João Felipe
"Of course, Luana. I missed you. It's been a while since we've seen each other, hasn't it?
Luana even sighed with relief, at the confirmation of her words.
" We will?”
Luana immediately took my hand and we left towards the entrance of the hotel where the restaurant was located, leaving Otávio with an enraged expression. Despite his apparent annoyance at being left there like that, he said nothing and we remained silent until we were in my car.
As soon as I started the car, I asked for his address and after he told me the neighborhood where he lived, he spoke timidly.
" Sorry about the scene inside. I was feeling cornered, not knowing what to do to get rid of that madman, until I saw you... well, I think you can already understand what happened.
" I understand, yes. But I think I deserve to know why you were in that situation. You must not submit to such men. Who doesn't know how to take a "no"?
" I'm so embarrassed…”
She then lowered her head and put her face in her hands. For a moment I thought she was crying, but then she lifted her head again and I saw that although she was quite shaken, there were no tears.
" You shouldn't be ashamed of things other people do.”
" I know, but that doesn't exempt me from the fact that I'm in a relationship with someone like that.”
" Is still?”
" What?”
" Are you still in a relationship with that guy?”
" No! I broke up with him today. But I had already noticed that he has possessive behavior and today I came to believe that he could become violent if we weren't in a restaurant, surrounded by people.”
" I'm sure it was exactly for this reason that you made an appointment at a restaurant and didn't meet him in a more intimate setting, to end that relationship.”
From the way she looked, I thought she must already be dreading being in the company of that man. Anyway, she already had my problems. I would drop her off at her place and be on my way.
" That's right. I cannot deny that I no longer felt safe around Otávio. And I appreciate your help back at the restaurant. I was going to call an Uber, but I was afraid that Otávio would show up.”
" No problem.”
She nodded and turned towards the window, apparently looking down the street we were on.
The flow of cars was still intense, despite it being after 9 pm. The neighborhood where Luana lived was on the opposite side of my house, but I didn't bother going out of my way after all. Despite the time we didn't see each other, she was a nice girl.
We were silent until the moment I stopped in front of his house, in Vila Mariana. It was a simple house, with paint worn down over time, but in a well-located area, on a quiet street.
" I would like to thank you once again, it was very kind of you.”
" I couldn't have done otherwise.”
" It could and you know it. It's been a while since we've seen each other, but from the little I got to know you during our course in New York I could see that you're very self-centered.”
" Our! I help you and you thank me by calling me selfish?”
Despite my surprise at her statement, I ended up laughing at what she said, as I couldn't tell that she was lying or that she had offended me.
" You know it's true. As it is also true that you helped me and that shows that you have a heart inside that chest " she joked, smiling.
" Of course, I have a heart, I'm human.”
" Thank you, Felipe. Until any day. I hope I'm not needing your help then.”
I said goodbye to her and went home, remembering the time we went out together. I decided that I needed to go out and find some female company, after all, I wasn't going to wait for Vivi to realize her mistake and go back. Let her stay with her little life and her friends.
Soon I would travel to the United States again and forget about our times together.
Viviane
After João Felipe left the room, JP gave me a strange look and I didn't know what was going on in his head.
" When do you intend to tell me about your secret meetings with my brother?”
I looked at him in astonishment, completely speechless at the way he pinned me against the wall.
" I saw you entering that hotel together, more than a month ago. I was there too, with Jack.”
" And this whole time you never asked me anything?”
" I was keeping a part of my life a secret, I had no right to confront you. I was waiting for you to tell me spontaneously, but…”
" I was waiting for the right moment to talk to you. But this situation with Jack and the kid…”
" I understand. I'm not here to judge you. I just support you as I know you weren't in that clinic that day just by chance. And I also understand that there are a lot of things going on around us. But you can't keep putting other people's problems ahead of yours. For one hour you will have to face them.”
"I know," I said sadly, tears already falling from my eyes.
" You don't need to say anything now. But I want you to know that I'll be by your side and you should count on me to help you, whatever your problem.”
We hugged once more and the tears fell in bubbles.
" I know you do. Just give me one more time. It still hasn't sunk in for me.”
" All the time you need.”
************ 💙*************
The following days were full of ups and downs, as Julia ended up losing her baby when she fell on the stairs at her work, which was not even more serious because it happened very close to the bottom floor.
She spent two more days in the hospital and now she was at home and Cecília was taking care of her.
Now we were in the living room of the two friends' apartment, to support our very sad friend.
I could understand her better than anyone in that room because I was pregnant and despite having no idea what I was going to do in the next few months, what it would be like to have someone dependent on me, I already loved being carried. in my womb.
It was something that only those who went through the experience could understand.
" I know you're right and you only want the best for me, but I can't swallow anything," Júlia told João Pedro, who was trying to convince her to eat the soup that Cecília had prepared.
João Pedro and I shared the other sofa, while Cecília was in an armchair, also navy blue, in the corner.
" I understand you, Júlia," I said without thinking very well, and the way I said it caught the attention of everyone in the room, who looked at me curiously.
To my relief, however, João Pedro changed the subject.
" When are you going back to work, Julia?”
" The doctor gave her a ten-day certificate, " Cecília replied.
" Less bad. This will allow you to fully recover, at least physically, before returning to work. Shall we spend the weekend in Guarujá? What do you think?” João Pedro suggested.
" I love the idea, JP! It would be great for her to clear out a little. The beach air would do her a lot of good " Cecilia perked up.
I also liked my friend's suggestion. He was also in need of getting away and distracting himself. The story with Jack had made him very sad in the last few days, not to mention that situation with Julia.
It felt like everything was happening at once!
I was looking for an opportunity to talk about my pregnancy, but I didn't feel ready to share my situation with anyone.
I didn't even know what I would do from then on. It was all so unexpected and confusing and I felt that once I shared my current situation with other people, everything would become more concrete and real.
I couldn't explain it, but I think I was just trying to postpone all the decisions I would have to make when my pregnancy became public.