CHAPTER 11
THE NEIGHBOUR
Blanca yawned in bed the next morning, on a Sunday, stretching out her arms as the sun’s glare penetrated through the curtains. Her head weighed her down and her heart throbbed from her flashback last night. She winced at the memory of seeing the underage girl propositioning the older man in the street after the carnival.
In the kitchen, she found the table laden with sweet pastries, bread, butter, fruit, and freshly-brewed cafezinho, Brazilian-style coffee. Julio bit into a sweet while Maria looked on with saggy eyes and a pale complexion, slowly sipping her coffee. She lifted her head when Blanca sat in front of them and gazed on the breakfast layout.
Maria put aside the newspaper. “Come and eat, darling. I don’t have an appetite this morning, but Julio obvio
