October 3, Monday

Luiz and Chico are in heated discussion as I arrive home.

“Congress electing a president. What a joke. Costa may take power as president, but until we have direct elections the military dictators are fully in charge.” Luiz is pacing back and forth in the kitchen. He looks up. “Oh, querida, how was your day?” He reaches to pull me close and kiss me.

“It was fine, busy as usual. But I’m always learning new dishes and that makes me happy.”

Chico nods his head toward his house. “Sónia has a snack waiting for you, you don’t need to stay here and listen to the two of us rant and rave.”

Luiz kisses me again and I head over to Sónia’s. The kids are all sitting around the kitchen table having their evening snack; Cícera is twelve now and she’s cutting up pieces of cheese for Junior, who is two and thinks he doesn’t need any help. It’s funny to watch. Junior looks up and sees me and puts his arms out for me to pick him up.

“You’re a big boy, but you want your mama to pick you up?” I smile and reach for him. I sit down and put him on my lap and Cícera goes to the stove to get me a cup of hot milk and I spoon powdered cocoa into it. Carlos chatters about his day at school and the soccer game after, until it’s time to get ready for bed. Carlos puts on his pajamas and I get Junior ready and we say prayers before I kiss them goodnight and turn off the light. Luis and Chico are still talking animatedly in the living room, but in hushed tones.

Sónia and I sit together on the veranda in silence for a few minutes before she lets out a big sigh. “I really hate it when they get so riled up over politics. It makes them want to take stronger action, and that’s dangerous.”

“I agree. But what can we do? Luiz doesn’t tell me what’s going on, and he said he never will because it’s better if I don’t know.”

“I heard on the news that people have been arrested for having weapons.”

“It’s possible they were framed by the police, isn’t it? Where would people buy weapons?”

“Eva, we have no idea what’s going on in the underground. There’s a real resistance out there, and they’re risking their lives. I just hope Chico and Luiz aren’t becoming more radical.”