— I think you'd better take a shower. – suggests Maria Luísa before the silence that reigned in the hall — Lunch will be served soon and we won't let the food get cold. Adelaide! – Calls the matriarch who is answered promptly — Take my granddaughter to your quarters.
— Yes, ma'am. – replies the maid who seems to be about the same age as the boss, despite her face has more expression marks, indicating the hard work I've been doing for years. She takes Malú's arm and leads her — Come on, honey.
— I'm also going to take a shower and change these clothes. – informs Thiago, heading towards the mansion's marble stairs.
— No, you won't .– refuses Graziela, stopping in front of the groom. She crosses her arms showing all her irritation — Not until you explain all this to me.
— Can't you wait until after lunch? – asks Thiago, running his hand over his head —I really need a shower.
—I can't wait any longer. – Answers Grazi irritated — Do you not realize the seriousness of the situation?
— How serious is the situation? – asks Thiago confused.
—You disappeared overnight and didn't even tell me where or if you were all right! I didn't know for days where you were and when you're back : a teenage daughter!– exclaims Grazi — That's the gravity of the situation!
—I thought my mother told her. – Thiago comments looking at his mother — Apparently, she hasn't learned anything about telling people the truth.
— No, she didn't tell you about any of that and neither did you. – answers Grazi pointing her finger — How could you hide it from me?
— To hide it, I needed to know about the matter… – Thiago retorts — However, my mother hid it from me too. What matters now is that I have a daughter who needs me. The past is behind.
—Where's her mother? – Asks Grazi suspiciously — Who is the girl's mother and why isn't this girl with her mother?
— Malú's mother is Anna, or rather, she was. Anna is dead and I don't want to talk about it anymore. –Thiago answers up the stairs.
— But… –Thiago's fiancée begins to speak.
— Leave him. – asks the mother–in–law, taking her arm — My son needs to rest. Then you talk to him.
— But I need answers and I want them now. – retorts Grazi, trying to free his arm — Can you release me, please?
— For your sake, Graziela, it's best not to go after my son right now. Unless you want to leave this house as his ex–fiancée. And trust me, you don't want that.
***
Malú tries not to look at the beige–walled room in amazement. His new bedroom is bigger than the kitchen and living room of the old house put together. The room is decorated with cheerful and very youthful paintings. One of them catches the young woman's attention: An oil painting of her, but with clothes from another time. How did you manage to make a picture of me?
— This is the picture of your grandmother, when she was younger. – explains the maid with a smile on her lips — You are very similar... Physically. This was your grandmother's room before... – Malú looks at her, asking with her eyes how she knew about all that. The maid smiles and continues — My family has always worked for the Assunções. That's your grandmother's maiden name. Now she's an Almeida, just like you are, at least until she finds a husband...
Impressive, thinks Malú, holding back not to touch the screen. She tosses her backpack onto the huge bed and continues her survey of the room, ignoring the maid's monologue. The first door that opens leads to the closet which is the size of her old bedroom. She turns on the light and observes the delicacy of the painting that had been done.
On the wall facing the door there was a majestic mirror reflecting Malú. She tucks her black T–shirt from her favorite series into the coat that is tied over her shabby jeans. She tries to fix her hair, but the cut is uneven.
—Your grandmother did everything to make you comfortable. – continues the blonde–haired lady, showing a slight anxiety for Malú's approval.
The young woman gives a slight smile and goes to the other door, where the bathroom is. All the fittings were gold, the bathtub and furniture were white and there was a huge gold–framed mirror.
— As you can see, it's gold plated . – explains the maid behind Malú.
The young woman closes the bathroom door and stands facing the maid. I would like to say that I want to be alone, but the tablet was discharged.
—There's one more thing in this room that you might like. .– the maid says excitedly.
Despite Malú not showing any curiosity, the maid goes to the empty wall on the other side of the room and pulls the candlestick making the wall move.
— This is a secret door .– answers the maid — Would you like to see where it goes?
Malú looks at her curiously, she doesn't believe that it can be real. A secret door in your room. She enters the doorway just behind Adelaide, taking a short walk along the stone walls of the house. In them, there were some drawings of children. Soon another white door appeared. As soon as the maid opens it, a bright light appears.
