Chapter thirty-five

Aurora

I had just served the only customer in the ice cream parlor that morning, when I watched Naldo enter the room. My heart rejoiced that I would have someone to talk to. I was poorly dressed, in uniform. Maybe he found my situation funny or shameful, but when our eyes met, I saw a glow unlike anything I could imagine.

— Aurora – he smiled, holding one of my hands – are you working here now?

— Hi Naldo - I smiled awkwardly – I really needed this job, but it's only been a few days.

— Does your father still insist on this?

— This time Claudio is innocent – I watched him sit on a bench in front of me – I can't stand having to spend the whole day looking at my stepmother's face.

— What do you mean, stepmother?

I had forgotten that I hadn't talked to Naldo since Desiree's funeral.

— So many things happened after Desiree died – I started – days later, my father put his mistress to live in the same roof as me.

— So fast – he said, surprised – and how was your reaction?

— I tried to stop –