Building My Life

Chapter 41 - Getting Rid of Punishment

Josias strode into the lobby, his head down and his face twisted in a grimace like someone who had just swallowed a bitter pill. Teodoro was busy cleaning, dusting the key rack with a flannel and a bottle of polish. Seeing the boy enter in such a silent fury, he decided to risk a question.

“What happened, Josias?”

Josias stopped in his tracks and turned to him, finally exploding. “Everything went wrong, Seu Teodoro! Everything!”

At that moment, Jeremiah was halfway down the stairs. Hearing Josias’s angry voice, he froze on the steps, pressing himself against the wall to eavesdrop with a mocking smirk. From their position in the lobby, neither Josias nor Teodoro could see him.

“That sounds rough, young man,” Teodoro said, dropping his flannel. “Let’s have a coffee, and you can tell me the details...”

“Keep on with your cleaning, Seu Teodoro,” Josias said, extending a tired hand. “Just give me my key. I don’t want coffee. I just want to lie down. My head is throbbing.”

“At least let me get you an aspirin,” Teodoro insisted, his fatherly instincts kicking in.

Moved by the man’s genuine kindness, Josias calmed down slightly and gave a brief explanation. “Her father showed up at the corner, accusing me of just wanting to get her into bed. And that i***t Uélton... instead of helping me deny it, he made a stupid joke. Mr. Campos thought I was trying to ‘dishonor’ his daughter. He humiliated me in the middle of the street. I lost my temper and punched Uélton.”

Jeremiah, hidden on the stairs, could barely contain his silent laughter. Josias was so blinded by rage that he didn’t hear a sound. Teodoro handed over the room key with pity in his eyes.

“Go rest, Josias. If you want to talk more later, I’m here. I’m truly sorry the date didn’t work out.”

“It’s part of life... at least, part of mine. Always losing,” Josias shrugged bitterly, took his key, and headed for the stairs.

As he climbed the first few steps, he came face-to-face with Jeremiah. The older man pretended he was just starting his descent, but the performance didn’t convince Josias for a second.

“How long have you been spying on us?” Josias asked, his brow furrowing.

Jeremiah didn’t answer. He just curled one corner of his mouth in a sneer and continued down to the lobby.

Teodoro turned on the radio, and the smooth sounds of “Please Don’t Go” by KC and the Sunshine Band filled the room. Jeremiah approached the counter, twisting his face into a mask of feigned concern.

“Seu Teodoro, could we talk? Something very serious happened yesterday.”

Teodoro looked up, surprised. Jeremiah rarely sought out the owner for anything other than complaints.

Minutes later, they were in the small office. Teodoro’s eyes were wide with shock at what he was hearing.

“You mean you... you almost forced the girl?”

“No!” Jeremiah yelled, playing the victim. “I would never do that! The girl was just very drunk and started making a scene. Then Josias broke down my door and started calling me a harasser in front of all the neighbors. Please, Seu Teodoro, I’ve been a good tenant. I don’t want to be branded a r****t and kicked out of here.”

Teodoro frowned, weighing his words. “I’m not going to expel you, Jeremiah. I’ve never had a complaint about you before, and you always pay your rent on time. But bringing a girl home who was even drunker than you... that wasn’t right. I have to agree with young Rocha on that point.”

Jeremiah hid his irritation. It galled him that Teodoro still had so much confidence in Josias. At least he had managed to dodge the “predator” label for now.

“Fine. I promise I’ll be more careful; it won’t happen again. Now, just make sure Josias takes it easy from now on... and I’ll need my door repaired. The hinges are loose.”

Jeremiah added that last part as a calculated move to turn the tables. In his mind, the owner shouldn’t be so favorable toward a newcomer who acted like he owned the place — or like he was Teodoro’s own son.

***

Jeremiah walked out onto the street, satisfied that he had “cleaned” his image despite the web of lies. Meanwhile, Teodoro finished his work and headed up to Josias’s room.

Josias was lying on the bed in his new shorts, staring blankly at the balcony door. He was still reeling from the missed date, wondering how he could ever explain the misunderstanding to Melissa. Where had Simeon gotten such a vile idea?

Hearing the knock, Josias opened the door and invited Teodoro in. Teodoro took the opportunity to look around. He felt a pang of sadness seeing the sparse room: just a bed, a chair, and a rickety dresser that looked ready to host a moth infestation.

Teodoro sat on the chair and recounted his conversation with Jeremiah. Josias sat up abruptly, his face contorting with disbelief.

“He’s lying, Teodoro!” Josias exclaimed. “It wasn’t like that at all! The girl was trying to escape, and he wouldn’t let her go. He was in his underwear and ready to cross the line against her will!”

“Unfortunately, we’ll never be certain, my son. The girl was too drunk to speak for herself. I only ask that next time, you don’t try to solve things alone. You must call me; I am the owner here. And... Jeremiah is demanding that you fix his door.”

Josias stared at him, absolutely astonished.