Episode 1

- Julia!?

I was straining the coffee when I heard her scream and ended up getting scared.

Julia: Geez…

I burned myself with the coffee, but I didn't even have time to look at the burn on my hand.

Julia: Yes, Mrs. Marisa.

Marisa: Where's my coffee?

Julia: I'm finishing up, five minutes and everything will be on the table.

Marisa: So hurry up.

Julia: Excuse me.

I left the three of them at the breakfast table and went back to the kitchen.

I've lived in this place for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, my mother died in childbirth and Mrs. Marisa decided to stay with me. I grew up, I have a home, food and I study, I can't complain… But I confess that my life is tiring, this job is too much for me alone.

I always liked Marcos, he is the only child of Mrs. Marisa and Mr. Paulo, but he never even introduced me to anyone when we studied together, he pretended not to know me at school and now that I am officially the cook/maid of the house, Marcos treats me with even less interest.

I finished everything and took it to the table. I arranged each item in its proper place and served their cake. I stood in the corner, waiting for Mrs. Marisa, Mr. Paulo or Marcos to ask me to serve something else. It's always been like this, during every meal I have to wait for them to finish and if they want more, I'll go there and serve them.

Paulo: Marisa…

He had a strange look on his face.

Marisa: Honey, did something happen?

Paulo: This cheese bread is awful.

She looked at me and I went to the table.

Julia: Excuse me, Mr. Paulo, I just made it, everything is fresh and made to order.

Marisa: Then try the bread.

I take a cheese bread and feel a slightly sweet taste, it wasn't spoiled, I probably swapped the salt for the sugar.

Julia: I'm sorry, I think I accidentally swapped the salt for the sugar.

She made that face she always makes. Even if I step on an ant inside this house, she gets offended.

Marisa: Take this crap out of here, go.

Julia: I apologize again, excuse me…

Marisa: You can stay there.

I take the plate of bread and head to the kitchen.

I arrive in the kitchen and I can already hear the argument, I put my ear to the wall to listen better.

Marisa: I already told you, Paulo, this girl is sneaky, on top of being incompetent! I put up with it for 19 years, I can't take it psychologically anymore.

Paulo: Marisa, what did she do that was so wrong?

I couldn't hear Marcos' voice, but just knowing they were arguing because of me made me sick.

I take the cheese breads and start eating, I don't like to throw food away and it's not that bad to go in the trash, it's just a whim of his.

I clean everything in the kitchen, go out to clear the table and then clean the furniture with the duster.

I sing softly so Mrs. Marisa doesn't hear me and go back to the kitchen to get the cleaning supplies in the cupboard, it's time to clean the floor. I finish the floor and go to the garden to pick some flowers.

Joao: Good morning, Ju.

Julia: Good morning, Mr. Joao, any mail?

Joao: No girl, just today's newspaper and a magazine I brought for you.

Julia: A magazine for me?

I take the magazine from his hands.

Julia: It's a recipe magazine… I loved it!

Joao: I knew you would like it, my wife has several repeats, she donated some and since I know you like it, I separated this one for you.

Julia: Thank you very much for remembering me, Mr. Joao, I'm very happy.

Joao: You're welcome, girl, have a nice day.

Julia: I wish you the same!

He drives off on his bicycle and I walk in with the flowers, the newspaper and my newest magazine.

I leave Mr. Paulo's newspaper with him in the office and go to arrange the flowers in the vases.

Marisa: Oh, you're here.

Julia: Mrs. Marisa.

I approach her.

Marisa: Are you done with your duties?

Julia: Only the bedrooms and bathrooms are left.

Marisa: I'll give you an hour to finish and I'll wait for you in the maid's room.

Julia: One hour?

Marisa: Are you having trouble hearing?

Julia: No, I'm going now.

I go up to the bedroom floor and speed everything up as fast as I can. I finish in an hour and a few minutes, put away the cleaning supplies and go to the maid's room.

Julia: You're already here…

Marisa: You're late.

Julia: I'm sorry, I swear I tried to be as quick as possible and deliver a good result.

She shakes her head.

Marisa: Julia, I've been thinking about talking to you for a while… the truth is that you must have already realized this.

Julia: I don't know what you're talking about… Did something happen?

Marisa: We've been paying for all your expenses since you were born, in fact, since your mother arrived here at my house.

I didn't know where she was going with telling me those things.

Marisa: Paulo and I have decided that it's time for you to go your own way, we can't keep you here anymore.

For a few seconds I was speechless.

Julia: Mrs. Marisa, did I do something to upset you? Is it because of the cheese bread? I'm sorry, I won't make that mistake again.

Marisa: Julia, I don't think you understood very well… I want you to leave my house, I don't owe you an explanation for anything.

Julia: I just wanted to fix my mistake…

Marisa: No dear, the only one who was wrong was me. I agreed to stay with you when everyone told me that I would end up getting screwed… And look at you today, doing things on purpose to hurt us.

By this time tears were streaming involuntarily down my face.

Julia: If you're saying this because of the cheese bread, I didn't mean it, it's just…

I ended up choking.

Marisa: Speak.

Julia: It's just that I had a bad night's sleep, and since I have to wake up very early every day to prepare breakfast, I ended up mixing up the ingredients…

Marisa: “I have to wake up very early”… So you mean we're disturbing the princess's sleep?

Julia: What? No, that's not what I meant, Mrs. Marisa…

Marisa: Julia, you have half an hour to pack your things and get out of this house.

She walked to the door.

Julia: Mrs. Marisa, where am I going?

She turned to me again.

Marisa: From now on, you're on your own, Julia, and please don't come back to us asking for anything! Put it in your head once and for all, that you are a burden that no one is obliged to carry, if we helped you it was because we are good-hearted people, but kindness has a limit and mine has been reached.

She left the room and I stood there paralyzed. Where would I go? I don't even know this city well, I don't have friends, let alone family.

I open the chest with the few clothes I have and put everything in a bag. I take the picture of my mother with Lila and put it with the clothes.

I go out the back with my heart in my hand, there was no one else here, the employees were on their lunch break and I wasn't even close enough to any of them to say goodbye or ask for help.

I stop on a busier street and sit on a bench. Even helpless, with nowhere to go, this is the first time I feel free, after I finished school the only places I went were the market to buy groceries and the pharmacy.

Joao: Julia, is that you?

I open my eyes and realize that I fell asleep on the bench of that avenue, it was already getting dark and Mr. Joao was standing in front of me.

Julia: Mr. Joao!

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