June 16, Sunday

Several days pass and no word from teacher, so maybe I won’t get in trouble. Maybe I can just go back to school after winter vacation and start again. We are all seated at the table after lunch on Sunday, and Papai says he has an announcement.

“My dear Amara is going to have a baby!”

We children sit and say nothing. Madrasta looks at Papai with a little frown. Her face is getting rounder, and she looks more chubby, it’s true. But she doesn’t take care of the babies now: I do that with Cacilda. How will she take care of a baby of her own?

Madrasta is doing a little more in the house since I’ve gone back to school, but mainly just bossing Cacilda. She doesn’t seem to know how to cook anything, but she watches me and Cacilda and sometimes asks us questions. She always lets us wash up, though. Cacilda and I do all the house cleaning. Daniel and Ana are helping more, too.

I try to stay out of Madrasta’s way and not do anything to make her angry. She doesn’t ask me to clean her bedroom anymore, just gives me the sheets to wash once a week. I don’t look in Papai’s bedroom ever, I’m afraid she will give me a good one if she catches me looking at her dolls.