. "i remember my time as a student like it was yesterday," she commented to no one in particular, sighing with nostalgia. "and yet, it's been twenty-seven years." a soft laugh escaped her, almost involuntarily, as she turned her gaze to the man nearby. "student or professor?"

the wine glass in hand, casual conversations and laughter demonstrated how comfortable adeena felt in the trivia night. she didn't seem as competitive as the others present, but still possessed good overall knowledge of science and geography. "i think i need to brush up on my pop culture knowledge. my daughters would kill me if they knew i got taylor swift's latest album name wrong," she confided to evelyn, in a playful tone. "do you have a favorite category?"

adeena never imagined she would be a mother. both pregnancies had happened by accident, but her daughters are now her most precious things. she discovered a calling she never knew she had while with kids, and finally, her deeply maternal personality seemed to make sense. "hi, sweetheart," she offered to greet the girl in the man's arms before addressing him. then realizing what she had done, she smiled apologetically yet warmly. "she's so beautiful, what's her name?" looking at the girl's little hands, adeena noticed how much she missed when grace or ava were that size.