Chapter 1 1

Maria Cecilia

I've been studying at Colégio Santa Inês since I was a little girl, my mother who always woke up with everything even though she worked hard, preferred to pay for my studies by fulfilling her dream of being a hairdresser, but when I was little we would never be able to open a business of our own because it wasn't just the course but materials, products, employees and not to mention the clientele since we didn't know many people in the city

It was me, my mother who always supported me in anything and everything I wanted to do, my father who was always a problem in our lives as he has a drinking and gambling problem, my grandmother who always made it very clear that I am the least loved granddaughter in the family

And we also had João Paulo who was my brother who I had the most responsibilities in life, I took care of him a lot so that our mother could work and support us with good studies and all the good and the best that she could give us, but God called him early , I mean, some bastard hit him on the way home from school

I only had a few abrasions, but my brother wasn't so lucky, I tried to pull him to the other side so that at least he wouldn't get hurt, but it was so fast that I couldn't do it in time.

My brother had several fractures all over his body and was in a coma for many months, at first we took him to a public hospital, but the driver who hit him ordered a lawyer to come the next day to look for us and offer all the treatment for my brother.

- Flashback -

- Good afternoon! I'm Dr Carlos Parada and I'm a lawyer for the client who ran over João Miguel Reis, he gave me carte blanche to transfer his son to a private hospital where he will pay all the expenses

Blanca – There is no need, sir, and I sincerely hope that your client is sorry after running over an innocent child because he was drunk.

Dr Carlos Parada – He is! That's why he said that I would only leave here with the transfer of the boy to the best hospital

Blanca – Well then, you'll be stuck there for the rest of your years, have a good time! - she said turning his back.

Maria Cecília – Mom, think about it! We know how public hospitals are, today they have doctors and tomorrow they don't, and not to mention how are we going to pay for medicine?

Blanca – That won't get your brother out of his coma Maria Cecília!

Maria Cecília – That's why mom, let's do this for him!

🎞 End of Flashback 🎞

In the same afternoon my brother had been transferred, I took care of him for long months, my mother and I always took turns while I studied in the morning she took care of him

When I got home from school I would stay until mid-morning and it was like that for 3 long months until the day my brother died and the driver had the courage to go to the funeral saying that my brother's death would not go unnoticed because he would give R$ 100 thousand reais, as if his life was worth only that

My mother and I wanted to reject it, but my mother thought a lot and since my brother would not have his life back at least mother could fulfill her dream of having the profession she always wanted, hairdressing and I could also have my studies guaranteed which was what I most wanted in life and that was how my mother managed to fulfill her dream of having her own business

3 months after my brother's death we all tried to move forward with life as we could, my grandmother of course blamed me for not taking care of my brother properly and that's why the car picked him up even though the whole family was already aware that the driver I was drunk and we were on the sidewalk but I was more than used to all of Grandma's insults

It was easier for Saci to cross her legs or see a codfish head than for Grandma to ever have a kind word with me.

But even though I was used to it, I still suffered, I tried to understand why she always acted that way, but my mother always tried to pass the cloth saying she was the age

6 months after all the suffering my mother was taken by surprise. She became pregnant with Elizabeth, at first it was very difficult because my mother was close to graduating as a hairdresser and my father, as always, spent all the money he saw ahead on games and drink, luckily she used all of my brother's indemnity to set up the salon and pay for the course and the rest she put in a bank for any eventuality

Elizabeth was born healthy and became the youngest baby in the house and I felt that my mission as a protective sister would continue until the day Elizabeth reached the age of majority.

And I would take care of her and play my role as a protective sister like I couldn't do with João Paulo

Blanca – Daughter, aren't you going to school today?

Maria Cecília – I'm going mom, I just came to get this book since it's math class and I'll need to

Blanca – All right, I'll go out with you, today is the day to give Elizabeth the vaccine

Maria Cecília – My little pimpolhinha is always quiet when she takes the vaccine – I said giving her a little kiss on her chubby thigh

I was very excited whenever I went to school, as I would see my prince charming that I've been in love with since I was 7 years old and I'm already 15 years old and since then I've never stopped loving him.

My best friend Mariana always says that I should confess to him, but would Bernardo Marrontinne fall in love with a simple person and the daughter of a hairdresser like me?