THE CRYSTAL CUP - Chapter Twenty Three

THE CRYSTAL CUP

Chapter Twenty Three

Helena was worried, but she didn't know exactly what. Ever since her dream of meeting her friend in the meadow last night, the feeling of fear had settled in her soul. But afraid of what? She couldn't understand. It was the first time since Oscar was gone that she had this feeling after dreaming about him. The other times he appeared to her in dreams, an indescribable peace took over her soul, different from now. It was as if, this time, the dream was a bad omen, a harbinger of bad events... well, if more bad things happened to her family than what was already happening... Cecília separating from her husband, Estela pregnant... what else needed to happen ?

The bus finally appeared at the top of the street. She signaled, he stopped, she got on. She paid the ticket and went to the back of the bus, near the arrivals door. She sat and thought about the last time she and her sisters got together…. The three started talking and suddenly, out of nowhere, the argument started. As much as she tried to remember the reason for the fight, Helena couldn't. As far as she could remember, nothing different was said or done by any of them. But the fact is that just like that, everything turned into a mess. The only reason they didn't come to blows was because their parents, as soon as they heard the excited voices in the room, tried to separate the sisters and send each one to a separate corner. When things finally calmed down, Estela went up to her room and never left. Cecília stayed a little longer, talking with her parents and Helena, and then left. She was left with only Helena. Her parents wanted to understand what had happened, but she couldn't explain it, for the simple fact that she didn't really know what had been the cause of the argument. She exploded. It happened…

Finally arrived at your point. She went down. She walked towards her house. The closer she got to her home, the more the feeling of fear took over being her. And there really was no reason to. The street was busy, full of people talking, laughing, listening to music. The night was very clear, full moon, illuminating almost as much as the sun… not to mention the streetlights. But that uncomfortable feeling wouldn't leave her. If she had somewhere else to go, she wouldn't think twice…she got to the gate, walked in and headed for the door to the living room. Now she was in a cold sweat, such was the dread she felt. But dread… fear of what? There was nothing to justify this strange feeling... she turned the key, unlocking the lock. She opened the door, walked in and closed it. Then a sense of relief washed over her. She sat down on the couch and stood there for a while, deep in thought. There was no longer any uncomfortable feeling like she had felt a few minutes ago. Just that peace that takes over our soul, when we feel really safe...

Mario and Janete were like two caged tigers, pacing back and forth. They didn't say anything, they just walked in circles, one following the other. At one point, they stopped in the middle of the room. Mario turned to his wife. The two looked at each other, then went to sit down…

- Most boring thing...

- What?

- The two of us… making a circle in the middle of the room…it looks like those drawings of Uncle Scrooge…

- I agree, Jane… it was kind of weird, really. Well, we were trying to think, weren't we?

- Yes, but… couldn't you think while still?

- I don't know... I started walking and you followed me... I didn't tell you to, you went because you wanted to...

- Okay… but you agree that it was kind of weird…

- Yes No doubt. But at least I know what we have to do.

- What would it be?!...

- Visiting Jairo's parents...

- At this time? You are crazy?

- Why?

- Mario, it's almost eleven o'clock at night… surely, both Izabel and Geremias must be going to bed by now…

- Yeah, I think you're right...

- Of course I am… would you like someone to decide to come visit us at this time of night?

- No of course not..

- Don't do to others what you don't want for yourself...

- All right... but tomorrow, during the day, we'll go there...

- Shall we take Estela along?

- The way she's been lately, I doubt she'll want to accompany us. It would be nice if she came, but I don't think she'll want to...

- Yeah… that girl has been very withdrawn lately…

And so, the two went to sleep, because the next day they would have many things to solve, and visiting his son-in-law's family was one of them...

  The following day, after work, Mario went to fetch his wife for the planned visit. They had only been to the boy's house once, and that had been a long time. So the visit was more than due. Although the boy's parents had never been to his house. Not for lack of invitation. Whenever she could, Maria would tell the boy to take his parents and sister along with him to visit them. But he never took them. Well, they would make that visit for Izabel and Geremias. They just expected to be welcomed...

Izabel received them. They began to talk about various subjects, making a long detour to get to what had really brought them to that visit. At a given moment, Mario asks for Geremias, because until then he had not seen him. Izabel explains that her husband had an accident at work and is bedridden, unable to move. Mario and Janete are visibly embarrassed, as they didn't know what happened. Izabel invites them to see her husband, who is in the bedroom.

- Dude, what day off is this? See if it's time to sleep now...

Geremias tries a mock laugh, but the pain won't let him do it.

- Boy, I thought this was going to be the best...

- What happened?

- I was fixing a roof... I slipped and fell...

- Weren't you wearing a seat belt?

- And where were you going to arrest him? Man, I was on top of a roof!

- Was it serious?

- A little… after I recover, I'll need physiotherapy… luckily, it didn't affect my spine!

- Yeah… it was luck, really. But it's safe...

- Yes, thanks to Jairo, who made me hell until I started paying the INSS. If it weren't for that, I'd be much worse off... I'm glad he took over the house expenses, for the time being... the government aid is barely enough to buy my medicine...

Mario was thoughtful. Did he say his daughter was pregnant? He thought it best to keep quiet for the moment. The boy's family had enough problems.

- And your daughter, how is she?

- In a little while, she comes home from school. She wants to work to help with expenses, but she's only fourteen...

-She is, at that age, only as a Little Apprentice… and the allowance is not much, no…

- That's what Jairo said… he told her to concentrate on her studies and leave everything to him for now…that boy is a golden boy, Mario…

- Geremias… I know that the moment is not the best… you are bedridden… but you will be a grandfather soon…

- As….?!

- In the traditional way… your son and my daughter decided to move forward…

Mario had decided not to talk about his daughter's pregnancy, but the words were coming out of his mouth, without him having control over them. Geremias turned pale at Mario's revelation.

- My God… but… how… and just now…

- Calm down, boy… it's not the end of the world. They weren't the first nor will they be the last to do so. What really matters is that the child is born strong and healthy, don't you think?

- Yes, but... and now?...

- Now? Like this?

- What do we do?

- What do you mean, what are we going to do? People, nothing. The child will be born. That's all that matters...

- Estela… she…?

- Well, she misses her boyfriend. She lives stuck in her room, crying her pitangas. That's why we came here... to find out why he hasn't been visiting my daughter anymore...

- It's just that, since my accident, Jairo has done a double workload… but I didn't know… neither did Izabel… he didn't tell us anything!

- No problem. The only thing we ask is that he stop by the house to visit Estela... that's all.

The two were silent, each with their own thoughts. Geremias wondered why his son didn't tell him that his girlfriend was pregnant. Damn, what a problem. And just now he had to have an accident? He needed to recover soon, so that Jairo could take care of his life more peacefully. But the doctor had said that he would stay in bed for at least four months… while the two were in the bedroom, Izabel and Janete were talking in the kitchen. And Izabel wasn't happy with the news either… not with her daughter-in-law's pregnancy, per se… but with the timing, which wasn't the most propitious for an event of this magnitude… she started to worry. With her husband, with her son, with her pregnant daughter-in-law, with the child that would arrive in a few months... and her pressure was rising...