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However, the boy took a sheet of paper out of his backpack.
"It's a summary of the geography lesson. I noticed you were having some trouble. If you study with it, you'll do well in the test and maybe even get ahead of the material."
"How do you know I'm having trouble? We're not in the same class."
"I overheard you talking to Emma. I just looked at the course syllabus and put together a summary."
"Why are you helping me?"
"Because I like the way you are, Maya Yuni."
He knew her name, even though they weren't in the same class.
"I'm not like the other girls at school, so stop..."
"I know, and that's why I like you.. Would you let me take you out for ice cream?"
" No, it's better not to, my mom doesn't like me going out..."
"I'll talk to her. If necessary, I'll go to your house and ask for permission. I'll even bring my mom along if it makes your mom more comfortable."
It sounded more like a marriage proposal than an invitation for ice cream, but Maya Yuni found him different.
"Don't you think it's too much for ice cream?"
"It depends. After the ice cream, maybe I'll get permission to date you." He replied.
"You don't even know me."
"I don't need to, I already know who you are. Do you know my name?"
"I don't know. I need to go."
"It's Anésio."
"That's an unusual name."
"My mom is Brazilian."
Yuni realized the name wasn't common in America.
"And the ice cream?" He asked, hopefully.
"My mom would kill me if she caught me having ice cream with you."
Yuni dashed down the stairs, ran to her mother's car, and quickly got in.
"My daughter, is everything okay?" Cícera asked.
"Yes, I just wanted to see my brother."
The boy was asleep in the car seat, and Maya smiled as she looked at him.
"I'll sleep with him tonight so you can rest." Maya offered.
"You need to sleep well to go to school," her mother said.
"But I sleep well with him, mom. I'll take care of him."
Cicera gave in, she was tired. Cícera had an exhausting routine, being a mother of two children without the help of her parents. She worked hard to support the family and ensure her children were well cared for and fed. Every day, she woke up early, prepared breakfast, and organized everything before leaving for work. While Cícera worked, her daughter Maya Yuni helped whenever she could. Maya did the house chores, assisted with cleaning, and organizing clothes. This collaboration was essential to keep the house in order. Upon returning from work, Cícera would continue her daily marathon, by preparing dinner. Luckily, Maya did her schoolwork on her own. Sometimes she struggled, but she didn't ask for help because she knew her mother was tired.
Cícera was rigid, but despite her exhaustion, she found strength to be present and attentive to every detail of her children's lives. She had taken good care of her daughter when Maya was hurt, and at the time, Maya's brother was only two months old. The boy was the result of a brief romance. Cícera had been sterilized when Maya was only 10 years old, and yet she became pregnant. The father did not take responsibility because he felt deceived; after all, she had said she couldn't get pregnant. At least that's what Maya believed. That was what her mother said.
This is how Cícera ended up alone, with a teenage daughter and a baby. Maya was the daughter of a teenage boyfriend; she first got pregnant in the school locker room. She was a teenager and uninformed, only realizing what had happened when her belly began to grow. Maya's father was transferred from school, and soon after went to college, became a famous hockey player, and made a fortune. Cícera was forced to struggle alone because her mother did not help her. She was absent during childbirth, postpartum, and even when Maya cried until Cícera thought she would go insane.
When she became pregnant again, she thought she would die or go insane. She thought it wasn't fair, that the first was her fault, but the second, God had been unjust to her.
Cícera's tireless effort combined with Maya Yuni's dedication kept the family functioning. Together, they were good. Cícera had postpartum depression, yet she didn't stop; changing the baby's diaper while crying, feeding him while crying, and going to work while crying, yet life went on. And because of this, the baby, whose name Cícera never mentions, spent a lot of time in daycare. She hadn't developed love for him due to postpartum depression, but she tried to ensure her children were at least well cared for.
Cícera's mother distanced herself permanently because her daughter had not achieved the established goals. Maya was told these every day so she wouldn't repeat the same mistakes.
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