Rhodia River - In the stream of love

Chapter 14 First confrontation (2)

CASCAIS BAKERY

Annie comes in excitedly, floating until she finds Jonas in a bad mood, and with a visible bruise from yesterday's slap.

"Jonas! What happened to you? Did someone try to rob the bakery yesterday?"

He answers with another question, "Do we already have a criminal faction for something this big?"

"No, but remember that they already started with a robbery in broad daylight with Monica."

Jonas has an explosion, "They should have taken her purse, so she could run out of books and starve to death!"

Annie chooses a table to sit at, "Are you going to tell me what happened? Or can I try to guess now?"

"What do you think?"

"Whoever gave that mark was Monica. It looks like a woman's slap."

Jonas walks away and stands behind the counter. Visibly upset.

"I'm sorry, Jon..."

"You asked her not to interfere, that we had agreed, and she came in next to closing and got in. I threw truths in her face and she reacted like that."

Annie has shallow water eyes, "Honey, I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry, Annie. It's nice to have someone to defend you."

Annie notices that Jonas has not yet served or offered anything. She gets up, with her head down, grabs her purse, and leaves. Jonas, also devastated, did not want to make Annie sad.

CARIJÓ STREET

Monica can't take it anymore and laughs at Fábia's face.

Fábia Peres gets more irritated, "What's the fun?"

Monica answers between laughter, "You, you are the fun! Hey girl, have you never heard of something called a phone book?"

Fábia Peres freezes.

Monica continues, "Or 'yellow pages'? It works like this: Telemar takes everyone's phone numbers, you know, everyone here from Royal Hill, and puts everything in a huge catalog, so we can know people's and companies' phone numbers. What a genius idea, do not you think?"

"Are you explaining or making fun of me?"

"Do I have to explain to you what a phone book is?!"

And Monica laughs more and more. Fábia can't take it anymore, she pushes Monica and she gets out of balance. Bad mood. End of grace.

"Hey, you—"

"Listen here, neighbor! If I know something is going on between you and my boyfriend, things will get complicated between us! Are you finding me a terrible neighbor? So wait for me, don't tease me, don't mess with my man because I am capable of much more!"

Monica is now serious and defiant, she's not intimidated.

"You have the intellect for that, right? To make a turmoil, to lower yourself because of a man, a man who supposedly doesn't deserve you? Have you checked if he threw the girlie magazines away? Wake up, girl; I don't want anything to do with this imbecile. But, if he has my number, then the problem is with him, right?"

Fábia yells out of her lungs, "Curse you!"

Monica simply turns away and continues with her mission. An ignored Fabia returns to her home.

PRAÇA DA GRANJA

Ed, in school uniform and backpack, is crossing the square to go home. When walking, she finds Miriam sitting on one of the benches reading a book. Around her, a gathering of more residents enjoying themselves.

"Excuse me, Miss Abreu?"

Miriam looks up at him, "Oh, Ed, I ain’t 21 to be called that."

"The school told us to respect our elders, and whether you like it or not, you're older than me. But that's okay. I need to tell you something. But, please, don't be mad."

"Hey, is it that serious?"

"It's just that it looks like one gossip, but you still better check."

"I'm listening."

"Yesterday, I was at Malthus Snack Bar when I heard Cássio and Sandra talk about the possibility of Carina flirting with Officer Roldão."

Miriam gets shocked and reacts stressed. Her hands are crumpling the pages of the book.

"Carina? But, that's impossible! L-like, she's so shy, so slow..."

"That's why I think it's nothing but a joke, but it was Sandra who said she saw the two of them at the police station. And they mentioned that you like him, that's why I approached you."

Miriam disguises herself, "Carlos and I are just friends."

Ed makes a funny face and notices the book being wrinkled, "Okay. See, don't be mad at anyone, let alone the officer who doesn't even know about this gossip. I told you to investigate. Excuse me."

Miriam smiles weakly, "Thank you, Ed!"

Ed follows the path in doubt if he did it right.

Miriam is now talking to herself, "No, that's not possible. Sandra wasn't going to lie to me or her boyfriend... And Carina is part of our friendship circle... Doesn't she know that I'm already approaching the officer? Does she really fall into him? God, that has to be investigated! I won’t be left behind!"