Bruno takes Helena to her parents' room and while the young woman stands at the door, he goes to the wardrobe, then opening. The boy does not need to move much and already finds some female costumes very well-packed. He takes two of them swinging towards Helena.
— I found. - Speaks, throwing one of them towards the young. — See if it fits you.
—Here? Is this your room? - Helena asks, afraid.
—Ahmmm, don't… come. - Calls Bruno, holding Helena's hand and leading her towards his room. He opens the door and then points inwards. — Make yourself at home.
— Thank you. - Thanks Helena entering Bruno's room. She turns and notices that Bruno is still at the door watching her. — Could you…. close the door?
—Ah, of course. Sorry. Let me know when you're done. – ask Bruno before closing the door.
Helena then turns and then begins to take off her clothes, putting on the first costume that perfectly fits her, to her surprise. Wears the second and fits like a glove on her body, making Helena wonder who those clothes belonged to. The ex-girlfriend, maybe? Things as he opens the zipper of the second suit and lets it slide through his body.
—So, was it good? - Asks Bruno, entering abruptly.
—Hey! - Shouts Helena, holding the suit against her body, frightened. She pulls the zipper quickly while facing Bruno, serious.
—Sorry! - Asks Bruno, nervously trying to close his eyes. —It's just that you were taking so long…
—Yes, they fit, but I do not feel good wearing someone else's clothes. - Helena speaks awkwardly.
—You can be sure that the person will not care much about the costume... – Bruno claims.
— I doubt that your ex will not want those costumes. They are perfect. - Comments Helena trying to find the owner of the cycling costumes.
—They are not my ex-girlfriend's, if that's what's going through your head. - Bruno speaks, sitting on the bed. He breathes deeply and continues. — They're my mother when she was cycling.
— Um… I saw some pictures of her with her father downstairs. I should have suspected that. - Helena speaks, not funny because she thinks it was Bruno's ex. — Why did she stop?
— Alzheimer's… She was diagnosed about two years ago, after getting lost in a competition here in the region, and she knew the route as the palm of her hand. She was finding it was just stress and discovered the disease.
—I'm sorry. - Helena speaks sitting next to Bruno. She holds the boy's hand.— It can't be easy.
— It... has its good and bad days. - Bruno comments. — Today is a good day, although I think you were my girlfriend.
—Really? - Ask Helena arching her eyebrow. — Why?
—Well, over time, my mother began to have an aversion to women… She became very aggressive with the day laborer and with her own doctor. No woman could even pass here in front of the house that she threw a bucket of water at them. Before this picture, my father was responsible for her fully, since my mother only accepts him and me here at home. And now, accepted you.
—Wow, I had no idea… she was so sweet to me.
— Yeah. - Confirms Bruno facing Helena. — By the way, I'm sorry she said you're my girlfriend…
—That's fine. Now that you've told me about her illness, it all made sense. And I'm so glad she liked me.
— You have something special, Helena…
He holds his hand up towards the blonde's messy strands, adjusting them behind her ear as her face approaches hers. Helena faces Bruno with her lips ajar and trembling. She could not explain this magnet that attracted them to the point that she felt an immense desire to kiss him without any resistance. Bruno settles, taking his lips to meet Helena's, longed to feel the taste of the kiss of the young woman who touched him from the first day.
—I'm coming in, I'm coming in... – Tell Nilton, entering Bruno's room, causing the young people to practically jump out of bed.
Bruno was practically in the bathroom door, while Helena picked up the clothes from the floor. No movement went unnoticed by Bruno's father, who lets out a naughty smile towards the two. Nilton then turns to the son, who was less red than Helena, and says:
—Sorry to disturb the lovebirds, but I came here to meet my new daughter-in-law.
—Dad, this is Helena. - Bruno speaks, pointing to Helena. — Helena this is my father, Nilton.
—Pleasure, Mr. Nilton. - Says Helena, raising her hand towards her "father-in-law". — But I'm not Bruno's girlfriend.
—In fact, she is a customer of the store, and we came here for her to try on some costumes from her mother to wear today since hers is… unusable. - Explains Bruno.
—I know… – Release Nilton, facing Helena head to toe. — This costume was from when Loreta won the Brazil Ride Bahia. What was in her hand was when she was in 3 places in Brazil Ride Espinhaço.
