BIZARRE HIDEOUTSThe days were passing, and Lara showed no desire to leave.On the fifth day after her last therapy session with Patrícia, with Lipe still by her side, they had watched several movies together. They watched all day, and between the breaks from movies and series, they walked around the entire hospital. She said to him:"Tomorrow, I want to spend the day alone, Lipe.""Alone? But I told you it's fine with my work.""I know that, but it's for myself, you know. I want to be alone the whole day, and I kindly ask you to tell our friends not to visit me."Lipe felt as if a cold hand had struck his heart, and he must have shown it in his expression because she smiled and placed a hand on his waist. They were walking in the hospital garden."You can trust me, Lipe. I'm not planning on doing anything wrong. I could have left already. I was discharged days ago, and if I wanted, I could be at home and do something there. I swear to you, it's not about that. I just want to see how
IS NOT FAR FROM DANGER YETLipe wasn't prepared for this. He hadn't even considered it, and all he could do was stand frozen in the shower. Lara took steps into the shower with him, and he swallowed hard, feeling his heart wanting to take flight in his chest.She bent down and picked up the dropped shampoo from the floor, squeezed a little into her hands, placed the bottle back on the shelf, and ran her soapy hands through his hair. Lara washed his hair slowly and patiently. Then she took the sponge, used the liquid soap, and gently scrubbed his neck, one arm, then the other, paying special attention to his hands and fingers. She turned him around and washed his back, his buttocks, his thighs, all without haste. Lipe remained motionless, not moving a muscle, simply obeying her as she turned him from side to side, keeping his body rigid and his teeth clenched. It was only when she, still squatting and washing his shins, pulled him so that he faced her, that he held her shoulders firmly
JUST A LITTLE SIP IS NO GOOD."You nailed it, Larinha!" Murilo said to her at the end of the meeting, and it wasn't just him, everyone came to congratulate her for the struggle and the victory she had been having these days."Oh, I was dying of embarrassment and just blabbering," she said, feeling ashamed. Still under the adrenaline rush of having grabbed the microphone, her heart took a while to return to its normal rhythm."Oh, come on! You spoke very well," Ciça said to her."And soon you'll be speaking with more ease and calmness. We all feel that way in the beginning," Larissa said, and more and more friends came to congratulate her, making her feel good, one of them."So, are you in love, Larinha?" Ciça sat in a chair opposite her, turned the backrest around, and smiled at her."Very much.""What's the lucky guy's name?" Roger asked her."Lipe, his name is Lipe, the one who captured this messed-up heart of mine," she said, and her friends saw the sparkle in her eyes as she spoke
DIFFERENT CULTURE.Frank found Cecilia as she was entering another room to attend to an elderly lady. She didn't see him entering the room."Good morning, Mrs. Gabriela! How was your night?""I was fine, slept well, but I got sad when you entered my room!"He stood at the door, listening to their conversation. Both of them were unaware of his presence, and he took the opportunity to observe. The elderly lady must have been around seventy-five years old, lying in a hospital bed on top of the sheets. She was obese, and there was a wheelchair next to the bed for Cecilia to help her sit."Well, well, I've seen it all. Is today going to be one of those days when you treat me badly? Even though I'm so nice to you?" Cecilia positioned herself next to the lady's bed, placing the wheelchair right beside it with the wheels locked."I'm just kidding, my dear. You brighten up my day." The lady smiled at Cecilia, and as she sat up, she put one arm around the therapist's neck to make it easier to b
RECONNECTWhen Megan reached the restroom, her heart was pounding so hard that a woman washing her hands at the sink glanced at her with concern through the mirror's reflection. Megan felt a surge of self-hatred as she scrutinized her appearance in the mirror. How could she be thinking about whether she was well-dressed, presentable, and if her hair was styled properly at a time like this? She mentally berated herself.She was seeing the man who had kept her sleepless for weeks, the man she had fallen madly in love with at first sight, only to discover after they had slept together in a motel and made Romeo and Juliet-like vows of love, that he was married with children! Damn it, he was a married man and a family man! And now she saw him calmly sitting in a restaurant, having lunch, while her first concern was whether she looked presentable or not. She was a lost case!Fortunately, the woman left the restroom, and there didn't seem to be anyone else in there at that moment, thanks to
YOU DID THE RIGHT THING!When his plump, warm lips touched hers, the sound of the door being opened concealed her moan. Finally, a woman who valued her bladder!"Let's go to my place," Gregory whispered in her ear, intertwining his finger with hers, and she followed him outside. The woman who entered didn't even notice them there, nor did she notice that there was a man present. Megan walked with him, their fingers still entwined. It was only when they were going down the escalator that it hit her. One: she was walking hand in hand with a married man in the middle of a shopping mall. Two: he said they were going to his house?But she didn't want to ask anything. She feared that if she asked any questions, the enchantment would break, he would change his mind, see reason, and by God, the self-proclaimed moralist feared that. She mentally kicked herself. Rolled her eyes internally at knowing that she was falling for it as well, and this time, fully aware! She was aware that she was acco
