Chapter 54

D'Andre's heart skipped a beat as he turned to see the woman Andrea was pointing at. His breath caught in his throat as he realized that it was indeed Maiari. He quickly put on his shades to hide his emotions, feeling as though he had seen a ghost.

"Hey! D'Andre, come to me. Let's go; I'll introduce you to my mommy!" Andrea urged, tugging at his hand. But D'Andre's heart pounded with nervousness, and he knew that this wasn't the right time to reunite with Maiari.

"You go first, Andrea," he managed to say, his voice trembling slightly. "I'll follow you."

"Okay," the little girl agreed, heading toward her mother.

As soon as Andrea was out of sight, D'Andre turned and walked away, his heart heavy with conflicting emotions. Seeing Maiari again had stirred up a whirlwind of feelings, and he needed time to gather his thoughts and prepare himself for the moment they would inevitably meet again.

"Mommy!" Andrea exclaimed joyfully as she ran toward Maiari.

Maiari's face lit up with relief and