Malú is sitting looking at the television, watching the news while a few strands of her hair fall on her face, neck, arms and legs. Her cropped hair bothers her like it's grass.
"Have you finished, Aunt Aline?" asks Malú through the app on his tablet that his father had bought him. Even scowling, he was right to have done that.
—Do you think it's easy to fix your hair? – asks Aline after reading what is written — You practically lost him completely.
“My hair is not a car.” Malú retorts.
— But the damage was the same. – Aline counters, cutting off another strand — If you stay still in ten minutes, I can leave you... Reasonable.
— Malú. – calls Thiago entering the room. There was a big smile on his face. —I have a surprise for you.
He goes to the door and opens it, putting a smile on Malú's face that she didn't expect to appear so soon. They came , thinks the happy young woman.
Renata enters the room first, with her dark skin and curly hair, lavishing her sympathy. Letícia comes right after, fixing her blonde Chanel hair and her shy way. Those were Malú's two best and only friends.
— Hello, stranger. – greets Renata, sitting on the bed — Do you mean to say that you came to float here at the hospital?
—Ahahaha, funny. – replies Malú through the tablet.
— Hi, Malú. – greets Letícia hugging her friend — How are you?
“No voice” Malú replies “Other than that, I'm fine despite everything”.
—Well, for me, nothing has changed. Our best conversations have always been written down – comments Renata smiling — Now Aunt Aline will no longer get on our feet if we keep talking on the cell phone.
—Unfortunately. – Aline grumbles, rolling her eyes. —But soon it will be over and she won't have that excuse.
—Has anyone else come with you? – asks Malú.
— Almost everyone came from the school, but the hospital did not allow entry – Letícia replies.
— And when she says everybody, IT'S EVERYONE – reinforces Renata, winking at Malú, who immediately turns red.
— Thiago de Almeida? – asks the nurse entering the room. Thiago turns around facing the approaching woman — The results have already come out and they called you to give the diagnosis.
— I'm going too. – replies Aline, dropping the scissors and stopping beside Thiago.
— As long as it doesn't make a fuss. – pins Thiago, leaving.
— I don't make a fuss. – argues Aline, going after him annoyed — But you... Take the tram and want to sit at the window.
— Excuse me, but you're only going because I authorized it. – Thiago replies, already out of the room, but still being heard by the girls.
— Wow, how much generosity. – Aline mocks.
— Wow… They are very angry with each other – Letícia says, smiling.
"Like dog and cat" explains Malú "Some days it's worse".
— It's like they say: Opposites attract. – comments Renata maliciously — All this load of hate can turn into the most ardent love.
“Oh ok, you just forgot that my aunt loves Ícaro and that Thiago is engaged”.
—There are no barriers for those who love. – Renata retorts lying on the bed, with her hands on her chest as if she had been hit by a cupid's arrow.
— And speaking of love… – Letícia begins — Pedro came to see you, but they didn't let you in.
"Fortunately. I don't want him to see me like that” confesses Malú touching her hair.
—But you looked so cute like that. – Renata replies, touching her friend's hair. — reminded my mother's dog when it was shorn at home.
"Shut up, Re." replies Malú throwing the pillow at her friend.
— I agree with Renata. – admits Letícia — Not the dog part, but her hair looks nice like that.
“You say that because you love short hair, Lele” Malú retorts, sticking out her tongue then “Thank you for being here”.
— A friend is for those things. – Letícia answers, hugging her friend.
— And also, to start a pillow fight. – Renata answers, holding the pillow — Pillow fight!
***
Aline takes a deep breath, while waiting, next to Thiago, for a doctor to enter the room.
— You're too impatient. – complains Thiago, seriously.
— And you don't seem worried about Malú's situation. – Aline replies.
— I'm not worried? – asks Thiago pointing to himself —I want to take her to Curitiba as soon as possible to solve this situation and I'm not worried? Make me laugh.
— You want to take it, yes, but for thinking only of yourself. – accuses Aline.
—Think what you will, I don't care about you. – Thiago retorts, adjusting himself in his chair.
— If you think you're going to take Malú to Curitiba, you're wrong. I'm going to the police station to accuse you of kidnapping. – threatens Aline with a finger close to Thiago's face.
—Do you really think they'll listen to you? I'm her father, that's not kidnapping. – answers Thiago sarcastically.
— They'll listen to me when I tell them you were an absentee father... that you never cared about her. – Aline counters nervously.
— She gets a monthly pension, the house you live in has money I gave her, as well as the school, the clothes she wears the tablet with the app so she can interact with us... I'm not a neglectful parent. – retorts Thiago.
— But it wasn't you who gave it. – Aline retaliates, who immediately looks at him in surprise — And how do you know about all this?
