Josias enters the apartment, worried about his brother.“João Paulo, today we had an amazing party at the Teodoro building. Why didn’t you go and take Sandra with you?”João Paulo is a little embarrassed to answer, “You said the reason. Sandra.”“What about her? Is she sick?” Josias checks his niece.“No, she’s fine.” João Paulo smiles at his daughter, “I don’t think she would do well at a noisy party. I bet there was a lot of screaming and cheering, huh?”Josias nods, “Yes, the folks were happy with Beto’s safe return. We lost his father in 1985 in the same location. We didn’t want to lose the child fourteen years apart.”João Paulo agrees, “Yes, Beto turned fifty. He’s still young.” Sandra starts to look drowsy, “Excuse me, Josias, I’m going to put her in her crib.”Josias sits on the sofa and waits for João Paulo to return from his daughter’s room. He observes framed photographs of João Paulo and Sandra in different situations.When João Paulo returns, Josias doesn’t waste time, “L
Teresa is desperate when Beto says that she wants to talk about that article that made him pass out.“BETO! Have you gone completely crazy? Let’s not talk about that article! I don’t want to lose you again!”Beto smiles slightly, “And since when did I last lose you?”“It doesn’t matter!” Teresa cries out, “I don’t want to be a widow, not now that Maycon is still three years old! You need to be around to explain to Maycon how to shave, how to wash the car, how to play soccer, how his private parts will change in adolescence, how to win over girls...”Teresa’s voice breaks. Beto hugs his wife to comfort her.“Don’t do that, honey. I’ll be here to help Maycon, just as I helped Pedro. My heir is already fifteen years old and starting to grow hair... down there...”Teresa can’t resist and laughs at her husband’s embarrassment. The embrace is broken.Beto leans against the counter with the look of someone who won’t let the matter drop.Teresa rolls her eyes, “OK, you’re the one who wants to
Josias remembers that Teresa asked him to say that Rosemary’s abortion was false news.“Ah, yes... How could I pass up such a slur? Rosemary got depressed in Victoria.”Beto nods, “Looks like my little princess was really upset. She went to Paris with Carmen and Caroline to hide from bad publicity. But she didn’t know that I ended up passing out, which is why she didn’t come to visit me.”The others just stare at each other, confused.Beto continues to speak, “But thinking about it, I even prefer Rose to have stayed in Paris. Why does she want to come here just to cry about my near death? I didn’t die, and I’m better. I don’t want my daughter interrupting her life because of her old dad.”Octavio interjects, “It’s not like that, Beto. You have suffered a cardiac arrest. We were all pretty worried.”“Okay, I know you were worried. But imagine if Rosemary left the comfort of Paris just to see me. I didn’t die, so her trip would be in vain. Airfare isn’t that cheap... and then, if she sh
Christmas approaches.Mayor Tobias once again released funds to decorate the square as seen in American movies. A huge tree was placed in the exact middle of Ibrahim Square.Retailers are going wild with the massive increase in shoppers trying to fulfill the gift list.A shopkeeper who was already closing his doors called all his salespeople back to help him, as customers started to appear out of nowhere like a swarm of bees.Josias was one of them and was surprised by Joachim tearing up the ‘I’m selling the store’ sign.“Seu Joachim? Why did you have that ‘for sale’ sign?”“It’s nothing, Mr. Rocha!” Joachim disguises, hiding the pieces, “You want something?”Smiling, Josias extends a HUGE list of gifts that he intends to fulfill. The list includes not only his family and friends but all the people who moved to Victoria.Joachim had to call five strong young salesmen to deal with the pile of gifts.“A bicycle, child-size. Wrap it up for Maycon Reis...”“Yes sir...”“A bottle of Chanel
At the Rocha Mansion, Josias looked spectacular in black Speedos and sunbathing in the Sunset Village sun. Alan practiced strokes in the pool. Reuben, Pedro, and Henrique were with him, frolicking around.“Go, Alan! So you win the next Olympics!” Reuben screams.“Help Brazil win more medals in 2004!” Pedro laughs.Alan stops his strokes and takes off his swimming goggles, “You nags! Aren’t you satisfied with the Brazilian team having become the five-time champion?”“YES!” All the boys vibrate. They’re lovers of the national sport.Hector appears and smiles as he sees the youth having fun. He has a silver tray in his hand with a cell phone vibrating.“Mr. Rocha, someone is calling you.”Josias smiles slightly, “It must be Everaldo. Time for my blessing.”Josias sits on the deckchair and answers the cell phone, but he gets the creeps when he sees Daryl’s number on the caller ID.“Hello, Daryl? What do you want now?”In Crystal Blue, Daryl is in his office frowning and standing.“Jeez, y
Daryl, still trying something out, made his way to his family at Café Montanha. Diane, Francisco, Isabel, and Rodrigo were listening attentively.“And poor Kelvin thinks that by making love to Melissa more consistently and wildly, he’ll convince her not to leave him.” Daryl narrates his younger brother’s lament, “But that’s not the problem. Melissa doesn’t want to leave Kelvin due to their lack of marital intimacy. Melissa DOESN’T WANT TO LEAVE HIM, that’s the point.”Isabel scratches her forehead, “Daryl, we’ve been hearing this since Melissa left for Victoria. By the way, we thought this was to solve this problem.”“Looks like it just got worse.” Daryl swallows hard, “Looks like the distance only made Josias crave Melissa even more.”“Like Mr. Darcy?” Isabel asks without mocking.“I don’t know.” Daryl leans over the bench and buries his hands in his head.Francisco clears his throat, “Well, I won’t be the one to step in front of Josias and stop him from getting Melissa back. Of cour
William, not caring about Daryl, butts into the conversation.“None of that, Rodrigo, let’s be pragmatic! Daryl is reaping what he sowed. Why did your cousin get into where he didn’t belong? Why did he fall into Katherine’s trap, spreading the word that Josias was going to dethrone Alan? Why did he get into a fight with Octavio, almost getting barred from Jack and Veronica’s wedding? Why did he enlist Gabriela Alves, an inexperienced journalist, to try to be the next Mrs. Rock when Josias didn’t even know her?”Everaldo listened to all of William’s questions as if he didn’t know about it.The ambulance pulled up and parked on the sidewalk. Paramedics quickly appeared.“Excuse me, guys! Do not crowd on top of the patient, he needs to breathe.”“I hope no one has moved him.”“Just to check the pulses.” Rodrigo admits, “He’s still alive.”“OK, let’s take him.” Paramedics perform the procedure.Rodrigo glares at William, “You never liked Daryl. By the way, you never liked us as a whole! S
2003Mayor Tobias is, along with the people of Sunset Village and more of today's celebrities, opening the Lagoon City Marina. The place promises to be the point for rich people to have and store their sailboats and yachts.Josias, as always, is there, wearing sunglasses, a light T-shirt, and knee-length shorts. Not even Tobias dared to wear a suit. The day was especially hot, and around the inauguration, countless bathers in skimpy clothes accompanied the event.After posing and effusive applause, the Lagoon City Marina was ready to receive the first recreational craft.Josias approaches Tobias, "Do you realize that with each passing year, Lagoon City is looking more and more like Miami?""Thank God for that!" Tobias jokes, "And you know we're growing. With the new residential subdivisions that I approved in the East Zone of the city, we passed 300,000 thousand inhabitants, and I hope to reach the mark of 400,000 when we are in the next decade.Josias nods admirably, "The Exact Scien