Josias and Katherine enter the corridors of the General Hospital. Dr. Silvana was nearby and greeted them.“Mr. and Mrs. Rocha, we are very sorry for what happened.” She states, “Everyone heard about Mr. Freire and his son.”“A tragedy indeed,” Josias says, dryly, “Anything new?”“The doctor is talking to Eldest Mr. Freire.” She points to the left of the hall.Josias and Katherine turn left and find Wallace talking to the doctor. Wallace was wearing pajama pants and a tank top. His hair was messy.“Mr. Freire, your brother had a head injury and inhaled a lot of smoke. We're doing our best, but...” The doctor shakes his head in regret, “Your nephew ran to the garage and inhaled less smoke, he was still conscious when the firefighters found him.”“Poor Reuben...” Wallace holds back tears, “He got scared. It's understandable, he wasn't going to stay where it was burning everything.”“We'll keep an eye on your brother. Excuse me.” The doctor hurries away.Josias and Katherine approach car
Doctor Silvana is pleased to see that she managed to intimidate Ivan.“Well then, sir, you are warned.” She states, “Treat the child with sensitivity.”“I need to do my job.” Ivan huffs and hastily withdraws.Doctor Silvana enters the room and finds Reuben with an angelic smile. He asks, “Is the cop coming back?”She pats the child's head, “No, Reuben, your interview is over. You need to rest.”“Yes, I need to be in good shape to go home. Did you know that I am going to marry Caroline Rocha?”Doctor Silvana gives a hearty laugh. These kids today...Meanwhile, Ivan dashes the adult wing. As he approaches Uélton's room, he freezes his steps and breaks out cold sweat when he sees Josias standing at the door.Josias smiles slightly, “Sergeant Moraes, long time no see...”“Cut that one!” Ivan barks, “You weren't dying to see me!”“Not at all, but I imagine they assigned you to this case,” Josias responds derisively.“I came to see if your clumsy friend forgot to turn off the gas.” Ivan rep
Everyone is apprehensive about Uélton losing strength. They leave the room just as the doctor and two nurses bustle in.“We need space! Wait outside, please!” The doctor orders them.In the hallway, Isabel begins to have tears in her eyes. Wallace hugs her.“Mom, don't even think about it! We won’t lose another family member, no!”“Son...” Isabel sniffs, “I think it's time we must accept...”“No, mother, NO!” Wallace walks away, disgusted, “What's going on? Everything was wonderful when I was in prison. When I came back, only tragedies occur! Everyone will die because of me!”Josias grabs Wallace by the sleeve of his shirt and shakes him, “Wallace, STOP! This is not the time to panic!”“Josias, it’s my little brother!” Wallace starts to cry, “How would you react if you were João Paulo, huh?”“I would have to be strong for my mother and my children!” Josias asserts, “And cut the talk about it being your fault, that's not true!”Wallace takes a deep breath and calms down a bit, “Still,
Isabel enters Reuben's room and finds him with a nurse. When she realizes that her son looks exactly like his father, her heart sinks. Reuben doesn't have the large ears like his father, but he's just as chatty.“Nurse, did you know that I am going to marry Caroline Rocha?” He excitedly comments, “Of course, first I have to get out of here, heal my wounds, wait for my dad to wake up, and then I have to grow old enough to propose. I want to propose in the middle of Ibrahim Square with everyone watching. Do you think she will like it?”The nurse bursts out laughing, “Of course she’ll do, Reuben. Women love romantic guys.”“I hope your boyfriend does the same thing,” Reuben speaks with no sense of being rude.But the nurse points out that Reuben is a child, “He already proposed to me, and we were already married.”“But was it in the middle of Ibrahim Square?”“REUBEN.” Isabel decides to interrupt the conversation, “Don't bother the nurse with personal questions.”The nurse promptly gets
Reuben is smiling childishly and carefree at the three gentlemen he one day aspires to be: wise grandpa Simeon, famous and wealthy Uncle Josias, and cool Uncle Wally.“Hi, guys! Did you come to tell me that I'm leaving the hospital? Am I healed?”“Reuben.” Wallace feels a lump in his throat, “We need to talk to you seriously.”“I know, about the bomb William planted in our house.” Reuben scowls, “Who's going to pay for the house repairs, he?”Josias replies menacingly, “He will pay.”“Great, now I can nap peacefully.” Reuben sinks back into the pillows, “And when my sleepy father wakes, tell him he'll need twenty years for that beauty sleep he so often claims.”Wallace strokes his nephew's hair, “Reuben, you need to know something about your father. He... he won’t wake up anymore.”“Was the knock he took on the head that hard?” Reuben asks innocently.“Yes, Reuben.” Simeon takes care of completing the news, “I'm sorry, boy, but... your father passed away a little while ago.”Reuben st
Contrary to what Simeon and Dora think, William is already awake, but in boxer shorts and a white tank top, sweeping the living room floor to the rhythm of the song “Heaven's What I Feel”, by Gloria Estefan, without imagining that his family is thinking in Heaven this moment.Simeon and Dora go upstairs to the second floor and break down the door, scaring their son.“YAU! What the hell is this, want you guys to scare me to death?”Simeon didn't even think twice and punched his son with a straight right, “DAMN IT! It was you who killed him, you imbecile!”William staggers back, letting the broom clatter to the floor, “OUCH! What happened, why are you hitting me?”“Do you want to take another punch to jog your memory?” Simeon spins his clenched fist in the air.Dora approaches, “Enough, darling! One is enough.”William stares in horror at the person who should be defending the child she bore in the womb, “MOM! Why are you advocating this violence?”Dora rolls her eyes, “As seen, you're
The following day, everyone gathered for Uélton Freire's funeral and burial.Vernon took charge of the news story and tried to be as discreet as possible. If that happened while they were still enemies, the news in the newspaper would come out as acidic and disrespectful towards the deceased.Wallace decided to shelter Isabel and Reuben in his house, in fact, Isabel's old house when Harold was still alive.The radio in the living room was playing “Thank U” by Alanis Morissette, making Isabel sigh, “Yes, I thank God I had a wonderful son.”Wallace notices a detail, “Mom, the fire destroyed a lot, including your computer! How are you going to work?”“Don’t worry son. I have some money saved in my bank account. I can buy another one, just as I can buy other belongings.”“I have what's left.” Reuben shakes out his backpack with some clothes they managed to salvage from the rubble.Someone knocks on the door. Wallace goes to see who it is and finds Kelvin and Melissa outside.“Can we get i
Kelvin and Melissa enter the funeral home and find the other acquaintances. They greet everyone.As they close in on Josias, Daryl snaps back to attention, but a wary look from Kelvin keeps the big brother from making a scene.“Josias, I am so sorry for your loss.” Melissa says, “Uélton was always like a kind of younger brother to you.”“Yes, until João Paulo came along.” Josias waddles in regret, “Why, even with João Paulo, I always cared for Uélton as if he were family, especially when Wallace was in jail.”“Glad he left...” Kelvin says, “In time to say goodbye.”Josias smirks, “The poor guy is thinking he should stay in jail as if he's bringing a curse on the family.”“Well, I don't blame him.” Melissa says with a sigh, “First, it was the father who died two years before, and now, Uélton.”“These are things that happen, none of it was premeditated.” Josias frowns, “I don't think anyone should feel guilty.”Dora approaches them, “Ah, but there is someone who is symbolically guilty,