Make-Believe Marriage (3 page)

- Antônio? - She called
bringing him back from his memories.

Hum! - he exclaimed
returning to reality.

- What can I do to solve
this, help me! - The request was actually a plea.

In a thoughtless attempt
to help her, a crazy idea had come to his mind, but it could work.

- Amanda I have an idea
but I do not know if it's what you expect, but it can help. - He spoke in the
knowledge that late repentance could no longer be repaired. Amanda watched him
curiously. Believing he had a solution.

- What is your idea? - She
asked a bit more cheery emitting a faint smile on the full and well shaped
lips.

- If you remarry someone
to give a settled and well structured family for your child no one will have
the audacity to take him away from you. - Antônio spoke, but immediately fell
silent after seeing the incredulous reaction on her face. Amanda fled
relationships as few women he had known. He did not blame her, but was sorry
she put herself aside because of a jerk.

- I think it's an extreme
suggestion Antônio; it may not be the first option to solve a problem; in fact
it would be the last, don’t you think? - She said after the scare.

- You're right – he
apologized wondering why he had said that.

- I cannot and do not want
to marry someone with that purpose. It would be a failed relationship for sure.
- She said seriously.

- I know, but it could
work if it were well planned. - He himself was no longer sure of anything at
that time.

- Do you believe that
someone would accept such a crazy thing to help me? - She asked, now amused by
her friend's idea.

- I'd do it for you. -
After Antônio’s response, Amanda looked into his eyes for a moment and left him
disconcerted. - If you want, of course. We would get married with no emotional
bond and when you want to separate, just say so. - "Why did I do such a
proposal and even put myself at the disposal? She'll think I'm playing with her
problem and will hate me." thought Antônio annoyed.

- Darling! I know you've
always been willing to help me, but to marry me without love, to solve my
problem, it's too much, I cannot accept it! - She said emphatically. The damage
was done, now he would have to go all the way, after all the idea was not so
crazy if you looked at it from another angle, the angle of friendship.

- Think about it Amanda. We
would be married only for appearances’ sake. No one needs to know. It would be
for a little while, just until you had the ultimate custody of your son and your
ex-husband conformed he had lost you. – He meant it seriously and now he would
go all the way.

- I do not want to ruin
our friendship. I like you a lot and I know that if we live on a daily basis
with my problems that could harm us. A relationship where there are carnal ties
is complicated enough, imagine one in which there is no such benefit? - She
argued and asked. I will have to think of something so mad if Breno forces me
to it – she said to herself. Antônio calmed her down a bit more. He did not want
to scare her.

- It is up to you. I want
you to know that whatever your decision, I will be there for you. - As soon as
Antônio finished speaking Amanda touched his arm as a way of thanking him for
his great devotion.

- He who has a friend like
you does not need anybody else. - It was true what she said, Antônio had become
more indispensable every day.

- It's a pleasure being
able to help strong people like you Amanda – he said honestly. - I'm leaving. If
you need anything, just call me.

- Okay and thank you for
always trying to help me. I will not ever forget this. - they kissed each other
farewell on the cheek and Antônio went away leaving her blissful.

The next morning, when
Amanda came to her shop, she learned that her son had called.

- He called at your
apartment and since there was no answer, he thought you were already here –
said her assistant. - He’ll call in the afternoon. - She said.

- All right. I'll be
waiting, so I do not interfere with his activities – she said missing her son.

- When does he return
Amanda? – asked the girl.

- Later in the month – she
answered. - I'm so homesick for my little one – she confided.

- I do not know that
feeling yet, but I know about the responsibility of having and raising a child.
- The girl was averse to motherhood, but Amanda understood her position. Carol
was still young, which allowed her not to think about this eternal assignment
for awhile.

- If you ever wish to know
it, you will know that there is nothing quite the same in every way - finished
Amanda.

- I know and that's
exactly why I will delay this inordinate pleasure the most. I want to take care
of me and only my whims. I’ll wait until I am 40 to make up my mind.

- Do not wait so long or
you'll change your mind - said Amanda undecided if the girl would ever choose
to be a mother.

- I have nothing set up
yet to be changed, my dear. Let life happen. - Both smiled cheerfully as they
always had done since they were teenagers.

It was a Saturday, shops usually
closed at noon, but at that time especially Amanda decided to stay a little
longer to check a few products that had arrived. She was checking the invoice
when Breno waved from outside the glass door. Upset, she was forced to go open
it. “The next time I switch the door, I’ll use smoked glass," she thought reluctantly
to receive the unwanted ex-husband.

- Good afternoon, Breno! Any
problem? - She asked looking at the invoices so that he realized she had no
time for chit-chat.

- I came to confirm our
date tonight – he said pretending innocence.

- I told you I had an
appointment. - Amanda spoke but did not believe her ears. It was a lot of nerve
for one person.

- You were nervous
yesterday. So I thought today you could change your mind - justified Breno.

- I'm sorry - said Amanda,
opening a box. - But my decision remains the same - she said wondering when she
would get rid of that bore. - You made your choice Breno, go on with your life.
The only thing that I expect from you is to be a good father, nothing else –
she said it slowly so that he understood.

- I will not give you up
Amanda. - Breno spoke coming much too close. - Now I know that I love you. I
want to live with you, see our son grow. - Then Breno took her in his arms to
force her to be near him. One of the invoices fell off Amanda's hand at such nonsense.

