OthonAs Karen rested in my arms, a long-forgotten sense of fulfillment flooded my being. I wished for this moment to linger into the night and beyond, but between us, nothing seemed simple. Still, it wouldn't hurt to try..."Stay with me?" I asked."I can't, Othon," her response was laden with sadness. "I don't feel comfortable staying out overnight... coming home in the morning..."I fell silent for a moment, pondering her words. The last time we were together, Karen returned home in the early hours of the morning, fearing to find her parents awake. It still didn't make sense to me, considering we are adults and parents to Otávio."I'm reflecting on what's missing for us to finally be together, Karen," I confessed, making my discontent with the situation clear.Karen lifted her head, looking me in the eyes with a wry smile."I never heard you propose a relationship between us, Othon," her straightforward words cut through the air, revealing a truth I was reluctant to admit. After a
KarenI didn't exactly understand where Othon was going with mentioning Mrs. Fisher's interest in him and adding "at that moment." It's not like I believed he was trying to say that her interest would have been welcome before, right?Despite the strong bond between Othon and me, the truth is I didn't know him. So, to avoid creating expectations regarding something that could be doomed to failure, I decided to question him.“Are you suggesting that if we weren't getting along right now, you would consider Mrs. Fisher's advances?" I asked, trying to stay calm, but insecurity was starting to creep in.Othon widened his eyes at my suggestion, his face making it clear that I had just said something utterly absurd.“Of course not, Karen! That's simply unthinkable to me. How could you even entertain such nonsense?His words reassured me somewhat, and I felt a momentary relief. However, I realized that my question had hit a sensitive spot with Othon. He seemed genuinely offended by the sugges
ColinAs Valquíria packed her suitcase for the trip to Curitiba, I tried to convince her to change her mind."Do you really think it's a good idea to go to Curitiba now?" I asked, trying to show my concern. "Othon will find it strange you're back in Curitiba so soon...""Colin, I've made up my mind. There's no point in trying to dissuade me," Valquíria said firmly.Valquíria's determination to go to Curitiba was evident, and nothing I said seemed to cause any doubt in her mind. However, I did not doubt that a trip with the sole purpose of disrupting the relationship between Karen and Othon would only bring confusion and more problems.I couldn't think of anything else to say because everything I said in an attemp
OthonDays went by without me finding an opportunity to talk to Mrs. Fisher about the situation involving my relationship with Karen and our child. I understood how busy she must be, but as hours turned into days, my restlessness only grew. I didn't want to keep my relationship with Karen a secret. After all, we had a child together, and it was simply inconceivable to me that we would continue to meet clandestinely, especially when it wasn't our choice.Karen asked us to wait until I had the opportunity to openly discuss our situation with Mrs. Fisher before making our relationship public. Her logic was clear and reasonable, and I agreed with her. However, I underestimated the difficulty of finding a break in the busy schedule of the hospital owner. Each passing day increased my anxiety and the need to resolve the situation once and for all.
KarenI was starting to get impatient with Othon's delay. We had agreed to go to the movies, and more than twenty minutes had passed since the agreed time. Otávio was also restless and kept asking questions, which I wasn't handling well. Depending on a third person to do activities with my son wasn't easy for me."Mom, why isn't dad here yet? We're not going to miss the movie, right?" Otávio said, with a slightly irritated tone.I tried to calm him down, but inside, I was also becoming increasingly worried. Othon never is late like this, especially when it comes to spending time with Otávio.“Could you go to dad's house and see what's going on?" Otávio suggested for the tenth time.Otávio's insistence on me going to Othon's house was also becoming increasingly irritating. I hesitated, preferring to wait a little longer, but faced with my son's impatience, I eventually gave in.“Alright, Otávio. I'll go to your father's house and call him," I said, trying to keep calm.Otávio agreed an
OthonWhen I arrived home, it was already past seven in the evening. I would have liked to prolong the outing a bit more, but Otávio was already complaining of tiredness, so we decided to head back home earlier. Besides, I couldn't help but think about Valquíria, alone in my house. She came to Curitiba especially to tell me the story involving Colin, and I should have been more attentive to my sister.After dropping off Karen and Otávio at home, the memory of the strange conversation I had with Valquíria came back to worry me. Valquíria's behavior had left me uncomfortable and at a loss for words. She couldn't seem to understand her insistence that I sever ties with Colin definitively, without even hearing his side of the story about the condom issue.I couldn't help but defend my friend, of course. I tried to argue with Valquíria about the importance of a friendship as long-standing as ours with Colin and the need to understand the full context before jumping to conclusions. However,
KarenI was finishing my breakfast when the doorbell rang, making my heart leap in my chest. A feeling of hope mixed with anxiety spread through me. My parents and I exchanged glances, all wondering who could be ringing the doorbell at that time of the morning.Otávio's childish and curious voice broke the silence, expressing our thoughts by asking who could be at the door. None of us could answer, equally intrigued by the unexpected visit.The doorbell rang again, showing impatience on the part of the person at the door. My father commented that the person on the other side seemed to be in a hurry. I hurriedly got up, leaving my coffee cup half full."I'll get the door," I announced.As I approached the door, my curiosity increased. Secretly, I wished it was Othon, as we barely had time to talk after the outing with Otávio. However, I found that it was Valquíria.A wave of negative surprise hit me hard. My eyes widened in shock, and for a moment I was speechless, processing Othon's s
KarenI wasn't surprised by what happened after Valquíria's visit, and I perfectly understood the reason for the delay in Othon's reaction. He called me, wanting to know what I had said to his sister, as Valquíria had arrived home crying profusely."Karen, what happened? Why is Valquíria like this?" Othon's voice sounded concerned on the other end of the line."I didn't do anything, Othon. Valquíria came here, first insulted me, and then started a whole act of being a good aunt, and now you're accusing me?" My frustration was evident in my response."Sorry, Karen, that's not what I meant. I'm just trying to understand what happened."His lack of trust deeply irritated me. In a rash an