— When you declared war on me, I went after everything. I know about Anna's agreement with my mother. I know I can take Malú out of here whenever I want, as it's authorized by Anna. – answers Thiago — Believe me, you won't win.
— Good morning. – greets the doctor, interrupting the dialogue as she enters the room. She extends her hand towards Aline and then towards Thiago and introduces herself. — My name is Adriana, I'm a speech therapist and I'm following the case of Maria Luísa.
— Good morning. – the two responds.
— The test results are out and Maria's vocal cords are perfect without any trauma. The otorhinolaryngologist also found nothing to justify the young woman's aphonia.
—Does that mean...? – Aline asks confused.
— That they have no idea what Malú has. – answers Thiago angrily in place of the doctor.
— Well, it's not like that, Mr. Thiago. – Adriana intervenes — Our team is doing everything possible to find the cause of this problem.
—By the time she's been here, they should have already found it. – grumbles Thiago.
— You have no idea what it could be? – Aline asks, ignoring Thiago.
— I believe it's a psychological trauma. Did she have any changes in her routine, anything that might have shaken her emotional state? – Adriana asks the two of them.
— Her mother died recently. – Aline replies, crestfallen.
— I understands. – Adriana says, taking a deep breath. He puts Malú's exams on the table and with a serious expression he comments — I'm not a psychologist, but there are cases of people who suffered psychological trauma that interfered with the body physically. No one reacts the same to losses like this. And I believe that this may have happened to Maria Luísa as well. If she has an aversion to change, her situation can get even more complicated.
— What do you recommend? – Aline asks curiously.
— Let her start therapy. – Answers Adriana.
—And if that doesn't work? – asks Thiago.
—What you can do is try everything possible. So that the vocal cords do not atrophy, it would be interesting for her to also undergo preventive treatment.
— Do you recommend a psychologist here in Minas? – asks Aline.
— There are excellent psychologists here. – guarantees Adriana.
— It will not be necessary; she will do these treatments in Curitiba. – Thiago explains — When will she be discharged?
—I was just waiting to talk to you guys to sign off.
— Great. – answers Thiago, standing up. He adjusts his gray suit — You can do it now.
— Thank you for everything. – thanks Aline, standing up.
She leaves the room in a hurry, walks to Thiago and stops in front of him.
— You can't take Malú from BH. – Claims Aline holding Thiago's arm who stops — You heard what the doctor said, she has an aversion to changes.
—She said she might have, not that she has. – Corrects Thiago releasing his arm. —Not to mention she's not a psychologist, so I have to disregard her diagnosis. Besides, Malú will go to Curitiba with me and it's decided.
— Let's see what she thinks when she finds out what a jerk you are. – threatens Aline walking towards the bedroom.
— Take advantage of it and tell her that you sold her to my family for money. – shoots Thiago, walking calmly.
– What? – Aline asks turning around — What did you say?
— That's what you heard... Tell Malú that you and Anna sold it... Or do you really think that my daughter will accept that the agreement in which my family holds custody was only thinking about what it is better for her? She'll be mad at you... and a lot more at Anna. She's going to be so angry that her own mother was able to do this to her that she's going to wish she'd stayed with my family from the start. By the way, have you ever had the courage to tell her that Ícaro is my brother?
—Do you think you can blackmail me? – Asks Aline irritated — You wouldn't have the courage to put Malú against Anna...
– It only depends on you. – Comments Thiago approaching Aline. He touches the lock of the woman's brown hair and continues — I said that I'm capable of anything to have my daughter back, even if I have to go against my principles.
—I thought you were just like your family, but you…you're worse than them. – Accuses Aline moving away from Thiago.
—For Malú, I'm capable of anything. – shouts Thiago, not sure that Aline heard him.
***
Malú was changing her hospital clothes when Aline entered her room. She is nervous, worrying the young woman. Maria Luísa goes to bed, takes her tablet and writes:
"Everything is fine?"
— I have something to tell you. – begins Aline crying. She hugs Malú and continues — I know I promised your mother I would never do this, but I need you to know about the people you will live with.
“Who will I live with? I thought I was going to live with you" writes Malú.
—It won't be possible… yet. Trust me, I won't give up on you. Now more than ever, I know I need to protect you. – Aline replies nervously.
“What do you have to tell me?” asks Malú curiously.
Tell her you sold her to my family for money...
— Your paternal family… – begins Aline trying to ignore his thoughts — Your mother made me promise never to do anything that would impair your judgment towards them.
Do you really think my daughter will accept that the agreement in which my family has custody was only thinking about what is best for her?...
—I need you to know...
She's going to be mad at you... and a lot more at Anna.
