— Come with me to Rio de Janeiro. - whispers Suzana before taking Bruno’s lips, pressing the boy’s body against the bed, where they just made love. She continues to distribute kisses across his face until she reaches his ear, where she nibbles on the lobe seductively, before whispering once again:   — Come with me… you won’t regret it.

 — You know I can’t. - Bruno talks by stroking Suzana’s short wires, driving with his fingers behind the girl’s ear.  — We talked about this. My parents need me here in Parati. You know the situation of my mother… and my father…

 — But it’s only a few hours from here... it’s only six hours... You can come this weekend... – Suggests Suzana interspersing her words with light kisses on Bruno’s lips. — You spend the weekend with them…

 — In the same way that it is only six hours for you to come from Rio and spend the weekend with me here in Parati. - Hit Bruno noting the dissatisfaction of taking care of Suzana’s face.  — It’s not that simple, is it?

 — I didn’t say that, but if that’s what you want, I do. - Replies Suzana, holding her face.  — If you say it, I Will stay. Only you ask…

Bruno holds Suzana’s hands , moving away from her face and then forces her body, causing Suzana to throw her naked body to Bruno’s side, breathing deeply. She tries to cuddle in the arms of her lover, who gently pushes her away and then stands up toward the bathroom. The blonde keeps hearing the shower being turned on and then stands up to take a bath with him. She approaches, kissing the back of Bruno, who turns away Suzana once again. She snorts and then says,

 — What is the problem?

 —What do you mean? Problem? I’m taking a shower… – Bruno is turning to the shower.

 — I don’t know if you noticed, but there’s a naked woman in the shower with you…

 —Yes, I did notice...

 — So what? Aren’t you going to do anything?

 —Suzana, we just had sex... – Bruno, turning off the shower. 

 — And that never stopped him from giving me a repeat…

 — I’m tired. - Limits Bruno to answer before going back to the room.

 — Are you tired, or am I out of the loop? - Asks Suzana, walking behind him.

— What?  What is this story now? - Asks Bruno raising his eyebrow.

—That’s right. I didn’t even leave, and you’re already putting someone else in my place.

— What place? Suzana, we have nothing. - Speaks Bruno putting on his shorts. 

—How is it? We’ve been in this for over a year, and you’re telling me we have nothing? - Questions Suzana, angry dressing.

 — Suzana, I have always clarified that our relationship is purely and simply casual and will not evolve any further than that. Nothing, besides… – Strengthens Bruno, seriously. — I’m sorry if you have created expectation about us.

— You know, here I thought you’d look bad because I chose my job to be here with you… What a fool I am! 

 — I hope for your best, Suzana. You know I have a fondness for you, but that’s all… Believe me, I will not be ill until because I have nothing to offer to you or anyone else. – Bruno explains. — You deserve someone better than me. You deserve someone free of any obligation and who will walk the same path as you. Only this person is not me… I can’t move to Rio de Janeiro. I can’t offer you more than that here. - Ends Bruno, pointing to his own tiny room.

— Ask, Bruno. Ask me to stay and I’ll stay. - Suzana is talking to Bruno. — I’ll stay here with you.

—  I won’t ask, Suzana. - Bruno refuses. — Actually, I ask you to go away. Go, take the job and be happy.

—Bruno, I love you. - Declares Suzana. — Do not take me away from you.

 —  Precisely for this, Suzana, go away. — Speaks Bruno walking towards the door. — You’re in love with me, but I’m not… I don’t feel the same way you do.

 — You are being very cruel now. - Speaks Suzana picking up your things. She stares at him and then says,  — One day you will regret what you are doing... 

— Maybe, but it’s better this way. - Speaks Bruno staring at Suzana while opening the door. — Believe me.

 She approaches Bruno and takes a kiss from him that does not dodge. Suzana walks away and then leaves through the door of Bruno’s room that closes with all force, before going back to lie in his bed, breathing, relieved… That was a close one.

***

The curtains of the room open abruptly, letting the sun rays invade every corner of the room and touch Bruno’s face like a hot punch. He blinks quickly without understanding what was happening, until he associates the silhouette standing next to his bed with his old father.

— Good morning, my son. - This is Bruno’s father smiling towards the boy. — Are you going to stay in bed all day? It’s after eight o'clock, soon the store will be full of tourists.

— Good morning to you too, Mr. Nilton. - Bruno speaks by stretching.

