The four of them sat down, and small talk began — about the trip from Bremen, about the match, about how incredible the atmosphere was. But beneath the warmth, there lingered a quiet tension.
It wasn't spoken; no one needed to say it.
Mrs. Brandt's glances sometimes lingered too long, her smile occasionally faltering before returning.
She was happy — truly — to see her son smiling again, to see him moving forward.
But deep down, there was a shadow she couldn't quite shake.
The last time she saw Javi this happy was before everything fell apart with Lukas's mother. The heartbreak had left scars not just on Javi, but on the entire Brandt family — invisible ones that time hadn't completely healed.
Still, she didn't want to cloud the moment. She reached over, giving Javi's hand a gentle squeeze, and smiled.
"I can't wait to meet Anne's parents," she said softly. "It'll be good for both families to know each other."
