Helena opens her eyes and for a matter of seconds, she had the feeling that she was awakening elsewhere, at another time in her life. A moment a few days ago, to be more exact. Perhaps because it was exactly the day, I would be returning from this trip. She holds up her left hand, making sure it was just a feeling to feel the weight of her perfectly chosen 18-carat gold wedding rings for her wedding day. Close your eyes by smoothing your finger as you let go of your mother's words. It was true that Helena did not want to have the fate of her mother, and that she had agreed to go to Parati just to rub the email in the face of the daring attendant. And of course, also reflect on how to reverse the situation, but now... Now that didn't make any sense. It would reverse the situation, and what? Would you marry Leandro and pretend that nothing he said messed with her? Would you ignore that this trip messed with her? Would you hide that Bruno was messing with her in two days, what the groom couldn't in years?
— What? - Releases Helena, lifting her trunk quickly before that mental finding. She rubs her eyes and whispers to herself: — You're crazy… You love Leandro, you love Leandro… You love Leandro…
She takes a deep breath, gets up from the bed, and then sees her room rotate as her head is taken by a sharp pain. Yes, the effects of cachaça now take care of Helena, who returns to sit in bed with her eyes closed. It doesn't take long and your room bell rings, further worsening your headache. She drags towards the door, opening in the face of a few friends. On the other side are her mother and brother.
—Good morning, flower of the day. - Marcelo speaks, laughing at Helena's hangover face.
— Speak down. - Asks Helena, holding her head.
— You see, Marcelo. That's what happens when you don't listen to the experience of the elders.
—This looks more like a hangover. - Comments Marcelo, laughing.
— Ra, Ra. - Release Helena making a face. - What do you want?
—We are going to have coffee, aren't you coming? - Asks Regina. — Apparently not, right?
—I just woke up…
— I see. - Speaks Regina facing her daughter. — Take a shower, change your clothes, have a black coffee and go to that bike shop and cancel the package you made. Alegue was drunk and out of it, which is true. Because only drunk for you to have made a package of seven days.
—I was actually sober when I did it, so...
—Helena, I'm not kidding. - Interrupts Regina, irritated.
—Okay, Mom. - Helena answers, taking a deep breath. — Anything else?
—For now, it is …
Helena does not even wait for her mother to finish talking, and closes the bedroom door in her face. The blonde walks back to bed, where she falls asleep.
***
Bruno looks insistently at the clock, without being able to concentrate on the questions of the two tourists who are in front of him. Lucas even assists him by indicating the packages to women, trying to compensate for his friend's neglect. Gabriel notices the situation on the counter and then approaches his friend, worried:
—Bruno, is everything all right?
—Yes, I am waiting for Helena to arrive. I will continue my service with her.
—Really? So you managed to convince her to pay for your services? - Asks Gabriel, wondering how Bruno managed to convince Helena.
— Actually, it was the opposite. She managed to convince me to close the week for free for her. - Bruno replies, awkwardly.
—Are you kidding me?
—Seriously. My services will be exclusive to Helena for seven days, or better, six.
— Bruno. We turn a blind eye to flirting with customers and even getting involved with them because it generates financial return. - Gabriel explains. — Now an exclusive week for free… What is the advantage? What will you gain from this?
—Good morning.
Bruno turns, ignoring Gabriel's questions, and finds the owner of the voice, Helena, entering the store. She wore a round floral dress, her hair loose, sneakers and was beautiful, according to Bruno's eyes. But, that wasn't quite the costume the boy expected Helena to wear today, which put a worry wrinkle in the middle of his forehead that decides to approach.
—Good morning. - Replies Bruno to Helena. — Separated some trails ways to do today… Where is your costume?
— Bruno, I, uh…
—Yes?
Helena bites her lips, nervous. This was that moment when he would say that he came to cancel the package and would no longer continue the adventure, according to his mother's request. After resting, Helena eventually allowed herself to agree with her mother. She did not come to Parati to walk around with Bruno, but to cancel the package, redo, and then do everything to return with Leandro. But, Why couldn't I say that to Bruno? The boy was there in front of her with a silly smile that brought peace to Helena's heart and made her give up talking. Why couldn't she handle the situation? It was quite simple... It was just saying that she didn't want to anymore…
— Say, Helena. - Bruno asks for attention of Helena. — What was it?
— My costume must be in some laundry machine of the inn being washed to take the smell of cachaça that was in it. - Mind Helena, awkwardly. — So I don't think it's going to happen.
— We sell costumes here. -Tell Gabriel what a good sales attendant he is.
— I can't even afford it… – Argues Helena.— However, when I'm ready, I'll let you know.
— Negative. - Refusal, Bruno, analyzing Helena from head to toe. — I have an ideal costume for you and free.
— What? - Gabriel asks, widening his eyes, nervous. The free service was no longer enough, now Bruno was going to offer a cycling suit. It was too much for the young friend's heart. — Bruno, calm there.
