Monica's hope is gone

FÁBIO'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Fábio asks Fábia Peres if Monica had anything to do with Cássio's plan. And the dishonest girl decides to slander Monica.

"Darling, I'd never have an idea like that! And just with Cassio? I know you weren't intimate in childhood, you would suspect! Look, I can't prove it, but it must have been Monica. She wouldn't call Célio because it would be worse."

"What a lack of self-love this guy has! Anyway, Fábia, I got it right from the beginning when he showed up here forcing intimacy, but I must admit that his way of touching the subject of magazines was smart."

"But, I didn't speak to him, dear, believe me..."

Fábio approaches her, "Yeah, Fábia, I believe. After all, you wouldn't have the mental capacity to come up with something so —"

Fábio interrupts himself before Fábia understands what he is saying. He opens his arms and she runs towards them. The two smile and embrace.

Fábia says relieved, "Forgive me, my love! I'll never distrust you again. You are right; relationships must be based on trust... 'mutual', is that so?"

Fábio corrects her, "'Mutual' it's a paroxytonic word."

"O Father, you love to complicate, huh?"

Fábio laughs, then looks at his girlfriend, and the couple kisses like some movie worthy of the 50s.

MONICA'S LIVING ROOM

Monica comes from the kitchen giving Carlos a glass of mango juice; he is sitting in the armchair. Carlos notices the computer table full of A4 sheets, some wrapped in small balls.

"And how is the production of the second book doing? Has the first already sold?"

Monica sits and answers, "No, I was rejected by the publishing house. I was almost robbed for that."

"Actually, you did, I reversed it."

"And I am forever grateful for that, Carlos."

Carlos drinks, "Please, Monica. I'm just a citizen aware of my duty. I hate crime, and when I was at a distance and saw you... I didn't think twice; I called my colleague and we made that scene look like an American action movie."

Monica smiles, "For more American action, then."

Carlos laughs, "Anyway, you told me about Miriam. Is she in love with me, thinks Carina is too, and that's why she did that scene at the Residents' Association? Insinuating that the two of us..."

"It's just a theory, Carlos."

"It turns out that Miriam visited me earlier and apologized to me. She swore she was going to apologize to you too."

Monica reacts in surprise, "With me?"

"She mentioned you too in her daydreams."

Monica bounces on the couch, incredulous. 

Carlos goes on, "In fact, if she saw both of us now..."

"Jeez, and I believe that a woman like that only drives a man away. No man likes to feel like the movie 'Fatal Attraction'.

Carlos smiles, "That's it. I like Miriam, she's a good neighbor, and I invited her to the pizzeria to get to know her better, as a friend... and who knows more ahead, more than a friend? Only now... she burned the steps..."

"Yes, she ran over the script. But, I'm not saying she's a bad person, Carlos. On the contrary, I intend to talk to her and advise her."

Carlos gets up. His glass is empty, "Yeah, talk, Monica. Please. I don't want to see smart girls like you fighting, especially because at the moment, I'm not interested in dating. I'm focused on my job."

"Leave it to me!"

Satisfied Monica ends the conversation.

DE LUCA PIZZERIA

Annie and Aurélio continue to talk.

"I had my dates, Annie, but I never made it to the 'can kiss the bride' part. Maybe I have a rotten finger at the altar. Maybe it's God's design for me to stay single. Maybe it was His will that a guy who's already lived in Metropolitano come to this distant neighborhood."

"When I go Downtown it seems like I'm entering a new city! But, I think that living in Rhodia River has this advantage: I feel that we are in a corner of our own, in peace, to rest."

Aurélio smiles, "Peace... Yeah, I came here in search of peace, maybe tranquility. Peace, for real, only in Paradise. Anyway, that's why I'm here. I have my family, brothers who got married, and wonderful nephews... you'll meet them one of these days."

"I'm going to love it, they seem to me to be good people," She notices the box, "Oh, there's just one more piece. Come on, Seu Aurélio, how rude I was."

Aurélio laughs, "I'm gonna have it wrapped up, Annie. I'm full and I need to keep an eye on the fat in that cheese. I'm not that young anymore. Those snacks I make, I rarely eat."

"And it does very well, take care of health." She gets up.

"Thank you very much for your attention, Annie." Aurélio is smiling, "And when you need to, you know where to find me."

Annie responds sweetly, "Good night, Seu Aurélio. You'll still have what you miss."

Annie leaves. Aurélio, calmer, signals for the bill to be brought.

RHODIA AVENUE

Annie closes the door to the pizzeria and leaves for her home. She walks carefully as the avenue is deserted. On their back, she will turn to when she hears...

"Did you have a lot of fun?"

Annie is surprised and turns around. Jonas is approaching with a face longer than the dictatorial regime.

"Jonas, don't scare me that I can get sick!"

"You are going to get sick with so much oil and fat that is in these Italian pizzas. And they don't let us put ketchup..."

Annie smiles as she approaches him, "Honey, you know I'm always watching my weight."

"Yeah, and I can't even accompany you. I'm already fat. If I take you to these places..."

"Does it bother you so much, Jon?"

Jonas is silent. He still doesn't want to express his jealousy. He disguises it, "Oh, dear, you're right. I'm very suspicious. What nonsense, right?"

"Honey, you really need to relax with this question. Have you tried talking to your father about this? I don't want you to be paranoid. The day will come when you'll end up beating me if I buy toilet paper at Roncetti instead of Cascais bakery!"

"But, we don't sell toilet paper in the bakery."

"Exactly! Do you understand now what Monica meant?"

