Chapter 152 A warm welcome

For the next few hours, Alejandro worked on various small repairs around the house while Mariama continued cleaning. They fell into an easy conversation, talking about the town, its history, and the quirks of its residents. "So," Alejandro said as he tightened the last screw on a cabinet door, "what really brings you to Ronda? If you don't mind me asking." Mariama paused in her dusting. "I needed a change. A fresh start." Alejandro nodded understandingly. "Running from something or towards something?" "Both, I suppose," Mariama admitted. "But I'd rather not talk about the past. I'm here now, and that's what matters." Alejandro held up his hands. "Fair enough. We all have our stories. Ronda's good at letting people reinvent themselves." As the sun began to set, casting a warm glow through the now-clean windows, Alejandro packed up his tools. "Well, I think that's all I can do for today. The place is looking much better." Mariama smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Alejandro. You've b