The young woman enters the room and smiles: inside there are immense shelves full of books surrounding the place. In the center, red armchairs and a cherry–colored coffee table complement the place. Next to the window is a desk inviting you to sit.
—This is your private library . –Adelaide explains. She takes a golden key from her pocket and continues, —This is the key to the door that gives access to the rest of the house. Hope you enjoy reading...
Malú runs her fingers over the covers of the books as she walks towards the desk. The young woman touches the carved wood of the writing table, she could stay there for hours on end without getting tired. My mother would love this place , she thinks with a pang of sadness.
— Miss, we must go. Your grandmother doesn't like mealtime delays. And you still need to shower.
Maria Luísa just nods and follows the employee. Adelaide closes the secret door and leaves the room, almost bowing to the young woman. Malú goes to her backpack and takes out some clothes that she will use for lunch. When he takes off his shirt, something falls to the floor. It was the book that Ícaro had given him as a gift. She holds it tight to her chest and walks towards the candlestick, opening the door again.
He opens the other library door with a slight smile on his lips, walks to the huge shelves looking for a place for his book, when he notices that one of them is highlighted. She approaches curiously, then takes the book from its place looking at the cover of the book and smiles: Diva, by José de Alencar. It is one of her favorite books and it was coincidentally there, highlighted in front of all the others. Or not, Malú thinks, noticing that inside the cover there was a folded paper. She opens it and reads slowly:
“Emília would have been seventeen years old then. One could feel, looking at her, the mysterious influence that a superior spirit had exerted in the revolution wrought in her person. The costume, still only avaricious of the charms it concealed, was of a severe cast; but there were artistic touches in the graceful shape and combination of the ornament, which were also revealed in the braided bundle of luxurious black hair.”
She writes something on the paper and puts it inside the cover. Grab your book and put it on the shelf and head out to the shower.
***
Malú is the last to sit at the table full of food along with Thiago, Graziela, Vera Lucia who enjoys a glass of wine and her grandmother, upset with her granddaughter's delay.
—Finally, everyone is at the table. – the matriarch pins, beckoning Adelaide to come and serve them.
— Not all of them, Maria. – Vera intervenes, staring at Thiago's mother — The wandering son is missing. I'm sure he'll be as surprised to learn he has a niece as we are.
— Vera. – calls Thiago, putting his cutlery on the plate. He glares at her as he scolds her saying, —Please don't ruin lunch by talking about him.
— I see that there is a lot of history behind Maria Luísa. – comments Vera, being watched by her grandmother and granddaughter. She almost chokes on her wine when she notices both of them looking in her direction — Excuse me, I forgot that the two of them have the same name... We'll have to find a nickname for you – the woman points to Malú — Although I think you must already have one...
— We call her Malú. — answers Thiago gruffly.
— "We"? – Vera asks, looking at her brother–in–law with a sarcastic smile —Who would be "us"?
— I think you'd better leave these questions until after lunch, Vera. – Maria Luísa intervenes — Enjoy the wonderful duck that Adelaide has prepared.
Silence ensues at the table as everyone tastes the maid's duck, but it doesn't last long.
— In fact, the duck is divine. – praises Vera Lúcia, wiping her lips. She looks at Malú and continues — You know, I couldn't help but notice that we still haven't had the honor of listening to the heiress's sweet words, it's quite an offense. It looks like she's mute...
— The correct term is aphonic. – Corrects Thiago, cutting the piece of duck, annoyed — You didn't hear Malú speak, because she is temporarily aphonic. Anything else, or can I eat now without going through interrogation?
— I'm sorry, I didn't know she was... Like this. –Vera retorts, pointing to the young woman.
—Well, you... You can... Be... Sure... You're not the only one... Not to know... About any of this story. – Graziela mutters under her breath, trying to cut her salad.
—I already said that I clear all this up after lunch. Can we have a quiet meal? – asks Thiago, knocking on the table.
— I'm sorry if I can't pretend that everything is fine! –reacts Graziela getting up —Excuse me, but I'm not feeling very well right now.
She leaves the dining room practically running and crying.
— Excuse me. – asks Vera, getting up too and going out after her sister.