Jonas starts to ponder. 

Annie continues, "Can you accompany me home?"

Jonas smiles, in love, "Sure, princess..."

When the two exchange smiles, Aurélio, who left the pizzeria, finds them both.

"Oh, my nineteen years..."

Annie laughs, but Jonas doesn't. Aurélio passes them and goes on his way.

Annie explains to him, "I was talking to Seu Aurélio because he is a very lonely man. All day at that snack bar with nobody to tell him how the day went."

"If I can get a girlfriend, he can, too."

Annie laughs, "Why are men cruel to each other?"

Jonas disguises it, "If I start to only praise men, you'll find me weird and tell your father."

Annie just finished laughing. The two go on.

MONICA'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

Monica is in full swing on her computer. It's Monday and she wants to start the week with greater productivity unlike most Brazilians. However, her concentration goes to the swamp when she hears a knock on the door.

"If it's Fábia Peres, I'm not!"

Fábio's voice from outside, "It also starts with 'F'."

Surprised, Monica gets up, goes to the door, and opens it. Fábio passes by and enters with his eyes hard and cold.

"Fábio, did something happen?"

"Yes, it did. It happened that you let me down, Monica."

Monica is on alert. She knows that a bomb is coming, "What happened? Did I do anything to you?"

"Not directly to me, but to my girlfriend, Fábia Peres. Your neighbor."

Monica snorts, "Don't remind me that this girl is my neighbor."

"I see that you do not get along. I understand; you are in your right. But that doesn't give you the right, Monica, to plant doubts in the mind of Fábia Peres, even more denigrating my character! Do you mean that for you I am so despicable?"

"I see that she told you. Fabio, I can explain."

"I don't deny I bought indecent magazines, but I regretted it and threw it away. Now, if you only believe me if I show you the drawers in my room—"

"Fábio, I'm sorry. I just wanted to trample Fábia because she doesn't leave me alone with her paranoia that we are cheating on her!"

"And you make the situation worse by accusing me of being a hypocrite, telling her to throw away her magazines while I keep mine!"

Monica is silent. She cannot deny that. 

Fábio continues, "Tell me, Monica, what you get out of it? If there was ever a time when I stopped thinking about Fabia to think about you... it was because I thought you were different. Intelligent, with content, mature... But now, I can see that it's all a facade. If you are also troublesome, it doesn't matter if I stay with Fábia Peres. At least she trusts me and loves me."

Monica begins to have teary eyes, "Fábio, I—"

Fábio points to her table, "You can write that in your damn book because I feel like I'm in a network of intrigues!"

Fábio turns his back and leaves, slamming the door. Monica sits on the couch and starts to cry.

MALTHUS SNACK BAR

Aurélio is also ready for another week of work. Preparing juicy-looking savories, he has his mouth full of water. Then he takes the broom and starts sweeping. Ed enters as his first customer.

"It needs a sweep indeed, Seu Aurélio."

"Are you Ricardo's son?"

"Who is Ricardo?"

"Never mind, you don't miss anything. So, what will it be?"

"I'm going to school, so it's gonna be my lunch."

Aurélio passes to the other side of the counter, "It means that you are going to take that shrimp pie that gave Cassio dysentery the other day!"

Ed laughs at Cassio, "That means I'm going to take two cheesecakes because I'll have Physical Education to burn the calories!"

Aurélio looks cooler than Siberia, "There's no cheese. Edward, make an effort! Take at least one of ground beef."

Ed reacts uneasily, "And mineral water."

Aurélio smiles and goes to the showcase. Ed lowers his head to get the money out of the backpack. Aurélio sees him and takes advantage of Ed's distraction. Aurélio's hand placed TWO MEAT PIES in the little bag. Ed hands over the money of one, and without knowing, he takes two. Aurélio hands him over, and Ed doesn't even feel the difference.

"Thank you, Seu Aurélio. I'm going to be on time!"

"You study to be someone in life!"

Ed leaves. Soon after, Wellington comes in. He's black, wears a cap on his head, is 21, with a suitcase slung over his shoulder, and is disoriented. 

Aurélio soon realizes that he is not from here. "Can I help you, young man?"

"Yes, please, please. Do you know where you have an apartment or room to rent?"

Aurélio gets thoughtful, "Um... On Avenue here, some little buildings have cheap options for single guys like you... I imagine..."

Wellington smiles, "For the time being, you never know."

Aurélio extends his hand, "Aurélio Malthus."

"Wellington."

Wellington narrows his eyes. He sees Carina's picture on the wall. 

Aurélio follows the look, "Nice picture, isn't it?"

"I think I know the painter."

"Carina Sousa, a resident here."

Wellington smiles, "I know her, the whole gang, by the way."

The door opens. Célio and Cássio enter. They are surprised by Wellington.

"Wellington!"

"Hello, guys! How long!"

The three friends embrace.

Célio asks, "How cool, did you move here too?"

"It's the cheapest place for my savings and I liked the neighborhood."

"Welcome to the team," Cássio says, "Now I hope you aren't also on the team of the pennilessers."

"I have some savings."

"He was asking for apartments to rent," Aurélio says.

Cassio reacts negatively, "No kidding rent what! Do you already have a job?"

"You scare me with that questioning tone."

"So let's go to my house while you don't get the money to pay the rent. Don't become the next Seu Madruga."

Wellington tells Aurélio, "Problem solved, then!" he turns to his friends, "Shall we have a snack, then? On my own."

Célio and Cássio agree and sit at the counter. Aurélio is attentive to what they want.