At the General Hospital, Josias approaches the information desk and asks the nurse, “Good afternoon. I need to speak to the doctor in charge of the patient Roberto Reis.”The nurse smiles and replies, “We’re already aware of your involvement, sir. The cardiologist surgeon, Dr. Fraga, is still in the operating room with his team. Please keep calm.”“Thank you,” Josias nods in response.Teresa appears down the corridor. She looks tired but manages to smile. “Josias...”“Hi, Tess,” Josias approaches her and they hug. “How is our champion?”“He’s still having surgery,” Teresa replies. “The rest of the family is inside.”Josias looks concerned. “What a situation, Tess. What brought this on? Wasn’t he taking his medication properly?”Teresa breaks the hug and faces Josias, uncertain whether or not to speak.“Go ahead, Tess,” Josias encourages her.Teresa swallows dryly and says, “What would you say if you knew that Beto read about Rose’s abortion in the LCN newspaper?”Josias’s face reddens
The next day, Nadia showed up at Café Mountain to talk to her boyfriend. At least she thought she was dating Rodrigo.As she was greeted by the aroma of espresso and the song “Don’t Let Them Get Me” by Pink, Nadia finds Rodrigo wearing an apron that hugged his body.“Hmm... my boyfriend likes to show off his muscular body, huh?”“Stop it, honey, you’re making me shy.” Rodrigo strokes her head, “But... are we officially a couple?”“Wow, aren’t we?” Nadia is surprised, “After the romantic night we had, according to my father...”“Well, it’s confirmed: we’re boyfriend and girlfriend,” Rodrigo replies hurriedly before Jacques enters the café demanding compensation for his little princess.Nadia laughs, “What a rush... Anyway, how is Roberto Reis, the man who managed the supermarket before me?”“You hold him in high esteem without ever having worked with him, huh?” Rodrigo finds that interesting.“It’s the way Mr. Ramos spoke of him when he sold the supermarket to us.” Nadia admits, “I can
Everyone in Beto’s room rejoices with him waking up. Teresa has to stop herself from climbing on top of her convalescing husband.“DEAR! Beto... my love... you’re awake!”“Yes, guys, why all the fuss?” Beto speaks, his voice is weak.Everyone laughs.“Sorry, brother-in-law.” Wallace says, “We overdid the voice.”“It’s the first time a patient has woken up because of visitors.” Vera jokes.Wallace puts his hand on his wife’s shoulder, “Come on, Vera. Let’s leave the family for now.”Wallace and Vera leave.Beto takes a deep breath. Color is returning to his face.“Daddy, are you not going to die anymore?” Maycon asks just to be sure.“Who said that?” Beto tries to raise his hand to stroke his son’s head, but he is still weak. A needle stuck in his hand hinders the process.“That’s what everyone said.” Maycon shrugs, “But Grandma Isabel prayed to God and he healed you.”Beto smiles and nods.Pedro says, “Dad, Reuben said you have to be alive for his wedding feast.”“Reuben is a... good-
Days later, Beto is received with honors and festivities back at his home.All the tenants who were up to date on their rent crowded into the lobby. Beto was moved and allowed himself a few tears. The clapping was deafening and lasted for minutes.“LONG LIVE BETO!”“HURRAY!”Teresa hugs Beto, “See, dear? They love you!”Beto visualizes the portrait nailed to the wall, “Hey, did they advance my tribute yet?”Vera laughs, “And there’s more, bro: Josias wants to build a building in Guarapari with your name.”Beto looks around until he finds Josias.“Yes, you deserve it, buddy!” Josias and Beto embrace.In a corner of the lobby, Daryl watches the scene with some envy. He wanted to win Beto’s friendship, and now he doesn’t have Beto’s or Josias’s! He was only there because of Rodrigo and the Freire family.Diane senses her husband’s embarrassment, “If you smile, they won’t mind.”Daryl groans, “I care. We are here, celebrating, but I have to hide in a corner.”“Do we HAVE to hide in a corn
Josias enters the apartment, worried about his brother.“João Paulo, today we had an amazing party at the Teodoro building. Why didn’t you go and take Sandra with you?”João Paulo is a little embarrassed to answer, “You said the reason. Sandra.”“What about her? Is she sick?” Josias checks his niece.“No, she’s fine.” João Paulo smiles at his daughter, “I don’t think she would do well at a noisy party. I bet there was a lot of screaming and cheering, huh?”Josias nods, “Yes, the folks were happy with Beto’s safe return. We lost his father in 1985 in the same location. We didn’t want to lose the child fourteen years apart.”João Paulo agrees, “Yes, Beto turned fifty. He’s still young.” Sandra starts to look drowsy, “Excuse me, Josias, I’m going to put her in her crib.”Josias sits on the sofa and waits for João Paulo to return from his daughter’s room. He observes framed photographs of João Paulo and Sandra in different situations.When João Paulo returns, Josias doesn’t waste time, “L
Teresa is desperate when Beto says that she wants to talk about that article that made him pass out.“BETO! Have you gone completely crazy? Let’s not talk about that article! I don’t want to lose you again!”Beto smiles slightly, “And since when did I last lose you?”“It doesn’t matter!” Teresa cries out, “I don’t want to be a widow, not now that Maycon is still three years old! You need to be around to explain to Maycon how to shave, how to wash the car, how to play soccer, how his private parts will change in adolescence, how to win over girls...”Teresa’s voice breaks. Beto hugs his wife to comfort her.“Don’t do that, honey. I’ll be here to help Maycon, just as I helped Pedro. My heir is already fifteen years old and starting to grow hair... down there...”Teresa can’t resist and laughs at her husband’s embarrassment. The embrace is broken.Beto leans against the counter with the look of someone who won’t let the matter drop.Teresa rolls her eyes, “OK, you’re the one who wants to
Josias remembers that Teresa asked him to say that Rosemary’s abortion was false news.“Ah, yes... How could I pass up such a slur? Rosemary got depressed in Victoria.”Beto nods, “Looks like my little princess was really upset. She went to Paris with Carmen and Caroline to hide from bad publicity. But she didn’t know that I ended up passing out, which is why she didn’t come to visit me.”The others just stare at each other, confused.Beto continues to speak, “But thinking about it, I even prefer Rose to have stayed in Paris. Why does she want to come here just to cry about my near death? I didn’t die, and I’m better. I don’t want my daughter interrupting her life because of her old dad.”Octavio interjects, “It’s not like that, Beto. You have suffered a cardiac arrest. We were all pretty worried.”“Okay, I know you were worried. But imagine if Rosemary left the comfort of Paris just to see me. I didn’t die, so her trip would be in vain. Airfare isn’t that cheap... and then, if she sh
Christmas approaches.Mayor Tobias once again released funds to decorate the square as seen in American movies. A huge tree was placed in the exact middle of Ibrahim Square.Retailers are going wild with the massive increase in shoppers trying to fulfill the gift list.A shopkeeper who was already closing his doors called all his salespeople back to help him, as customers started to appear out of nowhere like a swarm of bees.Josias was one of them and was surprised by Joachim tearing up the ‘I’m selling the store’ sign.“Seu Joachim? Why did you have that ‘for sale’ sign?”“It’s nothing, Mr. Rocha!” Joachim disguises, hiding the pieces, “You want something?”Smiling, Josias extends a HUGE list of gifts that he intends to fulfill. The list includes not only his family and friends but all the people who moved to Victoria.Joachim had to call five strong young salesmen to deal with the pile of gifts.“A bicycle, child-size. Wrap it up for Maycon Reis...”“Yes sir...”“A bottle of Chanel