Maria Luísa stares at her son who continues to eat in a hurry, while Malú barely touches the food, her head down trying to forget the previous scene.
— Go after your bride. – orders Maria — She needs you right now.
— She was the one who wanted to leave. – reacts Thiago.
— She deserves to know the whole story, Thiago. – explains Maria Luísa.
—And I spent sixteen years without earning it? That's it? – asks Thiago angrily.
— I did not say that. She is innocent in the midst of all this, my son. – Explains Maria, serenely.
— Alright, but know that it's all your fault. – accuses Thiago, standing up. — It's his.
Malú closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. She pushes her plate away and gets up from the table under her grandmother's gaze.
— Maria Luísa. – calls her grandmother, causing Malú to stop with her back to the matriarch, who hesitates a little — You can go to your room.
Even before the grandmother could say something, Malú is already running down the hall towards her room, when she hears altered voices coming from a door next to the stairs. She approaches the door trying to hear and see what was being said inside.
— You owe me explanations, Thiago. – says Graziela with her arms crossed and sitting on the brown leather sofa — Or do you really think that just that fake explanation is enough?
— I'm willing to give you the explanations you need.– says Thiago, kneeling in front of the bride — Do you remember the first time we broke up?
— Yes, you broke up with me because you had met someone else. – remembers Graziela coldly — Anna, the woman you were going to marry and who was pregnant. But she had lost the baby, that's what you told me. And that she had gone somewhere else. Your mother and brother were absolutely sure of that, as were you.
— Yes. – agrees Thiago — Until a few weeks ago, when they told me the whole truth. Anna was in Belo Horizonte, sick, Malú was alive and sixteen years old... My life took a turn that I didn't expect. – He kisses the bride's hands — I didn't think and went there... I had time to say goodbye to Anna... And now I have Malú. But I confess that I feel lost and that I need you more than ever. I understand that you have every right to walk out that door and never want to come back. I have a heavy weight to carry and you don't have to carry it with me. But I still want to share a life with you, even though my life is a little messed up.
— That's a good story. – comments Vera thoughtfully — It will be great to clarify how you have a sixteen–year–old daughter to your constituents...
— We're not going to expose Malú. – determines Thiago, looking at his sister–in–law. He stands up. — She'll stay out of all this, okay?
—Impossible. – Vera refuses, showing her cell phone screen. In it appears a photo of Thiago holding Malú and trying to hide. What was written in the title made the situation controversial: CANDIDATE FOR SENATOR AND HIS AFFAIR – PEDOPHILIA? — You've been put in a very embarrassing situation.
—How can they be so disgusting! – Thiago exclaims nauseated. — Make an appointment, only with me, I'll clarify this, avoiding exposing my daughter as much as possible.
— As you wish. – answers Vera, writing down Thiago's request. —But know that this will erase your marriage.
— I'm not sure we're going to get married anymore. – Thiago claims, looking at the bride.
— I need to process all this. – comments Grazi, putting her hands on her head — And I thought the threat was the biggest of our problems...
— Threat? – asks Thiago frowning — What threat?
— We received a letter addressed to you there in the committee – reveals Vera, going towards her bag. Inside it comes a white paper that she gives to Thiago — This is the copy, because the real one became evidence and was collected. We've already called the police, but they need to talk to you.
Thiago takes the letter in surprise. The words were clippings that seemed to have come from newspapers and magazines. He reads it carefully and then hands it over to Vera. He sits beside Graziela, astonished:
—Have you found any clues yet? – asks Thiago.
—Nothing. –Vera replies.
— I don't think you should do that – claims Graziela holding Thiago's hand – We didn't get that far to die on the beach...
— Well, I'll think about it… – admits Thiago.
— We have to talk about the wedding. – Vera comments — I need to confirm if it will happen or not.
— It just depends on your sister. – claims Thiago looking at Graziela.
— Well… I think… – Grazi begins.
— What are you doing there?
She turns around and her eyes widen in disbelief who she's seeing. Malú smiles and hugs Ícaro, finally someone she knows in the midst of this whole situation, until the office door opens:
— The good son returns home. – comments Vera — Malú, do you mean to say that you already know your uncle?
Malú walks away quickly, facing Ícaro. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Ícaro is my uncle?