LIGHTNING STORMMegan was thinking about Gregory even more now. She had stopped stalking him on social media a long time ago. It was too much suffering, why continue to do that, to hurt herself even more?Talking to Clara was always wonderful. It brought her relief and made her feel calm. But when she was alone, the thoughts assaulted her again. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that it might be her ego screaming, that her longing for him was because she couldn't have him, that it was the desire for the forbidden, deep down she knew it wasn't just that. It wasn't a matter of ego; it was love in its most painful and absurd form. It was the love for someone who was already committed, and if he were single, they would be together, end of story. She wouldn't be the mistress for quick encounters, the other woman who patiently or anxiously waits for the married and committed man. She had self-respect and wouldn't lower herself to be the lover who regrets being with the husban
I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SURE IN MY LIFE"Are you not going to visit her at the farmhouse?" Clara probed."I'm not that evolved," he replied, smiling to the side."I don't understand," she said."She stayed at my house the day she was discharged from the hospital, Clara, and left in the morning without saying goodbye, just leaving me a note on the fridge saying she would spend a few days at the farmhouse. I could have taken her there, but she called Murilo. They're together at the farmhouse now, and my concern is that he and she, well... they degrade themselves sexually. I'm sorry for telling you this, but you've gone out with her to Jânio's parties and you've seen how she uses sex to vent," he explained."Oh my God, Lipe. I'm so sorry," Clara wanted to cry upon hearing that, imagining how much the young man was suffering."I guess deep down, I worry that she will resort to old habits that will lead her to relapse, you know, and she has struggled so much to get clean," he confided."You a
TWO YEARS LATER"It may seem like many people say that, but I'm being completely sincere when I say you are the most beautiful pregnant woman I have ever seen!" Clara exclaimed as Megan entered her apartment."I hope she believes you, Clara, because I tell her the same thing every day and she doesn't believe me," Gregory said, entering behind his eight-month pregnant wife, who waddled with her pregnant swagger."I believe you, Greg, but when his godmother says it, I'm happy too," Megan said, sitting down with some effort and with Gregory's help. The two had been married for a year and seemed to be in a constant honeymoon phase. "Friend, I also never tire of saying that your apartment is the most beautiful I have ever seen.""I'm obliged to agree, and Dália helped me furnish it.""Dália has incredible taste, doesn't she?""Yes, look at this painting!" Clara pointed to the wall where a beautiful landscape canvas was hanging. It was exactly the painting of Paradise – she says it's for me
SO MUCH OLDER.When they left, Dália and Linda were buzzing with excitement, practically ready to take flight. Linda made calls to catering services, wanting everything to be perfect, and sent messages in the group, warning everyone and threatening anyone who thought about leaving tonight, as she wanted everyone present.Lara sent an audio message, saying she was heading to Márcia's house right now and promised to drag her along by her hair if she had to. Everyone responded with laughing and laughing emojis.Clara was practically dragged to the main house by Linda and Dália. Priscilla was already there with her boyfriend and their daughters, busy cleaning and organizing the house for the party later.Frank tried to help as much as he could, Jânio had left work to assist everyone, and Megan pulled Clara aside to tell her that this party would be good to get them out of the slump they were in. It was Clara's father's call that reminded her that she was supposed to be on her way to his h
RESCUEShe locked the living room door, trembling at the thought of him showing up, knowing she would hit him if he appeared there now. She paced around the room like a caged lioness. Hurt, devastated, and feeling dirty. She felt like the dirtiest woman on the face of the earth.Dália must have seen the lights on in her living room because minutes later she knocked on her door. And she only opened it because she recognized her friend's voice."Why was your door locked?" Dália asked as soon as she entered. "I couldn't sleep thinking about Jaqueline and Márcia, can you believe it? I'm going to make some coffee."Her friend didn't look at her and didn't notice how bad she was feeling. Clara thought it was better that way and shouted from the living room."Okay, I'll get ready and take a shower, and then I'll come to the kitchen."She really needed a shower and took a long one, hoping that the water would wash away some of her pain and anguish down the drain, and that her eyes wouldn't be