- Go away, please. In the
name of our son, do not make our life more difficult. - She asked pushing him
away. - You found your love for Breno a little late and this fact will not
change anything in my position. I’ll even admit that I have doubts about what I
want for my life, but I do know what I do not really want and you have been on
the list for some time. - A good education was no longer in line there.

- Listen, Amanda. - Breno
was getting mad at her refusal. - I do not want to hurt you, but if you insist
on ignoring me and not thinking about the possibility of us getting back
together I can change my mind and not care so much about your suffering from
now on, okay? - He said flatly with a threatening tone. “What did he mean by
that?" she wondered.

- Are you threatening me? What
do you mean by that? - She asked scared. She was wrong, he did not mean what
she had interpreted.

- I do not want to force
you to do anything, but I will not be without you and my son. - Breno made it
clear confirming Amanda's fears. He would go to court to have custody of the
child. - If we go on like this I will demand my rights and ask for Lucas’s
guard. - He confirmed verbalizing what she had just feared and he seemed serious
and that certainty made Amanda even more nervous.

- Are you using our son to
blackmail me? You cannot do that. - She spoke angrily.

- That's not my intention
Amanda, but you need to understand it has been very difficult for me to live
without you both. I need you in my life.

- And you think you’ll get
that by blackmailing me? - She asked looking at him eye to eye.

- I am willing to do
anything to be with you. - Amanda was perplexed listening to him. She had never
realized she had lived with such a dictator and amoral human being. That had
been her biggest regret in recent months.

- Your words do not scare
me. - She lied disguising her fear.

- The decision is yours;
it is in your hands. - Breno apparently spoke thwarted by not achieving his
goal as easily as intended. He was even more cruel when he was cornered and
seeing that Amanda felt more fragile. “How would she fight an unscrupulous
person such as Breno?" she thought insecure. Realizing her weakness, Breno
struck again. - I know I was wrong Amanda! - He said coming closer again. - But
I am sorry; doesn’t it mean anything to you? – he asked.

- Not anymore. Your
repentance will not make me forget what I saw and had to live with a child
without having a steady job, depending on my parents and the favor of friends –
she said explaining the situation, but having no intention to make him
remorseful. She had never needed anyone’s pity, let alone her ex-husband’s.

- We all make mistakes now
and then in life. But we can learn from them as well. - He said.

- You're right, but from
the many affairs I know you had out there I doubt that this has gone through
your head. He who repeats the same mistake more than once has not learned from
it, Breno. In fact, I can even say that you must have enjoyed it a lot. -
Amanda said, smiling, but only she knew how annoyed she was at all that
unreasonable situation.

- Won’t you ever forgive
me? - He insisted.

- I told you that if you
want my forgiveness, I forgive you, which does not mean that I intend to go
back living with you. - She explained that as far as she knew, forgiving did
not force her to live again with someone who had done wrong; it was just a
rational way to move forward, without more martyrdom. The man remained
motionless as if he were going to grab her by the neck at any time.

- I want more than that. If
necessary I will fight to have at least one of you with me. - He pulled her
holding her arms to force a kiss. Amanda fought bravely against him when he
heard a sound behind him.

- Let her go! - said a
male voice sharply.

- Who do you to think you
are to come between a couple’s fight? - asked Breno looking over Amanda's
shoulders and letting her go. When Amanda turned around she saw an expression
of anger on Antônio's face that she did not know.

- As far as I know, you
are no longer married. - Antônio spoke looking at Amanda very tenderly. Quickly,
she sought comfort in her friend.

- I'm glad you've come for
me Antônio. - She said walking towards him.

- Who is he? – asked
Breno. - What do you want with my wife? - Now he asked Antônio directly who
looked at the man in front of him from top to bottom. He had seen Breno just a
few times and in none of them had they been so close as now. The man showed from
his expression to be a coward dressed with designer’s clothes and with no
character whatsoever.

- This is Antônio, the
person with whom I have a date today. - Amanda spoke confirming what she had
said earlier, and Breno looked at her in awe. He did not seem happy about that.

- I do not know if she
told you my friend, but you are about to go out with a married woman. Doesn’t
it bother you a little? - Breno spoke inciting Antônio and Amanda wanted to
disbelieve his words. But she preferred to remain silent. Antônio knew only too
well the truth about her life, he needed no explanation.

- I am only interested in
what she told me, nothing more. - Antônio replied drily.

- What is the degree of
your relationship? - Breno asked looking straight at Amanda.

- This is of no concern to
you Breno. - She replied sharply. - My relationship with you is restricted to
commenting Lucas’s life, nothing more.

- You do not look like a
couple. The atmosphere is kind of cool here. - He said mocking as he had done
in recent days.

- Not all people have a
dirty mind like yours Breno. Have a good day! When you want news from your son
come to me; otherwise, I’d appreciate it if you did not. - She spoke feeling
more self-assured.

Right! I’ll talk to you
again later dear. - Breno finished speaking and went by Antônio looking at him
briefly and left.

- Is everything all right
with you? - Antônio asked, worried.

- Yes, I am fine. - She
replied, but he realized her weakness and wrapped her around his arms. - He
will ask for Lucas’s custody. - She said in distress. Her eyes were covered
with tears that were about to pour down.

- What a bastard! How can
anyone be so unscrupulous? Use a child to make the mother be with him. - At
this time, Antônio remembered the offer he’d made. He should insist more for
the sake of Amanda. - Accept my proposal Amanda, marry me. - He insisted
stroking the hair that delighted him so.