Seated in the front seat, Daniel gazed out at the landscape with a profound sadness. He had tried to stop the tears, dabbing them away, but memories of recent events overwhelmed him, and he began to cry once more.
The thing was, Izabel had sent him a message, inviting him for lunch at her place, but since it was his birthday and he was a man in love, he had declined her offer to spend the day with his beloved instead. He promised to visit her on Sunday, but she died on Saturday. His greatest regret from now on would be not having said goodbye to his grandmother.
At that moment, Daniel's phone rang. Without meaning to, Lucy glanced at the caller ID, and what she saw caused a sharp pain in her chest.
"Life? It sounds like a cruel joke," she thought to herself while forcing a hollow smile. She had once given someone the nickname "Life"; it was Daniel, but he used it for someone else now.
Daniel, either too distraught or out of respect for Lucy, simply declined the call and resumed looking out the window. After a slight cough, he said:
"I know we're already separated and need to move on, but I ask that you don't tell anyone about our divorce. Once this storm passes, we can reveal it."
"I don't like lying. Besides, I need to inform my grandfather about Mrs. Izabel's death. He's going to come and will definitely want to stay at my place."
"Please, I just can't deal with explaining anything to anyone right now," Daniel cut Lucy off, prompting her to let out a long sigh.
Trying not to prolong the conversation, Lucy said nothing more and continued to drive swiftly.
Later, Jose informed them that Consuelo had merely fainted due to low blood pressure and was now heading home, asking the couple to come to the matriarchal Gonçalves family mansion.
After their talk, Lucy and Daniel remained silent, and about an hour later, they finally arrived at the mansion. At that moment, Daniel began to cry again; arriving at the house and not being greeted by Izabel filled him with sorrow.
Daniel hastily got out of the car and rushed into the mansion, while Lucy walked slowly behind—she always felt like a fish out of water there.
Then Dayse appeared and commented:
"Since when do you flaunt your wealth? Wearing a $200,000 dress to a funeral; have you gone mad?"
With no patience to entertain Dayse's nonsense, Lucy just ignored her and walked away, needing to call her grandfather. After several rings, Leonardo answered:
"Good morning, my dear. I've missed you," said the elder, then gave a warm smile.
"Good morning, my love. I've missed you too, but that's not why I'm calling," Lucy spoke the last words with a voice thick with apprehension, cleared her throat gently, and continued.
"Your friend Antonio Carlos's wife just passed away. I thought you'd want to know."
"Oh my God, what suffering for that family. Thank you for telling me, my child. I’ll call my friends, and we’ll come soon. See you later," said Leonardo before ending the call.
There's no use asking Lucy what kind of relationship Leonardo had with Antonio Carlos. A promise made by the former changed the lives of many, which might sound noble but is actually quite haunting in reality.
Caught up in her thoughts, Lucy was startled by Daniel's sudden approach. He seemed a bit disorientated, so Lucy spoke first.
"So, how did she die?" Lucy asked, not sure what else to say.
"She passed away in her sleep. They only took her to the hospital so the doctor could pronounce her dead. I can't understand what might have happened; Grandma seemed so well," he replied.
"It could have been sudden cardiac arrest or something like that. Not all heart attacks show symptoms, but sometimes patients experience warning signs like fatigue or weakness, fainting, shortness of breath, among others. I'm truly sorry for everything your family is going through. I hope God comforts all of you," said Lucy, then hugged Daniel. He appreciated the support but couldn't help wondering how she knew these things.
Leaning on Lucy's shoulder, Daniel walked back into the mansion, where his parents sat on the couch, Consuelo crying heavily and Jose comforting her. Daniel moved away from Lucy and nestled in his mother's arms, crying even more, while Dayse also wept. Jose and Lucy, however, shed not a single tear, Beto noticed.
"Well, the body will only be viewed later. It's best to inform close friends and the press. I'll take care of that for you," Beto offered, already planning his escape—as do many people who simply hate funerals with all the insincere weeping.
"Thanks for the help, Beto. Our family appreciates it," Daniel said as he wiped away his tears. He was a handsome man, but today, with tousled hair and swollen eyes, he appeared to be the one suffering the most. Seeing him so saddened tugged painfully at Lucy's heart.
After those words, Beto smiled faintly and left the mansion, while Lucy sat in an armchair in the right corner of the room, her gaze analyzing the space. In that moment, Daniel motioned for her to come over. Away from his parents' view, he began to speak:
"Don't sit so far from me. You always cling to me at every family gathering. Do this one last time," he said, then took Lucy's arm, and they joined the other members of the Gonçalves family.
"Tomorrow morning this will all be over, and we can each go our separate ways," Lucy consoled herself while assessing her own situation. It's true Daniel was devastated and needed support, but Lucy feared she might lose her patience.
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