“Yes?” asks Malú confused.
She's going to be so angry knowing her mother was able to do this to her that she's going to wish she'd stayed with my family from the start.
— I want you to be careful. – asks Aline — Always take a step back. They're not... When you're there, you'll realize that nothing is what it seems. We were all deceived.
“Okay,” Malú agrees, hugging her aunt afterwards.
—And know that your mother and I always love you. Even if at some point our actions seem to be bad, know that it was all for you. Your mother did everything for you.
"I don't understand..." Malú confused.
— One day I will tell everything, but today I cannot.
“Will you go with me to Curitiba?” asks Malú.
— Not yet, Malu. But when I go, it will be to look for you. I'll do everything to look for you. – promises Aline.
—Are you ready, Malu? – asks Thiago from the door. The two stares at him scared, as they hadn't noticed his presence.
Maria Luísa shakes her head in affirmation, while Aline walks away from the young woman. He enters the room and takes his daughter's suitcase and leaves, being followed by the two. The three get into the car parked at the hospital and go to Aline's house.
As soon as he parks, he tries to kiss Malú on the cheek, who dodges, still feeling angry with Thiago and the whole situation. Aline quickly descends, leaving the two of them alone in the car.
—I'll come pick you up tomorrow morning so we can leave. – Warn Thiago. He looks at his daughter and continues trying to encourage her — I'm sure your mother would like you to go to Curitiba.
Malú glares at him more than he already was for mentioning his mother. She gets out of the car and slams the door with all her might.
***
Malú wakes up and looks at her window, where the first rays of sunlight come in, which makes her get up and go to the backyard. There are all the lilies that your mother grew in a beautiful garden. She sits among them, touching the flowers and smelling their scents. They remember the smell of their mother. She lifts her face towards the sunlight and lets her tears flow.
Suddenly the light that touched her face disappears and a shadow takes its place, making Malú open her eyes.
— I knew it was you – says Malú, smiling.
Anna sits in front of her daughter with a smile on her lips and touches her face. She takes one of her lilies and puts it in Malú's ear, fixing her hair.
—I'm not sleepy. – explains Malú.
—Why did you lose sleep? – asks Anna.
— I'm leaving. – Malú replies sadly — I won't be able to see you anymore. I miss you.
— I feel yours too, my angel. – Anna replies hugging her daughter — But don't worry, we can always see each other.
— How? – asks Malú, wiping his face — I won't be able to see your garden anymore... And neither will your grave.
— I'll be here. –Anna answers, touching her daughter's chest — Inside your heart and when you want to talk to me, just call me. I will never abandon you... Never. You can always find me in your dreams.
— I love you, mother. – declares Malú lying on her mother's lap — I love you very much.
— I love you my daughter, beyond life – Anna replies touching her daughter's hair — Now try to sleep.
—I don't want you to disappear. – Malú says, fighting sleep.
—I won't.
Malú feels someone tap her on the shoulder, shaking her slightly. She opens her eyes and gets up from the lawn, being helped by Aline.
— Insomnia… – Aline deduces, holding the young woman by the shoulders — Come, don't worry, everything will be fine.
Malú walks towards the house next to her aunt, she wanted to be able to answer something to her, but at that moment it was impossible. She passes her hand close to her ear, feeling the lily, which makes her smile shyly.
***
The trip from Belo Horizonte to Curitiba did not take long, but for Malú it was a martyrdom. Thiago did everything he could to talk to her, which he avoided as much as possible, even to the point of pretending to be sleeping.
As soon as they arrive at the airport, they are greeted by a large number of photographers and reporters, all wanting to know where the senate candidate had gone and who the young woman next to him was. Had it not been for the security guards, the situation could have been worse. They lead them to the parking lot, where a driver is already waiting for them. He drives quickly through the streets until he reaches an upscale part of the city, entering one of the mansions that is a true work of art. Its cream facade with Greek pillars draws the attention of Malú that refer to the white house. Right in front, a huge marble fountain welcomes them.
Thiago takes Malú to the hall of the house, where they encounter three people: Maria Luísa, the young woman's grandmother. Vera Lúcia, a beautiful woman with flowing blond hair, was Thiago's public relations officer and sister–in–law. And Graziela, the bride, looks a little like her sister, stares at them curiously.
— Welcome, my son – welcomes Maria receiving an icy look from her son.
— Whoever is alive always shows up. – pins Vera seriously. She looks Malú up and down, curious — Apparently with a surprise...
—Who is this young woman? – asks Graziela, curious.
— Grazi, Vera and mom, this is Maria Luísa Braga de Almeida. – introduces Thiago. He takes Malú's shoulders and continues — My daughter .