—Mr Nilton? - Asks Nilton staring at her son. — The girl did not come here yesterday? 

—Suzana came... - Bruno says, getting up and going towards the wardrobe looking for his uniform. He puts on his shirt and then picks up his pants, playing over his shoulder before going to the bathroom. — We finished.

— One more? Just let your mother hear this…

— If she remembers Suzana. - Release Bruno from inside the bathroom.

Take a deep breath and count to three, already waiting for your father to show up in the bathroom door, looking like a few friends. Bruno knew he had touched on a delicate subject: Early Alzheimer's of Loreta, his mother. She was diagnosed about two years ago when the first symptoms appeared and today, even though there is no cure, Loreta does a treatment to slow the progress of the disease. Well, Nilton swears that the treatment is even reversing Loreta’s mental picture, but for Bruno the mother is increasingly lost in his mind:

— Just know that today your mother remembered perfectly the route of our morning walk.  - Nilton argues, standing at the confident door. — I let her drive us, and she did it right.

— I am thrilled, Dad. - Bruno speaks before sticking his toothbrush in his mouth.

— Don’t lose faith in your mother. - She asks Nilton. — I’m waiting for you in the kitchen.

***

In a matter of minutes, Bruno came down and found his mother in the galley having a cup of coffee, while his father arranged something in the kitchen. He sits next to his mother who calmly ate a banana cut by Nilton:

—Good morning, Mom. - Bruno speaks to Loreta before trying to give a kiss on the face of her mother who retreats to scared.

— You can’t kiss me, Niltinho... - whispers Loreta to your son. — My father is right there in the kitchen, can see us... I don’t know how he let you sleep here tonight.

—It is because it rained a lot yesterday, Loreta. – Bruno mind going into the story of his mother.  — I promise I will not try again in the presence of Aroldo.

— What was it, son? - Asks Nilton. He watches his wife and then his son. He extends the thermal pouch towards Bruno and asks.  — Did something happen?

—Nothing, I’m just talking to your daughter, Aroldo. I have the best intentions with her. - Speaks Bruno facing the father.

—That’s right, Dad. - Says Loreta staring at her husband. — Niltinho is very good for me.

—Thanks for the compliment, Loreta. - Speaks Bruno, holding his mother’s hand and caressing slowly while watching his expression change.

—You’re not Niltinho, right? - Asks Loreta holding the boy’s face.

—No, I’m Bruno, his son. - Correct Bruno before kissing his mother’s forehead. He takes the bag from the table and tells his father. — Good, I have to go to the store. Good morning to you.

Bruno takes large steps towards the garage, where he picks up his bike and rides through the streets of Parati to his family’s shop. The shop is for bicycle rental and pedal boats and is in the historic center of the city. The idea of bike rental was by Nilton, who rents by the hour, daily and package with over one daily and progressive discount. 

However, Bruno always had the desire to expand the business to tourism, offering a personalized experience for tourists, including him as a guide for a few hours, until a more complete itinerary for a few days. Burno guides to the beach, waterfall or other place of preference, while Loreta prepared snacks, snacks, waters and isotonic. However, with his mother’s new condition, this was Nilton’s responsibility. To compensate for his father’s absence, Bruno invited his friends, Gabriel, Lucas and Jonathan. Jonathan controlled the packages, the accounting, while the other three do the tourism and customer service part. It was in one of these personalized packages he became involved with Suzana, but not only with her, but with all the tourists with whom he was attracted. However, with Suzana he went further and faced with how everything happened. This is the only thing he regrets: he should not have mixed business with pleasure.

— But I understand. - This is Lucas finishing fixing his bikes outside with Bruno. — Suzana was too hot! Impossible not to resist and not want to enjoy.

— Yeah, I also thought she was enjoying it, but apparently she wanted something more serious. - Bruno finishing, securing the last bike. He turns to Lucas and says: — But you know what, this is a lesson for me… 

—As my late grandmother says, God rest here: where you earn bread, you don’t eat meat. - Lucas says after making the sign of the cross.

—It is. From today on I will never mix business with pleasure. - Bruno speaks, seriously.

— Do you promise? - Asks Lucas arch his eyebrows.

—I promise. - Bruno says.

— Good for me. - Comments Lucas, excited, looking over the shoulder of Bruno. — Because that cat that is coming there will be mine.

Bruno stares at his friend and then turns around, slowly bumping into Helena walking down the sidewalk.