— Don't worry, it's not store attire. -Says Bruno, facing his friend. Bruno turns to Helena and continues: — There is only one condition: you will have to go with me to a place… on the back of my bike.
— I do not know...- Loose Helena, nervous. His will was to say yes, but just think of the sermon that his mother would give.
—Say yes. -Asks Bruno, holding Helena's hand.
Helena begins to shake her head, refusing to go, but slowly her gesture turns to a yes, accompanied by a wide smile to Bruno.
— Great! Let's get my bike.
Bruno walks towards the back of the store holding the hand of Helena, who walks behind him under the prying eyes of friends who do not understand the attitude of Bruno. The boy fixes the bike and then helps Helena to climb on the rump. The blonde is dull without knowing where to hold, and then Bruno puts her hands wrapped around his waist.
— Firm hold.
He begins pedaling, trying hard not to focus on Helena's breathing in her neck as she tries to balance herself. The feeling of her being there hugged him shivered and at the same time warmed him, as expected for a long time. Helena, in compensation, was intoxicated with the smell of the perfume that Bruno exhaled. She tried not to admit it, but it was very difficult to contain feeling the boy's defined abdomen. They lost in time, and Bruno only came to his senses when he was already close to his destination. He rides a little longer and then stops in front of a simple yellow townhouse, but he was proud to call home. On the balcony, Loreta was sitting admiring the street while enjoying a gossip.
— We arrived. - Bruno warns Helena, who gets off the bike with his help.
He pushes the bike to the balcony being accompanied by Helena, who watches the woman sitting oblivious to the two.
Loreta looked very beautiful, sitting there under the gaze of Helena. The wavy brown hair delivered Bruno's genetics, as well as the features of the woman that were possible to be found on the boy's face. Loreta then turns her face towards Helena, opening a beautiful smile that only came to confirm the suspicions of the blonde: she could only be Bruno's mother. The boy approaches his mother and lays a kiss on Loreta's cheek as he places his hands together in front of her.
—The blessing, Mother, the blessing.
—God bless you. - Loreta speaks.
— Mother, this is Helena. - Bruno informs Loreta, not that it would make any difference, because she is sure that in a few days Loreta will not even remember the young woman. — Helena, this is my mother, Loreta.
—Pleasure, Lady Loreta. - Says Helena, smiling at Burno's mother as she reaches out to him.
— The pleasure is mine, dear. However, you do not need this formality. - Loreta speaking, standing up. She gives a strong and warm hug to Helena, who gives back awkwardly. Loreta walks away, but not without holding Helena's arms as she says: — Even more so being my son's girlfriend. You're very beautiful, you know? Bruno, she is very beautiful... Her name is as well... Helena is the name of a main character of the novel that is now on television. She is the protagonist, and then she exchanged the baby with her daughter…
—Thank you, but... – Begins to say Helena until she noticed there was something wrong with his mother, because this novel passed even before Helena was born and was also a source of inspiration for her name. — I'm glad my name pleased you.
— Not only the name, you too. Congratulations, my son. - Speaks Loreta looking happy for the "couple".
—Thank you, mother. - Bruno speaks. He faces Helena and continues: — Wait for me here, I'll be back.
— Imagine, Bruno. Invite the girl to enter. What a lack of education! Come in, Helena, and apologize for the mess. - Loreta speaks, leading Helena inside to surprise Bruno.— Men are terrible at cleaning…and how they let me clean up because I forget... it's up to them.
Since they diagnosed Loreta, she became somewhat resistant when it came to other women, as she thought they were all there to rob her husband. Or else, associated with the maternal grandmother of Bruno who was not so good for Loreta. This situation made it difficult for them until they found someone to take care of her.
Helena enters Bruno's house, awkwardly. His house was simple, did not have much furniture, but had a smell of home that pleased the blonde. Bruno's life with his parents was exposed on each wall , on the sideboard near the door, on the coffee table, and on the way up the stairs. By the photos of Bruno's parents cycling, the passion for cycling is a beautiful heritage of them.
—Sit down, Helena, I'll get the costume for you. - Bruno speaks, pointing to the sofa of two places of earth's color.
— You can go up with her, my son. - Encourages smiling Loreta. — Mom is "modern", I know you ...
—Mother, please! - Interrupts Bruno, without grace.
He takes Helena's hand and pulls her towards the stairs being observed by Loreta, who feels happy to meet her son's girlfriend.
—Bruno has arrived? - Asks Nilton, appearing at the kitchen door, surprised. — I swear I heard his voice.
—Yes. - Loreta replies, shrugging, excited. — And came with his girlfriend.
—Girlfriend? - Nilton asks, approaching, surprised. — Are you sure, Lôlô?
—Absolute. - Says Loreta, proud. — Her name is Helena, just like the protagonist of the novel.
—Is that right? He said he's his girlfriend? - Nilton asks standing next to his wife and facing the ladder.
—He did not deny. - Loreta answers.
— Helena... - Speaks Nilton, thoughtful. — Who would say?