While they enjoy a night reserved only for themselves, most people are in bars flirting, at parties dancing to the sound of many different kinds of music.
Hugging while sharing the warmth of one another on a bench in a square, or lying down sleeping in their cozy beds.
Whether it is a cardboard bed accompanied by their faithful companion, or one made of foam accompanied by a casual love or one for a lifetime.
Leila, however, found her company in the pillow.
Thus another night fades away.
The rays of the sun invade the room and illuminate her copper colored strands that wave gently over her face. When she opens her eyes, the emerald green tone shines as if it were the precious stone itself. Little by little she awakens while stretching.
After taking the cellphone hidden behind the pillow, she searches for where it shows the time while struggling to open her eyes completely. When she sees that it is already past eight in the morning, she forces herself to get up.
Leila decides to prepare breakfast with several treats that her daughter loves. This way they can enjoy this morning where neither of them needs to do anything.
And enjoy the luxury of laziness.
The breakfast was served and quickly devoured. Between many conversations and jokes, the morning says goodbye without being noticed. Except by the star king, who assumes his post at the center of everything, above all who dare to look at him.
Lunch is marked by a carefully prepared lasagna and rice with potatoes.
Leila does not miss the opportunity to enjoy a buttery drink with a slight alcoholic touch.
Sarah even tries to drink a little secretly. But the only thing she really manages to get is a good and traditional glass of water.
Of course the afternoon coffee could not be forgotten. Homemade bread bought from a lady who lives nearby was the star of the moment.
The two talk for hours. Sarah tells stories she lived during the week, not all of them.
"Can you believe that they keep pretending that I do not know anything?" Sarah murmurs.
"First love is like that, intimate, secret and incomprehensible." Her mother even takes a deep breath remembering a little of her first love. "Too bad that in my homeland there were so many barriers to love."
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"How are they doing, I wonder?" She gets lost in thoughts.
Sarah only watches her stare at the wall with that nostalgic look.
Leila takes the opportunity to tell one of her stories as well. This time she talks about when she was in the Fiore archipelago and later together with the monks in the Mountains of Redemption. About their strange habits, and even the feeling that there was something more there than one could imagine.
Sarah appreciates her mother's excitement with every word. While she explains, her gestures are so lively and animated that she even knocks down a bottle that was on the table.
Leila reminds Sarah that one day she intends to take her to personally see her greatest discovery. The one that became her greatest gift. She says that the monks do not want it to be removed from there. They stand guard to prevent someone who does not deserve it from reaching those secrets.
These words in particular touch deep in Sarah's weak point, who already imagines herself among monks meditating and exploring mountains, and discovering a little more about the world and about herself.
Night arrives, and Leila is beside the stove finishing preparing a special dinner for her husband who returns today from a trip.
"What face is that mom? It looks like you saw something on the wall."
"I think I am forgetting something."
"Normal, I do not know how you have not lost your head somewhere yet."
Leila looks at Sarah with narrowed eyes while thinking of ways to torture her. Taking advantage of the fact that Sarah turned toward the refrigerator, she attacks her from behind.
Laughter bursts from her daughter, who fights back. The two know each other's weak points.
At that moment the door opens, and after a few seconds of walking through the house, the person so expected that night arrives.
Brown hair combed back, low on the sides, almost shaved. Thin and full beard. Greenish eyes that watch the two having fun.
His expression is that of someone who observes before participating.
"What a scare!" Leila is the first to notice.
"Huh? AAA! Dad." Sarah runs to him and gives him a hug. "How was the trip?"
"It was productive, we closed many deals." With his firm and striking voice, Júlio answers while looking at Leila coming toward him.
"Good that everything went well. We are finishing preparing dinner." Leila greets him with a quick kiss on the lips while finishing speaking.
"I smelled it from the street and it was good, but I think now it is starting to seem like something is burning!" He finishes speaking pulling a little air through his nose.
"Stop!" Leila gives a light slap on his shoulder affectionately while speaking. "I would never let my food bur..."
But she is interrupted.
"No mom! I think it is really burning!" Sarah follows her father in his conclusion while taking steps toward the stove.
Leila takes a breath with her nose and quickly moves to the rice pot. When she opens the lid, the smell of burnt food ignites the kitchen.
She relaxes her shoulders in discouragement, looks toward Júlio and Sarah with her forehead wrinkled and making a pout to the side.
When they see that scene, neither Sarah nor Júlio can contain themselves and begin to laugh.
After improvising a little with meat, egg, salad and some potatoes, everyone there feels satisfied with the reunion and with the night. This atmosphere lasts for the rest of the night and extends through Sunday, which now gained a strong reinforcement.
Júlio also tells a little of his stories about small intrigues between executives and corporations, but they are not very exciting. When he talks about the game and how he cheered, the two become excited and begin to talk together too, and complain and even curse.
A family. That is the feeling that takes over Sarah.
