Marilena stirs awake to the persistent buzz of her phone vibrating on the nightstand. Groaning softly, she reaches for it, squinting at the screen to see the caller ID: Mom. Propping herself up against the headboard, she brushes a stray curl from her face and answers.
"Good morning, Mom," she greets, her voice thick with sleep.
"Good morning, filha," Marta's warm but brisk tone fills the line. "I was calling to ask how the event went last night. Did you sleep well?"
Marilena stretches her legs under the covers, stifling a yawn. "It was nice, very elegant as always. I'm just waking up now."
Her mother chuckles softly. "You sound tired. Take care of yourself, okay? Oh, and don't forget to confirm if you're coming home next weekend. Your brothers are expecting you."
"I'll think about it, I promise. Right now, I need to get up and feed Max before he starts complaining."
