Pamela is nursing Rosemary, but her face shows unease. Beto dusts off the bookshelf in the living room listening to "We Build This City" by Starship, but the song doesn't cheer his wife up.
"Is something bothering you, dear? Do you want me to turn the music down?"
Pamela shakes her head. "No, love, just a weird feeling."
Beto approaches her. "You're thinking about Wallace; if he's alright."
Pamela smiles awkwardly. "Sounds crazy, doesn't it? He must be having his romantic moment with Vera and I'm here worried if he's having a bad time. Better stop thinking about it before you think I'm still in love with him."
Beto sits down beside her. "But, you told me before we were married that you still are."
Pamela looks at him honestly: "However, I'm feeling something for you too, Beto. A feeling is growing in my heart. Part of me says I should forget about the old loves that are having other wives and focus on the hunky hubby I have."
Beto chu
The police showed up at the motel fifteen minutes later, the car screeching as it parked anyway. Violence against women is not an easy subject in Lagoon City.Even more so when it comes to a husband who thinks he has the right to force into his wife just because they are married!Vera is sitting on the couch in the motel lobby, drinking a glass of sugar water with trembling hands. The chambermaid is still beside her, terribly worried.The motel manager, a man in his forties, introduces himself to the deputy who appears to be in charge. "Officer, this way! This is the bride, she came in with her newlywed husband and we gave them the keys to room 54. They were happy and beaming. Suddenly we got a complaint from the couple in room 52, who heard screams and noises of aggression. When we went to check, the lady was already leaving the room, screaming for help and with a red face."The assistant police officer approaches Vera and checks the assault on her face.
Teodoro still feels entitled to be surprised by what Vera has just said. Wasn't it so obvious that this was going to happen?Vera senses this and already reprimands him: "Don't you dare feel surprised or offended, you bastard! You knew everything and didn't tell me! Why did you allow me to continue with the plan, why?"Teodoro narrows his eyes. "What do you mean? I was begging you to cancel the wedding all the time!""But you didn't tell me the real reason! That's why I didn't want to cancel the wedding! How could I guess?" Vera walks in circles through the lobby, "All this time I was thinking I was under control; when actually Wallace was laughing at me behind my back!"Teodoro is distressed. "Daughter, I didn't have the heart to tell you because I knew that if I told you, you would break up with Wallace and he would run to Pamela. Besides, Wallace made me swear I wouldn't tell you anything, so he wouldn't tell Pamela and Josias that he was beaten by Bet
Isabel puts the bag of bread on the table and pulls out a chair to sit on. Harold and Uélton remain standing."A cardiac arrest, to Seu Teodoro?" Harold questions in surprise."They say it's because of yesterday's wedding," Isabel explains."Has he been to the hospital yet?" Uélton asks."Yes, they found him early in the morning. Poor old man, he must have passed out at night, with no one around, or early in the morning." Isabel chooses a loaf of bread to butter.Harold joins his wife for breakfast. "I hope that's what it was. Otherwise, he can't survive if he suffered this stoppage last night."Uélton decides not to have breakfast now. "Excuse me, guys. I need to see if Josias is aware of this already!"Uélton leaves the house in a rush. Isabel and Harold have coffee in a funereal atmosphere.********************************************************Pamela and Beto are having breakfast happily
Beto is desperate, not understanding the news. "Pam, don't play with stuff like that, please!" Pamela feels her husband's pain and anguish. Her eyes water: "I'm not kidding, my love! They called from Teodoro's building, one of the tenants found your phone number in your father's calendar. He was lying in the middle of the lobby and the radio was still on." "How absurd, so no one knows how long he was passed out!" Beto yells desperately, "And he was seeing a cardiologist, dieting, trying not to stress—" Beto chokes on the words. 'Don't get stressed'. He stares at Vera. "Did you visit him yesterday?" Vera is on the verge of passing out, she is leaning against the wall for support. "Yes." The answer came out in a whisper. Pamela is disgusted with her sister-in-law. "What were you doing in your father's building? Aren't you supposed to be on your honeymoon with your husband? You went there to rub your wedding in your poor father's face?" "
Josias decides not to bother Vera with the fact that she was supposed to be on her honeymoon, as he already knows that the occasion almost ended in another tragedy. So he just asks, "Are you okay, Vera?""I'm trying to be, Josias." She responds coldly.Beto looks at her, still indignant with what had happened.The cardiologist who attended to Teodoro appears with his head bowed, the funereal aura takes over the entire ICU.Vera already senses the worst and despairs. "For God's sake, doctor, don't tell us that—""I'm sorry, young people." The doctor takes off the mask he was wearing, "We've tried every procedure. But your father suffered a cardiac arrest last night, and he wasn't found until this morning. If he were brought here hours early..."There was no need for the doctor to say anything else. Vera yells "NO" and begins to cry prostrate and destroyed. Beto backs off into a corner, furious, his fists clenched, ready to punch Wallace
At the Crystal Blue restaurant, Marcelo is at one of the tables checking résumés for the next hire. Elisa approaches him wearing a black dress."Hi, bro, what are you doing?""I'm sorting out résumés. Another waitress quit her job to get married." Marcelo responds staring at the sheets."If you haven't hired Stacy, the time is now." Elisa pulls out her chair and sits down.Hearing his sister sit down, Marcelo looks at her and notices the mourning clothes. "What happened?""Mister Teodoro Reis has just passed away. You know, that gentleman who sheltered Josias when he ran away from home.""The owner of the building where Josias lived in Happiness Slum? Oh, what a pity," Marcelo searches until he finds Stacy's résumé, "So, she won't be able to work now. Surely everyone related to Mr. Reis will be in mourning.""Hire her and be patient." Elisa takes a gold-embroidered handkerchief to wipe a tear.
The next day, everybody is present at the Lagoon City cemetery for the burial of Teodoro Reis.Coincidentally, the weather was cloudy, threatening to rain.Josias decided it would be too much for Melissa to be in such a depressed and gloomy environment and asked her to stay at home breastfeeding Alan.Elza quickly demanded: "Surely the maid will help you with whatever you need!"Flavia shoots Elza with her eyes, but it seems she missed her aim because Elza remained impassive. To get revenge, Flávia turned on the radio and enjoyed the theme song for "St. Elmo's Fire", sung by John Parr.Meanwhile, no one dared to dance or listen to rock 'n' roll. Everyone entered through the rusty gate and headed for the place where the coffin would be buried.Beto had dark circles under his eyes from being awake for many hours, taking care of all the formalities, organizing the funeral, and receiving the condolences of friends and distant relatives. P
Everyone is moved by Josias's speech. Romualdo and Uélton also remember the time they met. If it weren't for Teodoro sheltering Josias when he only wore sweatpants, they wouldn't be friends to this day.But to the surprise of the mourners, Josias was not finished. He is still standing beside the pastor, only pausing to continue: “We know that my friend Teodoro's last days have been turbulent, with some matters left unfinished. In honor of the memory of my friend and symbolic father, I will resolve the troubling matters."Beto smiled widely and his eyes sparkled. He swore that later he would approach Josias and ask for help in getting revenge on Wallace.Wallace, however, tightened his grip on Vera's arm, almost breaking her humerus, venting his anger. He asks in his thoughts, "Will I have to go back to hating Josias? Why doesn't he keep quiet with his son and Silva Constructions? Don't mess around, Josias; this is none of your business!"Josi