I AM A VIRGIN"Jânio will say a lot because you didn't go," commented Lino as they got into the car."Have you been drinking?" asked Megan. "If you have, we'll call a taxi.""To not say that I didn't drink anything, I licked a bit off Lillian's body, but not enough to get drunk or fail a breathalyser if we get pulled over.""You scoundrel! You got drunk on a woman's body!" Clara punched his arm lightly."Lillian is a piece of a woman, I'm still feeling groggy, damn it!""I know what you mean. I had so much fun, Lino. Thanks for inviting us!" Lara said, sighing and leaning back on the seat next to Megan, while Clara was again in the front seat."These exclusive parties always show up, girls. I don't go as much as I'd like, but there's always something, you know?""Don't leave us out ever again. Keep us in the loop, even if you're not going," Megan pleaded. "Wow, I didn't even realise how late it was. It's already dawn.""Yeah, I'm starting to feel really tired now. Luckily, I'm not wor
NO MORE DELAY"Have you ever felt the desire to...have sex?" She asked timidly, returning from the sink where she grabbed a paper towel and began cleaning the table where she spilled coffee."Never have. It's new to me."Now more alert, she didn't spill coffee or anything else, although she almost did. Shoving pancakes into her mouth without any desire, drenching them in milk coffee, which she also had no desire for, she chewed and swallowed them, aware that her chewing and swallowing were audible.Wow, it was new to her too. No guy had ever told her that he wanted to have sex with her like he was talking about the weather, without even looking at her or showing it. Knowing she was treading on dangerous ground, she decided to change the subject:"Well," she cleared her throat. "Why did your mother leave?""I couldn't convince her to stay when Gerard showed up here. She wouldn't answer his calls, but seeing him here...""He came here?!""Yes.""Was he furious, looking for me, threateni
LINDA, THE HOUSEKEEPER"It wasn't hard to get into the condominium, which she thought it would be, since she wasn't invited and wasn't with Otavio this time. But it seemed she was expected, as the helpful attendant at the gate smiled at her and opened the gates for her when she gave her name - ready for a fight if they didn't let her in. Obviously, she was trembling as she parked in front of the mansion. Trembling with anxiety and fear that Dalia wouldn't listen to her or heed the situation.Seeing it now in daylight, the mansions looked like those from Beverly Hills movies. Everything was sumptuous, and the cars in the open garages and the hedges were so chic that they resembled showrooms of imported cars. Everything was surreal, and she thought that perhaps it would scare the woman to have to give up all of this. After all, Dalia couldn't even prepare a cup of coffee by herself. It was only natural that it would be scary and not as easy as it seemed to just turn her back on it all,
IMPASSE" But it only took one glass or one cup for him to turn into a demon. It was a quick and volatile thing. Samara, my oldest great-granddaughter, was seven years old when he beat her," Linda continued. "Priscila was at a friend's house and asked him, her husband who was on vacation, to pick up their daughter from school that day. When she arrived home two hours after he had picked up their daughter from school, she heard his drunken screams from the street and was already scared. She knew him well and knew what state he was in. On vacation, he should have decided to drink a little, right? Priscila found her daughter unconscious on the sofa and assumed she was sleeping. It was only when she saw the cut on the girl's forehead that she knew he had beaten her.""Oh my God!" Clara cried, unlike Linda."He wouldn't let her call an ambulance," Linda continued. "He said the child was throwing a tantrum and being rebellious, that the mother didn't discipline her, things that drunks say.
UNITED WOMEN! "Hello, Gerard," Clara greeted, hiding the fear she felt. "What's it like for a woman to finally wake up and see that you're a fucking loser?" She couldn't show fear. She shouldn't act like Dália and Linda, who trembled in front of the man. Of course, she also knew that she shouldn't anger him even more! To provoke him even further. But hearing Linda's stories had made her furious. What the hell was this always feeling scared of cowardly men, of bowing her head to them when they're nervous? Enough! Approaching him, she poked her index finger into his chest, hitting his tie. "How does it feel to have women not trembling in fear of a piece of crap like you, huh, tell me, you asshole!" Megan vented all her anger, screaming as he always did. She thought of Priscila's dead baby, the woman in jail at this moment, knowing that if the roles were reversed and the husband had killed their daughter or her, maybe she wouldn't be behind bars. She thought of Vanda's pain, Linda's da
NEW HOUSEClara didn't know how her friends managed to stay quiet because when she woke up many hours later, the room was crowded and they were being silent so as not to disturb her."You crazy woman!" Megan, upon seeing that she had woken up, hugged her and cursed at her at the same time. "How could you go there alone? You could have died!""Leave her alone, Megan!" Dercy said, approaching the bed and kissing Clara's forehead. Dalia and Linda were not there, and with a weak voice, Clara asked about them."They went to take care of two moves," it was Jânio who answered her. And before she asked which moves, he explained. "Yours and hers. Dalia is moving to Paradise. Isn't it fantastic?""You can trust them, Clara," Hanna said. "Linda and Dalia need something to occupy their minds. And you, when you get out of here, we'll help you too, my love."There was so much love and attention that Clara felt like crying and her throat tightened with the pre-cry pain, her throat hurt for anything,
INNOCENT BOYWhen she woke up the next morning, that was the first thing she remembered. The kiss she had given him. Grabbing the pillow next to her, she covered her face. "Damn it, why did I do that?!" She scolded herself for verbally attacking him for no reason, damn it, she was really drunk! But mostly for kissing him.Unconsciously, she placed a finger on her lips and smiled. Okay, she had liked kissing him, she couldn't lie to herself, right? He didn't respond, he just stood there, maybe even with his eyes open when she put her lips on his, unresponsive. Of course, she had barged into his house like a crazy person, accused him, insulted him, and kissed him! How did she expect him to react? He must have thought she was bipolar, at the very least! He had sent her a message.Grabbing her phone, she reread the message with her heart racing. Yes, he had really sent her a message."What the hell is this, the door is locked?" Dercy knocked on the door of the living room. "It's locked, g
NEW STRANDSLara arrived at Clara's house feeling happy and motivated to start her transition."Your house is so beautiful, Clara, ours," she looked around, enchanted."Thank you, and thank you also for washing everything, I can imagine how dusty it was, I know it helped a lot.""I had so much fun here, Megan, Dalia, and Linda are fun, and we had a lot of fun getting everything ready for you. I'm so glad you liked it and that you're going to stay here."Clara was in one of the rooms were Megan and the girls had placed their hairdresser's belongings. The cabinets in the room, which were distributed fluidly, were perfect for her to store her things. Most of the things were previously kept in Megan's house, as she didn't have a place to keep them in her studio apartment, it would be much more practical now. Opening one of the cabinets, she found her cutting scissors, aprons, and jars and more jars of creams of all kinds."I'm going to buy a hairdressing chair soon, it will help take care
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