May 10, Tuesday

Workdays are hectic and don’t allow any time for brooding, and when I’m home I concentrate on my happiness and love for my boys and Luiz, and our two families enjoying time together. Luiz and Chico are working on a new site, a smaller project building eight shops for businesses here in Taguatinga. The federal district area is growing so fast that they can pick and choose their construction projects, and they like this job boss because he’s more ethical. It’s nice for them to be able to work close to home, too. I try not to worry about Luiz being involved with the resistance movement, so I just push it out of my mind. Being busy makes it easier.

Today I’ll be making the main dessert, and since Chef Orlando has given me the freedom to make something of my own choosing, I’m going to make pavê. It’s made with champagne cookies, layered with chocolate and vanilla cream, with chocolate sprinkles on top. I bought the cookies yesterday evening on the way home because we don’t keep any in the kitchen pantry. It’s simple but absolutely delicious and everyone I’ve ever served it to loves it.

Altamira greets me as I enter the kitchen. “Good morning, querida, are you ready for a busy day for a change?” She giggles.

Teresa is the woman who opened the door for me my very first day, and she’s a real sourpuss. This morning is no exception. “Good morning, Miss Fancy-pants. What divine things are you dreaming up today?” She laughs humorlessly.

“Good morning to you, Teresa. I’m planning to have a wonderful day and I hope you are too.” I smile at her but she just snorts and goes back to chopping vegetables. I tie on my apron and begin organizing things at my end of the preparation area. Chef Orlando finishes up the administrative work at his desk and, after washing his hands, comes over to talk with me about the dessert menu.

“Dona Eva, what are you planning for dessert today? Your carrot orange cake, or lime meringue?”

I smile at him. “Something new for today, Chef. Pavê.”

He looks horrified and just blinks at me with his mouth open for a minute. “What? That is a dessert for maids and taxi drivers! Not the top military officers in the country!”

I begin to doubt my choice but smile and persevere. “Chef, just this once. You’ll see, it will be delicious. I know it’s common but I make it special.”

He rolls his eyes and sighs. “All right, Dona Eva, just this once.”

As I finish preparing the pavê, Altamira sidles up to me while she dries a large pot. “I hope you know what you’re doing, querida.”

“We’ll just have to see. Teresa is gossiping about me, and she makes sure to talk just loud enough for me to hear.”

Altamira puts the pot down, leans forward and pats me on the arm. “That one is just jealous. She’s been here for years and is still on prep. You’re Chef’s favorite and you have great skills.”

I manage a smile and we both turn back to our tasks. There are lots of other things to be done before lunch service, so I don’t have time to worry. Before I know it the mains are cleared and servings of my pavê are being offered, along with the usual fruit salad and ice creams. I don’t hear any commotion in the dining room so at least it’s not a disaster. Servers come back for more pavê and I hurry to plate more servings in the glass dessert dishes.

Dessert service is finished and we are beginning prep for tomorrow’s menu when the kitchen falls silent. I look up and a tall man with four stars on his shoulders has entered the kitchen and everyone is looking at him.

Chef Orlando speaks. “Yes, General, how can we be of service, Sir?”

His voice is a booming baritone. “Who made that chocolate dessert?”

I am trembling with fear but Chef gestures toward me. “Why it was Dona Eva, Sir. I hope you found it satisfactory?”

“Satisfactory? It was absolutely delicious.” He turns toward me. “I wonder if you would be willing to give me the recipe so I can give it to my wife.”

I stammer out an answer. “Yes, General, Sir, of course. Thank you, Sir.” I suppress the desire to curtsy as heat rises up my neck and I know my face is bright red.

The general smiles. “Excellent, thank you very much.”

Chef Orlando smiles and looks at me. “Dona Eva will have that ready for you tomorrow, general.”

No one speaks while everyone recovers from the general’s visit to the kitchen. Altamira smiles at me. “I thought you were going to faint, Eva. But it’s good, your pavê was a success!”

Teresa smirks at me. “Yeah, if I were as scared of stars as you are I wouldn’t look up at the sky at night.”

Chef is laughing and shaking his head. “Good work, Dona Eva. Well done.”