João Felipe
I stared, through the camera of the large computer screen in the apartment office, at Viviane leaving João Pedro's room, carrying a beautiful child in her arms, who, from what I could understand of all that madness, was her daughter with my brother.
I was completely stunned. I couldn't believe my own eyes. At that moment I could understand the reason that led me to keep my distance from any information about Brazil and, consequently, about my own family. I was doing my best to escape the reality that was overwhelmingly exposing itself before me now, which was my brother and Viviane's wedding.
"Can anyone explain to me what's going on here?" I demanded bluntly.
It had been over a week since my parents were in New York and I noticed that every night they would come to the office and seem to talk to other people. But I didn't bother knowing what it was all about, since I imagined it was with friends.
But today, as I passed by the office door and recognized the voice of João Pedro, the longing was greater than any pride and I decided that the time had come to make peace with my brother and re-establish the unity of our family, as it always was. I end up coming across this "familiar" scene of everyone drooling over a child. A beautiful child, who caught my attention immediately upon entering and who made me instantly feel a strange feeling for her. Something that had never happened before.
"I don't understand your surprise, João Felipe When you left here in Brazil, you were aware that Viviane and I were going to get married. I did not send an invitation to my wedding, as you made it quite clear that you did not agree with our union. ''
"I still don't agree with this folly! ''
"A little late, my son, I must say" Mom spoke in a jocular tone.
" Your brother married Viviane a few months after you moved here for good and they had a daughter, Sarinha, as you can see " My father decided to help me and explained " They have a great relationship and you were wrong when you did not believe in this union, João Felipe. ''
" Is everything clear now? " João Pedro asked wryly.
There was nothing to be done and the comments I wanted to talk about, I knew it was best to keep them to myself, so I just nodded my head in confirmation.
" So I'm going to end the call as I need to help Vivi put our daughter to sleep " I don't know if it was my impression, but I felt a strange emphasis on "our daughter".
After saying goodbye to our parents, João Pedro ended the video call and I turned around and looked at them in a questioning way. It's okay that I didn't look for news about my brother, but they couldn't have missed news like the birth of Vivi's daughter and João Pedro blank. I told them exactly that.
"Son, you need to agree with us that since you installed this Mendes branch here in New York, you have been practically inaccessible to us. Links are scarce and messages are almost monosyllabic. I think you were avoiding your own family. ''
"You're exaggerating, Dad. I would never avoid my family" At least not completely, I completed the thought. I tried to keep a certain distance, I had to admit.
"That's no longer the case. You now know you have a beautiful niece and I'm sure you'll love her as much as all of us. ''
Hearing Mom's words, I remembered the strange feeling I had when I looked at the little girl in Viviane's arms. Was frightened by the wave of feelings that invaded me when I saw that scene.
After we talked a little about my newfound niece, I said goodbye to my parents and went to my room. I needed to analyze what I was feeling and how wrong the word "niece" seemed to describe that child I found myself enchanted by.
After turning around in bed for hours without being able to fall asleep, I decided I needed to know more about my brother and Viviane's relationship now that they had started their own family. Again I felt the tightness of my chest and pain that afflicted me even more than before.
I grabbed my smartphone and went looking for my brother's social media profiles right after reactivating my accounts, something I've avoided since I arrived in New York. As soon as I started looking at the feed, I came across several pictures of what looked like little Sarah's birthday. Seeing the two of them together that way and the love they showed for the couple's daughter, made me even more impacted.
Seeing my mother share that moment with them, how happy she seemed to be by her granddaughter, who was Viviane's daughter, a person she always implied with, made me question, unexpectedly, the decisions I had made in my life and on which I had based them.
My parents planned to travel back to São Paulo the next day very early and we decided to have dinner at my mother's favorite restaurant.
"Son, do you have any health problems and decided to omit that from us?" my father asked, surprising me.
"Not. But why this question? ''
"Apparently? You're making us apprehensive, dear," my mother spoke alarmed.
"No need to worry, Mom. The doctor who always accompanied us during our stay here in the city assured me that my health was optimal. ''
"Your father was in the office today and was told you were at a doctor's appointment. ''
" I had a routine check-up and everything was fine " I didn't tell them it was the second in less than three months. " Was it a social visit or were you with the employees? " I questioned.
" I was in a meeting with Miguel and Jack. I liked the work that Jack was doing. ''
" And not Miguel? " I tried to joke, although I was feeling uncomfortable, I didn't know exactly what.
"Miguel's work I already know closely. Do you forget that you stole Miguel from our Brazilian headquarters? "My father spoke, already relaxed.
I expected them to forget the subject of the doctor's appointment. I wouldn't want to have to explain that I was experiencing chest pains and that when asked by the doctor at what moments I felt this kind of "pain", I came to the unpleasant conclusion that it was only when I thought of Viviane and that this pain had increased the intensity even more now that I was following her life with my brother through social networks and even the gossip sites about high society. São Paulo.
"But you're right about Jack. An excellent employee" I agreed with Dad.
"Although I was introduced to the boy today, I noticed that he was restless, and something worried him. I asked him if it was a problem and if I could help him, but he agreed that he was really in trouble, but that it was a personal situation. ''
I found Dad's information very strange, as this was not Jack's stance in the company. I would seek to know more in-depth about this, since, from what I could understand, it was interfering with his professional performance.
We continued our dinner and after we got home, they went to organize their belongings for the trip that would be very early the next day. I wish I had left them at the airport, but my father did not accept it at all and imposed his authority to force me to give up the idea and they went by taxi.
After they left, I felt something unusual during the whole time I was living alone in New York. I felt lonely in that huge apartment.