July 3, Wednesday

For lunch today I make carne de sol, rice and beans and a salad of tomato, lettuce and onion, but today I leave more salt on the meat and fry it fast on the stove so it’s very chewy. For dessert, irregular slices of banana with brown spots. After the children leave the table, I begin picking up the dishes and putting them in the metal basin. Papai and Madrasta are at the table having their cafezinho.

“Papai, may I speak?”

“Of course, Eva. What is it?”

“Papai, I want to learn how to cook better. How to make really good dishes. And sweets, I would like to learn how to make really nice desserts.”

“Eva, of course that’s admirable. But how do you propose to learn these things?”

“Papai, Dona Francisca says she will teach me if I can go to her house and help her in the kitchen on Tuesdays.”

Madrasta looks at me. “We need you to do your work here at home. And even more when the baby comes.”

“Senhora, I promise I will do all the work I do now. Just one day a week. And I will work hard to learn to make really nice food for us!”

Madrasta doesn’t look happy.

“And desserts! I want to make beautiful desserts like the torta de limão, the cake with the puffy white top and pretty slices of lime. So good—it looks like a cloud and melts in your mouth when you eat it. I want to learn how to make that torta. And so many other good things! Please!”

Madrasta and Papai look at each other. After a long silence, Papai speaks.

“Eva, go ahead and clean up the dishes outside. Amara and I will consider your request and talk with you about it later.”

Papai calls me to me after the dishes are washed and put away.

“Eva, Amara and I have considered your request, and we will allow you to go to Dona Francisca’s every Tuesday morning until school starts again, once I confirm the arrangement with her. We will see how it goes and consider then whether you can continue when school begins.”

“Oh Papai, thank you! I will work really hard and still get my chores done here at home, I promise!”

Madrasta speaks. “Don’t let me catch you loafing around, or that will be the end of your visits to Dona Francisca, do you hear me?”

“Yes, Senhora. I understand.”