Chapter 2 PAMELA

During dinner, I swallowed the food very hard. It seemed that there was a cake stuck right in the middle of my throat preventing the food from going down. Dona Beth and Olavo talked and laughed non-stop, when he inserted my name in the middle of his speech it was only to make fun of my face. He even remembered that on one such day, I let the cake burn, the only thing he "forgot" to mention was that I asked him to look in the oven while I washed his socks for work, and he was still on his legs, lying on the couch laughing at memes on his cell phone.

When we went to bed and he tried to look for me to claim me as his wife, I stepped away, reaching the edge of the bed, almost falling over. The tears of humiliation did not stop rolling down my face, I suppressed the sobs and let the pain mistreat me.

"What was love?" kissed me on the shoulder, and I shrunk running away.

"Nothing. '' I swallowed with difficulty. My throat was scratching and hurting from the effort I kept making not to open the scream at once.

Olavo tries to turn me towards him but I don't give in, stiffening my body.

''Hey. What happened? Why are you avoiding me and crying?''

Now I couldn't stand it anymore. A wave of anger burned me violently.

"What happened and why am I avoiding you and crying? Really Olavo? I spend the whole day completely given over to housework, washing my clothes without stopping, so I can go to work. I make lunch, dinner, and snacks and you join with his mother to humiliate me like that? Insinuating that I'm worthless?''

He comes to touch my face but hurt I move his hand away, avoiding contact.

I would never humiliate you my beautiful, stop it.

Don't you travel? I repeat dumbfounded, feeling the pain in my chest intensifying '' And what was that there of the seasoning? huh? '' '' I throw my chin in his direction annoyed, but my husband only makes me look back with a face of poor, being that he is wrong but is making it seem that I am the only guilty one around here. '' He said clearly that his mother is a better cook than me .''

'' I didn't mean that .'' I let out a bitter laugh '' Really '' He touches my face, making me look at him '' Forget about it go, come to sleep. I'm sleepy and tired, you know I need to wake up early in the morning .''

I stared at his face, thinking I had made a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe my husband was right and I was looking for a fight, but I didn't need one.

I give in, he smiles kissing me on the mouth and then hugs me around the waist as I lay my head on his chest starting to feel lighter and calmer.

Possibly I was fighting without a plausible reason.

Sometimes I wish I could be as light-hearted as my husband is.

***

The next day I felt better but still remembering yesterday made me angry.

Frustrated I grabbed my cell phone and sat on the couch while I put the water on the stove to make coffee. I had a coffee maker but I liked to make it the way my mother made it the traditional way.

I get on Instagram, there were 4 unread messages from my nameless friend.

I have a fake social media account, I don't like to take pictures of myself to post. But I take pictures of my house all the time when I wash the bathroom and leave the box shining, the kitchen spotless, the living room always tidy, and the sheets on the bed every time I change them. Posting things like this made me happy because I was a housewife.

Since we started talking we preferred to keep our identities hidden from each other - so we could talk about everything without embarrassment and of course I loved the idea. I didn't know if he was male or female and neither did he me - but I think he must suspect that I am female since all my feed is about my life as a housewife.

With a smile, I open the message on the direct.

No name -'' You woke up excited today, huh virtual friend? Already posting this early in the morning?''

Your husband should live the life he asked God for, having such a gifted woman by his side.

But seriously now ... don't you feel like doing different things, since every day you post new sets of nonstick pans? It's not a criticism. ;)''

''Then answer me about it. You must really be busy with your kitchen and your pots and pans .''

I laughed and shook my head in the negative. Actually, your message was from yesterday, but I didn't even have time to log into Instagram again, my busy life here at home didn't allow me such a treat.

I answer him back.

Dona do lar.com '' First of all good morning! I told you that for all my life I've always woken up early .''

"And second. How do you know I'm a woman? There are men cooks too. Did you know that? I put an emoticon giving him tongue.

And third I love to cook, I was born with talent for it. Do not blame me if you are a disaster in the kitchen and are jealous of my good performance.

"And lastly! I'll always be busy with my kitchen and my pots and pans.

I put my hand to my mouth feeling my heart skip a few beats when the name Seen appears.

He/she had just come online.

I almost left the direct but decided to stay to see what he would answer me when the name-typing message appears.

No name:'' The living ones always show up, I'm glad you're ok. Good morning to you too! I'm glad you're okay too, pot lady.

''Yes, I knew there are male cooks but none of them would form such an organized feed as hard as that, and not to mention that your user name is HOUSE.COM. I widen my eyes and pay more attention to what he said.

I slap my forehead with my hand cursing myself. How could I have been so careless? and here I was swearing that he had no idea that I was either a man or a woman, what a fool!

Nameless: "And who told you I'm a disaster in the kitchen? I can make dishes that would make you fall over backward.''

A chuckle escapes my mouth as I type back.

house.com:'' You're not even a little bit stuck up, are you? Or are you a woman too?'' I decide to play a hint and wait, biting my pinky nail.

Typing message ....

No name:'' This one I'll leave to your imagination, pot lady...''

house.com: ''When will you stop calling me pot lady ?''

No Name: ''Never...?''

Ridiculous! But I'm smiling