“Oh, Rora, I'm sorry. I knew you didn't drink anything alcoholic, but I didn't think that tiny truffle would do this to you.”“It's okay, Rafa, I didn't imagine this would happen either.”“Here, take this glass of water.” She handed it to me. “Just because of that, I'll pay the bill tonight.”“Really?”“Don't get used to it, okay?” she said, running her hand over my back. “Look, I was thinking, we could invite Tácio to come with us.”“Are you crazy? Why would we do that?”“Oh, alright, if you don't want to.” she replied, discouraged.That night, I was getting ready, I decided to wear the same pants I had used at the agricultural fair, a gift from Denise, but when I tried to button them, it took some effort.I had been eating better, because I had decided not to let my body suffer because of my problems. Rafaela honked in front of my house, she had a car, which was good, because that way we could go to more distant places, I always helped her with gas, even though she insisted it wasn'

Three months. Exactly three months had passed since Aurora left. I still couldn't process her absence; the house didn't feel the same, all the joy had gone away, the only thing that made me happy was Noah, who was starting to crawl on the floor and said “dada.”Every time he saw me, he would call me, which made my heart calm down. I don't know what I would be without my son, I will be eternally grateful to Aurora for making me see that he was the purest and most innocent being in this whole story. I had put all of his things in my room; that's where he slept now. Aurora's room stayed closed; I didn't let anyone go in. Sometimes I would go there and lie on the bed, which still had her scent; it was a way to ease the longing that was tormenting me more than anything.Now I'm here in the office, looking at my phone and seeing her picture that I took at the beach.“So beautiful.”She didn't answer my messages anymore, and her phone was always off. Whatever had happened, this whole story w

I left the hospital devastated, when I was trying to process the idea of the pregnancy, this new piece of news came.“Two children? How will I manage two children?” I was in shock, if one child was already hard, two then…“Friend, right now, you need to calm down first.”“Rafa, the house I live in barely fits me.”“You can find another one.”“How will I handle a more expensive rent, especially with two children? My God, Rafaela, this time life hit me hard.”I cried in despair.“Calm down, Aurora, and this child, I mean” she corrected herself, “these children, are not only your responsibility, you need to tell the father too.”“Rafa, it's so complicated.”“I know it is, even though you haven't told me your story, I know things are hard for you, but now, it's not about you anymore; it's about two completely innocent beings.”“You're right.”After we got home, Rafaela didn't leave me alone, she prepared something for me to eat, I took a long shower and tried to put my thoughts in order.

“Wife?” I asked, stuttering, to the woman standing at Oliver's door. “Yes, they went to enjoy a few days of vacation. Was it only him you wanted to speak to, miss?” she asked politely.“No, is Denise here?”“She went to the capital; she should be back later.”“And Lúcia, is she around?”“She went to get some cleaning supplies in the village.”“Alright, thank you.”“Tell me your name, so I can let her know who came looking for her.”“That's not necessary; I'll come back later.”I took the taxi and went back to the capital. I was devastated; I couldn't believe that Oliver had gotten back together with Liana. He made her his wife? How could he do that? And me, foolish, thinking he would get rid of her to stay with his son.My phone rang. It was Rafaela.“Hi... Rafa.”“Hi! Rora, have you arrived already?”“Yes, I have, I'm going to look for a hotel to stay tonight.”“Something unexpected happened; Tácio is here.”“What? Didn't you say he was traveling?”“He was, yes, but they called him a

I stepped into the elevator with firm steps; I was so nervous about everything I had heard. How dared he say that my babies had ruined my life?Alright, things would get harder for me, but I would find a way. Never, under any circumstances, would I think about getting rid of something that was made with love. These children would be the most beautiful reminder I would have of Oliver and Noah, and who knows, in a very near future, they might be what would bring us together again.“Hey, Aurora! Where are you going?”I heard Rafaela's voice as she was walking into the clinic.“Oh, Rafa, congratulations to you; you're a warrior!”“What happened?” she asked, confused.“How do you manage to endure and like the same man at the same time?”“You told Tácio about your pregnancy? What did he say that made you so nervous like this?”“The way he treated me, it even seemed like I was asking him to take responsibility for the children and pay child support.”“Calm down, friend; he must have just bee