—I'm sorry I'm wearing it. I didn't know it was so important. I'm taking it off. - Explains Helena, nervous.
—No, please. It was great you, if you want, you can have it. With both. - Nilton.
—No, imagine if…
—I make a point, Helena. - Speaks Nilton with a slight smile at Helena. — All I ask is that you dedicate yourself to cycling, because it is a wonderful sport.
—You can leave, your son encouraged me a lot with beautiful landscapes…
—I'm happy to hear that. - Nilton speaks, staring at his son. — Anyway, I also came to warn that his mother invited his girlfriend to lunch with us.
—Dad, she's not my girlfriend. - Reinforce Bruno, really.
—For today, it will have to be. - Says Nilton to the son. — His mother is cooking sea-blue fish and said she will still make basin Manuê for the afternoon coffee.
— Really, Dad? - Asks Bruno, surprised. It's no wonder, because it's Bruno's favorite dishes that he hasn't tasted in a long time. He turns to Helena. — Do you mind being my girlfriend for a few hours? Please…
— Okay. - Accept Helena smiling at Bruno.
***
After Helena changed clothes, the trio went downstairs, listening to Loreta's humming in the kitchen. Nilton enters the room first that Bruno and Helena, who holds the boy's arm, attracting his attention:
— What is Sea Blue Fish?
— Never heard of the best dish in the world? - I ask Bruno, smiling. He holds the young woman's hand and says: — Come, you will have a unique experience today.
The two enter the kitchen and find Loreta cutting the sea bass while Nilton fixes the iron pot on top of the stove. Helena observes the fish that has not even close to the blue color, surprise.
— Shouldn't the fish be blue? - Asks, attracting attention from Loreta, who smiles at her.
—In fact, there is no blue fish. - Begins Loreta separating the fish into a container. — Come, I will teach you how to make the dish. Kids, get out of the kitchen, which I'm cooking with my daughter-in-law today.
Bruno and Nilton look at each other, worried. It's been a long time since they left Loreta unsupervised, and even more so with a woman.
—Come on, let's go. - Loreta says, pushing both of them out of the kitchen. — We'll be fine. Enjoy and clean the dining room and set the table. Bruno, go buy a soda at the grocery store, please.
The two leave, still surprised by the haughty posture of Loreta, who now smiles at Helena, who approaches the bench. Loreta patiently teaches Helena to season the fish with salt, pepper, lemon juice and cloves, while she was sauteing the garlic, onion, bell pepper and tomato in olive oil inside the clay pot.
— Take it to me, dear, the verdolenga. - Asks Loreta, pointing to the banana that is neither green nor ripe. Helena approaches with the container of bananas cut into three pieces, and the woman continues to explain: — This is the ideal point of the banana for this dish. You need to have that sap sprouting from the bark.
Then Helena begins to put the fish steaks inside the pan, while Loreta puts a little water, which makes the broth gain a bluish tone, during the cooking process, due to the chemical reaction that occurs between fish, iron pan and banana. Loreta smiles to see the look of admiration of Helena to see the chemical reaction happen. She takes some blue broth from the pan, used to make a pirão with cassava flour, while Helena sprinkles a little cilantro and smell-green, giving an extra flavor to the dish.
— You know, my dream has always been to pass on this recipe to someone. Bruno is not very interested in cooking. He learned to do the basics with a lot of effort on my part. So, I'm happy to be teaching you. - Loreta speaks, smiling, as she tries to get rid of the tears in the corners of her eyes.
—It is an honor for me to learn this dish, Mrs. – Helena speaks, thrilled.
The reason for Helena's emotion is that in all her life she had never had such an experience with her mother, because Regina was very busy and left the feeding of her children in charge of ready-made foods or bought in a restaurant. Not even with her former mother-in-law, she had this opportunity and believes faithfully that Leandro's mother should not even know where the kitchen is in her own home. Therefore, Helena was very grateful to have lived that experience with her borrowed mother-in-law.
— Come on, there? - Loreta asking for Helena's attention.
—I hope they like it. - Comments Helena holding the refractory where Loreta served the fish.
— Girl, who does not like, can only be bad in the head or sick in the mouth. - Comments Loreta laughing.
The two women enter the dining room being applauded by Bruno and Nilton, who have already left everything ready. Everyone sits down and then Loreta turns to them, saying:
— I want to say a prayer for our lunch. Do you mind, Helena?
