Chapter 2 The beginning

Alana had been working at Elias' restaurant for five years. She had ended up there when she arrived in town and made friends with Renata, the wife of Elias, the restaurant owner. The couple had a few things in common with Alana herself and soon the three of them became regulars in each other's lives. It had not been a dream to work as a waitress, but she was happy there and managed to survive, most importantly after so many falls.

Alana was almost at the end of her workday at the restaurant where she worked and was more than ready to go home and enjoy the good wine she got from her cousin, just because she wanted to. All she wanted at that moment was to relax and forget about her responsibilities, if only for a few hours. As cheerful as she tried to be to face her almost always turbulent days, where she had to face and smile at many people - now not so unknown - she still needed her hours of rest.

It was impossible to keep smiling all day and not feel tired at the end of the day, especially with the secrets she carried, hiding even from those people who were closest to her and who probably deserved to know. Her shoulders were always heavy with guilt and fear of what would happen if everyone knew. She could endure all that if she was avoiding the looks of pity. She hated those looks. It was her worst nightmare.

Sighing and pushing away the hazy thoughts that were beginning to creep in, she made her way to get rid of the last occupied table in the restaurant. On her way to finally be able to leave, she bumped into a little three-year-old boy, who smiled when he recognized her. His smile was identical to his best friend's and Alana imagined he had taken that part from his father, as well as his dark skin and the beautiful short brown curls on top of his head.

He was looking for his uncle, his father's brother, but his aunt would do just as well. He liked her just as much.

- Thomas, what are you doing here? You should be out back with your toys. - Alana said, crouching down so she was about his height. She wasn't very tall.

- Uncle's taking his time. - he said, in his childish way, still reeling off many words, which always made Alana smile. She could not resist those children and almost always did what they wanted. Her niece Nadia was also the target of her affection.

- 'Don't worry dear, he's already getting rid of the old fat man.

She whispered to him, making him laugh. Thomas always had fun with Aunt Alana, but this time they were caught red-handed.

- Alana Souza! Teaching my nephew that stuff again? - said Leandro, trying to be serious.

It was Alana who taught Thomas to make some joke or say the wrong thing, almost always at the wrong time. In the end, it was he and the boy's father who were embarrassed, although it was fun sometimes, Leandro had to admit, especially when the target was one of the boy's mother's old friends, who seemed to pretend not to realize how much they disliked her.

- Aunt Alana is the best. - Thomas said, smiling, while his aunt just held in her laughter, not caring that he had said her last name. He didn't scare her. They were best friends after all.

But the boy was really learning a lot from her, she had to admit. Sometimes she thought Thomas' father would show up at any moment to fight with her, but that never happened. That man was still a stranger to the woman.

Leandro looked at Alana, who smiled innocently. It was impossible to try to be an adult with those two together. They were invincible.

- 'If Thomas says any more of those funny things you teach him around my brother, I'll tell on you. - said Leandro to his best friend.

- What will he do? Kill me? Would he do that? - she said, feigning concern, but only succeeding in making him laugh.

- I'm still going to introduce you to him. - Leandro replied, remembering that William was the only one away from the large group they had formed. In his humble opinion, his brother was too busy, he needed a few days off.

- When? After you propose to my cousin?

Her friend knew exactly where and when to push her buttons. That had always been a tricky subject.

Leandro sighed. He hated it when she touched that subject. It was still a delicate one for him, and he could never find the courage or the right moment to talk to Alana's cousin.

- I can't do that. You know that very well.

Alana smiled fondly.

- 'You really should try.

- She loves Vitor. You should accept that too.

- As a friend. And he loves Helena! He knows they're together because they were good friends and he's good to Nadia. You can be too, you love Thomas like your own son.

They both looked at each other, thoughtful.

- 'I promise to think about it.

Alana celebrated.

- Good, because I want to be the godmother. Now, go on. I'll close everything. Take your nephew home.

Leandro gladly agreed and went to get his things.

Before he left, he gave her a kiss on the cheek, just like Thomas did. It had become a routine.

- Don't forget to change the diapers! - Alana said, laughing.

She said that every time Leandro went away, on the days when she took Thomas with her, since the first few times her friend really forgot that detail and she, or her boss, helped. But it made sense when he was still wearing them. In recent months, it was little Thomas who responded.

- I don't wear diapers anymore auntie.

Alana smiled and waved to her two handsome boys, before starting to close everything up and also making her way home.

As she got into her car and started it, her mind filled with the thoughts she had tried to push away earlier. A lot seemed to be changing, in the lives of the people around him, the ones that were really important. The couple of friends had finally managed to get pregnant. Renata was one of those women who had a harder time having a child, but after a lot of struggle from those two, with Alana by their side, it finally worked out.

Nadia, their beautiful niece, was getting bigger and bigger and becoming a beautiful little girl, despite the problems she went through in her first months of life. Emily went through a lot in her pregnancy, from the abandonment of the child's father, to complications in pregnancy. Luckily for her cousin, she had her family, including Alana, to support her.

Thomas, Leandro's nephew, followed the same path, also with problems he had no idea existed. She first saw him when he was just a year old, wearing diapers and talking much less than he did now.

The children seemed to be growing and getting bigger all around her, but at that moment, that wasn't a problem.

Sometimes she felt like having children of her own, other times she was just happy for the ones she could have. That was the day of the second option and Alana was happy for herself too.