Chapter 403

Chapter 403
Clara closed the box and smiled to herself, murmuring:
“My sister-in-law and Carol are very sincere. They really understand me... These things satisfy my appetite well.”
Without wasting any time, she took off her wedding dress and put on the delicate lingerie first, then the nurse's uniform Carol had given her. She picked up the stethoscope and sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed, waiting.
When the bathroom door opened, Victor appeared, drying his hair with a towel. When he saw her, he stopped as if he had been struck by lightning. The towel slipped from his hands and fell to the floor.
“Clara?!” His voice came out broken. “What are you wearing?”
She stood up, twirling to show off the costume.
“They're gifts from my sister-in-law and Carol. What do you think?”
Victor blinked a few times, still stunned.
“But... why did they give you that? That outfit is... too explosive.”
Clara frowned indignantly.
“Victor, do you really not understand, or are you pretending? This is to provoke you!”
He just took her hand and caressed it, silently.
Clara snorted, irritated.
“Okay, if you don't want to play, we won't.” She lay down on the bed and pulled the blanket over herself, sulking.
For a few moments, she remained silent. Then she felt the mattress sink beside her. Victor gently pulled the blanket and whispered:
“Nurse... I'm in pain. Can you examine me?”
Clara's eyes widened in surprise, and then she laughed.
“Really?”
“Very serious.” His smile was irresistible.
She couldn't resist. She jumped on top of him, pushing him against the bed, sitting down beside him. With a mischievous smile, she opened the robe he was wearing.
“Then... let the nurse examine exactly where it hurts.”
The room was filled with soft laughter and the warmth of intimacy.
While Clara and Victor enjoyed their newlywed night, elsewhere in the city, Marlon reflected. Now that Victor and Clara were married, and Stella was expecting Nathan's third child, he and Carol were still just “boyfriend and girlfriend.” This made him uneasy. He wanted to move forward, he wanted to make their relationship official, he wanted children with her.
He wasn't the only one. Carol's parents were also insisting. They wanted to see their daughter settled down and, of course, they wanted a grandchild. The result: Marlon, Carol's mother, and father formed a silent alliance to pressure her.
Carol resisted. But she knew she couldn't escape forever.
Days later, the news came: they were going to meet Marlon's family.
“I've never even met your parents!” Carol complained, pacing back and forth across the room.
Marlon tried to calm her down.
“They'll love you.”
The revelation about his family didn't help: he was from a small town called Américo Brasiliense, where the Fishers were well known. His grandfather had been mayor, his father was the principal of the local school, and his mother owned the town's supermarket.
There was no direct flight. So they traveled by bus, loaded with suitcases and gifts chosen by Carol's parents.
Carol almost freaked out when she saw the packages her mother insisted on sending.
“This is ridiculous! Why so much?”
“It's your first time meeting your in-laws. You need to be polite,” her mother replied.
Carol opened one of the packages.
“Salted fish?!”
Her father laughed, satisfied.
“A São Paulo specialty. They'll love it.”
“I'm not carrying this!” she protested.
“We will,” they both replied in unison.
Marlon smiled, picking up the bags.
“Don't worry, I'll take everything.”
Carol glared at him, furious.
“It's going to stink on the bus! People are going to laugh at us!”
“I've already thought of that,” Marlon winked. “I'll wrap it up again. No one will notice.”
She looked at him suspiciously.
“How do you know what I'm thinking?”
“Our hearts are connected,” he replied, laughing.
Carol rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide her blush.
The trip was long. When they finally arrived, Carol was exhausted and, to make matters worse, completely unprepared for what was to come.
“My dad is picking us up,” Marlon said casually.
Carol froze.
“What?! Why didn't you tell me before?! I look like a mess!”
She ran to find a bathroom, but he held her hand.
“You look beautiful. Really beautiful.”
And, raising his hand, he called out:
“Dad! We're here!”
Carol's eyes widened when she saw a middle-aged man approaching, smiling, dressed in simple clothes.
“This is my fiancée, Carol,” Marlon introduced her proudly. “Carol, this is my father.”
“H-h-hello, uncle...” she stammered.
“How nice, how nice!” said her father, kindly. “You must be tired. Let's go home. Your grandmother and mother have prepared lots of food.”
The Fisher family home was simple but cozy, with a patio and walls painted in light colors. Carol swallowed hard, feeling her stomach churn.
“I'm nervous,” she murmured.
“You don't need to be,” Marlon squeezed her hand. “My grandmother and mother will love you. My father already likes you.”
When they entered, they found Marlon's mother and grandmother setting the table. When they saw them, both smiled warmly.
“Finally!” said the grandmother. “Marlon talks so much about you, Carol. We were eager to meet you.”
“Come, dear. Wash your hands and sit down to eat,” added his mother, opening her arms.
Carol took a deep breath and, even with her heart racing, smiled back.
Maybe... it wasn't so scary after all.