June 27, Thursday

The kids are all in bed and Luiz and I sit with Sónia and Chico on their back veranda. Everyone is excited but worried at the same time.

“What happened yesterday was unbelievable.” Luiz is animated but I feel the weight of his words.

Chico sits forward in his chair. “A hundred thousand people protesting in the streets of Rio. Nothing like this has happened in the modern history of Brazil.”

I’m happy that people are rising up but scared of the consequences. “What do you think will happen as a result?”

Luiz replies quickly. “The military will have to call elections. They can’t manage this level of discontent.”

Sónia sounds hopeful. “So maybe things will change. Maybe they will have to listen to the people.”

I wish I saw it differently. “Or maybe they will crack down harder than ever in an attempt to control things so they can stay in power.”

We sit together in silence listening to the night sounds. A sliver of waxing moon sits above the western horizon, and I imagine holding her pearly light in my left hand, the crescent cool against my palm.