THERE ARE OTHER PLEASURES IN LIFE.And that's exactly how it went. Clara had a sleepless night. It was past midnight, and she was still stressed, thinking about how casually he had mentioned talking to her father, solving the problem, just like that. But by one in the morning, her feelings had changed, and she felt like a fool for getting upset and kicking him out of her house simply because he had said he would never have sex with her, ever! What kind of woman was she, getting rid of a man just because he said he would never sleep with her?But at two in the morning, she reconsidered. No, it wasn't about sex! The harsh reality of her situation with Otavio was that it was messy and strange. Perhaps deep down, she knew that it would have to come to an end someday. It wasn't about sex, it wasn't a relationship, it wasn't what they had. She knew that one day it would have to end, and now seemed just as good a time as any. A breaking point could come at any moment, even now.Reality final
I AM AT MY LIMITDália messaged her shortly after, and she thought it was Dália who was turning the doorknob."Hi, my dear. Is something wrong?""Was it you at my bedroom door?" she asked."No, I'm already in bed, but I was there about twenty minutes ago, and Otávio was mopping the living room. Is everything okay?""No. We had an argument, Dália.""I understand.""I don't want him in my house anymore. Please let him know that he needs to go back to his own house.""I will, don't worry."After a sleepless night, she left her room and saw that the living room was sterile clean, but he wasn't there. Thank goodness for that. But his mother was there because the smell of fresh coffee was coming from the kitchen."Good morning," she greeted her friend, who along with Linda, was sitting at the table having breakfast."Good morning. Are you feeling better?" Dália asked, concerned."Yes. I'm feeling better now.""Was it one of his quirks?" Linda asked."No, Linda. I got upset when I joked with
YOU DON'T SLEEP HERE ANYMORE!"I still can't believe it," she said, lying on his chest in the morning. "I don't even feel the urge to drink.""God, that's the best thing I've heard in centuries," Lipe said, his voice husky and smiling."I didn't sleep with Murilo, Lipe. I know I've said it already, but I want to emphasize it.""It's okay, love. I believe you, okay?""Especially because I could only think of you since I left the hospital, and my mind was filled with thoughts of you all the time.""Lara, I'm so happy, and it's so unbelievable to me that I feel like I might be dreaming, you here with me, telling me that you love me." He propped himself up on his elbows and looked at her with shining eyes."I don't understand why it's so hard to believe. I'd be crazy not to love you, love. I may be dependent, but I'm not insane. You're the most incredible guy who has come into my life, and it would be me not believing that you could love me. I just have to be grateful to the universe for
I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SURE IN MY LIFE"Are you not going to visit her at the farmhouse?" Clara probed."I'm not that evolved," he replied, smiling to the side."I don't understand," she said."She stayed at my house the day she was discharged from the hospital, Clara, and left in the morning without saying goodbye, just leaving me a note on the fridge saying she would spend a few days at the farmhouse. I could have taken her there, but she called Murilo. They're together at the farmhouse now, and my concern is that he and she, well... they degrade themselves sexually. I'm sorry for telling you this, but you've gone out with her to Jânio's parties and you've seen how she uses sex to vent," he explained."Oh my God, Lipe. I'm so sorry," Clara wanted to cry upon hearing that, imagining how much the young man was suffering."I guess deep down, I worry that she will resort to old habits that will lead her to relapse, you know, and she has struggled so much to get clean," he confided."You a
LIGHTNING STORMMegan was thinking about Gregory even more now. She had stopped stalking him on social media a long time ago. It was too much suffering, why continue to do that, to hurt herself even more?Talking to Clara was always wonderful. It brought her relief and made her feel calm. But when she was alone, the thoughts assaulted her again. No matter how much she tried to convince herself that it might be her ego screaming, that her longing for him was because she couldn't have him, that it was the desire for the forbidden, deep down she knew it wasn't just that. It wasn't a matter of ego; it was love in its most painful and absurd form. It was the love for someone who was already committed, and if he were single, they would be together, end of story. She wouldn't be the mistress for quick encounters, the other woman who patiently or anxiously waits for the married and committed man. She had self-respect and wouldn't lower herself to be the lover who regrets being with the husban
YOU DID THE RIGHT THING!When his plump, warm lips touched hers, the sound of the door being opened concealed her moan. Finally, a woman who valued her bladder!"Let's go to my place," Gregory whispered in her ear, intertwining his finger with hers, and she followed him outside. The woman who entered didn't even notice them there, nor did she notice that there was a man present. Megan walked with him, their fingers still entwined. It was only when they were going down the escalator that it hit her. One: she was walking hand in hand with a married man in the middle of a shopping mall. Two: he said they were going to his house?But she didn't want to ask anything. She feared that if she asked any questions, the enchantment would break, he would change his mind, see reason, and by God, the self-proclaimed moralist feared that. She mentally kicked herself. Rolled her eyes internally at knowing that she was falling for it as well, and this time, fully aware! She was aware that she was acco