— No, imagine. Every blessing is welcome. - Helena answers, holding the hand of Bruno and Loreta while Nilton holds the hand of his wife and son.
— Lord, God the Father and Jesus Christ, I ask you to bless our abundant table and also this young couple. Pour out your Spirit at this time, and I pray that you will speak to me and through me as you bless this couple. The Lord united this couple with your divine ability and allowed them to know each other, having a brilliant plan for their future. Start touching their hearts so they can know the exact way forward, always being in agreement. I pray that my son will always honor and love Helena, preferring her over all others. I pray that my daughter-in-law, already so loved by me, will respect and love my son always. Give them an extra portion of your grace to deal with some disappointments that life can cast in their path. Most importantly, keep them close to you. Your Word says that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. Help them to turn to You first, and then to each other. We ask all these things in the name of Christ. Amen.
—Amen. - The other three speak, accompanying Loreta.
Helena faces Loreta, without grace. She felt herself betraying Loreta's goodwill towards her. I didn't think it was fair to receive such a beautiful prayer about a relationship that didn't exist.
—Come on, my dear, taste it. - Asks Loreta serving the fish to her "daughter-in-law".
Helena puts some in her cutlery and then takes it to her mouth, savoring the dish. An explosion of flavor happens in her mouth, making her gasp with desire, pulling smiles from Bruno's family.
—This dish is excellent!
—That's why it's my favorite made by the best cook in the world. - Bruno says kissing his mother's face.
They eat lunch based on a lot of talk and laughter. It surprised Helena to see that Nilton, that man with such a serious face who spoke to her a little while ago, was a true storyteller of jokes and anecdotes. Bruno was also very good at telling the stories of his mischief that left Loreta's hair standing, according to herself. The conversation between them flowed so much that Helena did not even notice the day being taken by evening, only realizing when she helped Bruno with the dishes of the afternoon coffee. After finishing the dishes, the "couple" back room finding Bruno's parents watching television and then saying goodbye to them who insist for Helena to stay for dinner.
—I can't. One of these times, my mother has already put the police behind me. - Explains Helena to Loreta.
—All right, I understand your mother. But always come back. My house is open to you, dear. - Loreta speaks, hugging Helena once again.
—Thank you, Lady Loreta.
—Loreta, we are almost family. - Explains Loreta.
—Mother, please... - Bruno says, giving a kiss on his mother's face. — I'll be back, okay? The blessing.
— God bless you. - Says Loreta, holding her son's hands together.
Bruno picks up the bike and then helps Helena to climb, cycling towards the darkness that already took the street. The cold forced Helena to cling to Bruno, who did not care about the more daring touch of the blonde. He was just sad to get so fast to the inn of the young woman who is also not with a very happy face.
—So, did you enjoy meeting my parents, girlfriend? - Asks Bruno.
— I loved it. Your parents are fantastic! - Praises Helena. — Makes you want to keep them in a small container.
—Thank you. - Thank you Bruno. — I hope my mother-in-law will be like that too.
—Ahmmm. I have bad news to give you. - Warns Helena, making a face, getting a laugh from Bruno.
—I love you way, you know? - Bruno speaks. — I mean, your way...
— I'm happy to know. - Comments Helena, smiling, shy, moving her hair.
—Seriously... thank you so much for everything today. It's been a long time since I saw my mother so happy. Incidentally, my parents were happy... It's been a long time since we had such a good time as today.
—Bruno, thank you. I loved spending the day with your family. It was great to be your girlfriend for a day.
— You're a great girlfriend.
—You know, until you're not a bad boyfriend. - She squeezes the bag between her arms and continues. — Too bad we're not real... Maybe it wouldn't work if we were real boyfriends. I don't know. I don't know what I'm saying...
Bruno does not think twice and then takes Helena's lips, finally kissing her as he wanted for a long time. She opens her lips, allowing her to kiss him to intensify, when her tongues meet and continue at the same pace. Helena drops the bag with the costumes, raising her hand to hold the face of the boy who pulls it against her. The kiss was even more than Bruno and Helena were able to predict. It was as if they were in the same tune, if connected to the universe that seemed to have stopped in time. Bruno did not want to stop, but needed to ask a question to Helena, then moves away lightly leaving his foreheads leaning while his breaths panting take over the place where the silence was.
—Helena! - Calls Regina from the door of the inn, irritated.