Viviane
"When does your brother leave, to leave us alone? I can't stand him here anymore, surrounding my daughter all the time."
João Pedro looked at me mockingly and I pretended not to understand what he meant by that look. I wouldn't get into this argument again that the daughter is also Felipe's because she's not!
João Pedro had called me earlier as he was at a business meeting near my workplace and invited me to lunch together.
" I can't stand you complaining about Felipe's presence anymore," he said, making an expression of boredom.
"And I can't stand his presence anymore!"
" You're so stressed, Vivi " He looked at me with a serious expression this time and spoke delicately: "Even Sarinha is not enjoying being with you so much..."
I was already going to shout how much my daughter loves me and that I was not stressed when we were surprised by the entrance of João Felipe and a beautiful woman in the restaurant. After the shock of surprise passed, I lowered my head and tried not to keep looking at the couple, but I couldn't control myself.
" It seems that my brother has already returned to active duty," João Pedro said obviously.
"Like he'd stopped hanging out with women at some point."
"Maybe you haven't noticed, but it's been a month since Felipe has been in São Paulo, and on none of those nights has he left home."
" It must always be meeting during the day, as you can see with your own eyes " I nodded my head to indicate the table where they had sat.
I thought João Felipe hadn't seen that we were in the same restaurant until I saw JP waving in the direction in which the newly arrived couple had sat.
"From what I've noticed since Felipe came back, you've gone back to having the same relationship as before. It doesn't even seem like more than a year has gone without speaking."
"Vivi, João Felipe is changed. Only you haven't realized it yet. I don't know what happened, but he finally understood what really matters. He loves Sarinha, even though he doesn't know she's his daughter."
"I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's spoiling my lunch," I said grumpily and focused on my plate.
" You love each other, you have always loved each other " he insisted on the subject. " It just wasn't the right time for you, because João Felipe was not yet mature enough for an intense relationship like yours."
"I don't agree and it doesn't matter."
"Alright, I'm not going to insist anymore," he said and looked at me intensely as if preparing me to say something important.
" Miguel told me that Jack's wife filed for divorce. She met a doctor during their son's hospitalization, the two fell in love and the rest is history."
He spoke tensely, looking into my eyes, I believe waiting to see what my reaction would be, which was one of utter surprise.
" You can close your mouth, Vivi " he tried to joke, but there was no smile on his face.
"And he came to you?"
" No " spoke only and the sadness was visible in his expression.
" Wow, I don't even know what to tell you " I took your hand and we were looking at each other with affection, because it was a very delicate situation, even more so now that we were married and had a daughter. " But I want you to know that I will support you in any situation, I will be by your side and we will face this together."
After we released our hands, I ended up looking toward where Felipe was and noticed that he was looking at us, in his face an expression of displeasure. We looked at each other and I bowed my head again, for his gaze was one of contempt and that, even against all my rationality, hurt.
João Felipe
It had been more than a month since I had suddenly left New York, handing control of the American branch into Miguel's hands, without any kind of organization or planning. I just got him ahead of everything, since Jack was, at that moment, facing family problems, with his son admitted to a hospital with health problems.
Jack had already returned to work and the two of them were doing just fine, even without my constant presence as before. Despite not being present, I was always learning about the data and attending online meetings. I realized that I was managing to do a good job, even from a distance, because my directors were really good at what they did, even if I was in another country and not in the same office as them.
I have a work routine, going to the company's headquarters every day, but I didn't work late, as I used to do before. I enjoyed dining with my family, even more so after so much time dining alone or in the company of people with whom I had no affinity, all in the name of the businesses that were closed on those occasions.
I also spent time with my little one, along with my mother and father. The three of us stayed with Sarah before dinner, something that even with a lot of scowl from Viviane, she couldn't stop. It was not appropriate for her to forbid me to relate to Sarinha, she is my niece, and for no reason to justify this attitude on her part.
My routine was about working, no longer intensely, and being with my family, which I missed so much, without even realizing it. I noticed several things that I was close to, such as the fact that
I was eating badly because I didn't feel like eating alone, I felt lonely in New York, and despite having several friendships in NY, I had no interest in being social with anyone.
My routine changed, but I still had no social interests, and after everyone retreated, I would go to my room and watch some series or movies, and read some reports. My parents had already commented on this change when they were with me in NY, but now they kept touching on this subject.