Chapter Twenty-One
David
Havingbreakfast with Joel’s family before the baking class had been such a treat. His grandparents and great-grandmother were like an extended family to me, and I was ashamed to say it had been too long since I’d had a meal with them. They often invited me to dinner, which I gladly accepted since they always told me a lot about my mom when she had been growing up with Sílvia.
When Violeta had started clearing the table after breakfast, I joined her in the kitchen. Joel was engrossed in conversation with his granddad, and Vóvó Deolinda was working on her crocheting. I had questions I wanted to ask Violeta, but I didn’t want to ask them in front of Joel.
I hadn’t been sure I was ready for any of the information Violeta may or may not have about my dad, so asking her without anyone else around felt safer, like dipping my toes in the sea to check the water temperature.
“Avó, do you know who my father is?” I had debated about how to approach the subject, but in the end, I decided to go straight to the question I wanted to ask. Violeta was a no-nonsense woman, and I knew she’d read me like a book.
“Ah, my son,” she said with nothing but care in her voice. I loved it when she called me her son. “The truth is that I wish I knew, and I am truly sorry to have to say this, but I don’t think anyone knows. The only person who might know isn’t around anymore.”
I thought I could take the disappointment, but it still surprised me when I felt it.
“I thought Sílvia would know. When I found their journal last year, I was going to ask her, but then...” I didn’t have to finish that sentence because we both knew what had happened.
“Take a seat, son. Let me tell you what I do know. I don’t know if it will help, but I suppose it’s better than nothing.”
I followed her to the kitchen table and sat, clasping my hands together. She put hers on top of mine and started.
“As you know, your mom and Sílvia were very close. They were like sisters. I knew your grandparents well, but even we weren’t as close as our girls. Anyway, when Gary proposed to Sílvia, they decided they would live in America after the wedding.
Paula was quite upset at losing her best friend. It’s hard to believe, but the girls had never fought as long as they’d known each other. After Sílvia broke the news about moving to America, they had their first fight. They didn’t talk to each other for a week until neither could stand being apart anymore and they made up.
Sílvia and Gary lived in America for three years until Sílvia became pregnant with Joel. Sílvia wanted to be close to her family when Joel was born, so they came with the intention of going back to New York when Joel was a year old.”
I didn’t dare interrupt Violeta as she was telling the story, looking back at memories she probably hadn’t needed to recall before.
“It wasn’t until they’d been back for a couple of weeks that they realized Paula was also pregnant. I don’t think even Paula knew until Sílvia was here.”
“How do we know Sílvia didn’t know? Wouldn’t my mom tell her? And where was my dad then?”
“I don’t know if your mom had a boyfriend. I thought Sílvia knew, but after your mom died, we talked about it. Sílvia didn’t know. Paula kept it a secret from everybody.”
It didn’t make sense. Why would my mom keep it a secret even from her best friend?
I had a feeling there was something else Violeta wasn’t telling me.
“There was someone in your mom’s life at the time.” Violeta looked apprehensive, almost like she was choosing her words carefully.
“Who?”
“His name was Vítor.”
“Her high school boyfriend?”
“I don’t know about that. I always thought he was gay, but I don’t know for sure. They went to the same school. When he came back from military service, I used to see them together a lot, even more after Sílvia left.”
“Where is this Vítor?”
“He’s been gone a long time. The best person to ask is your uncle.”
What? My uncle? Why? Fuck, there was no way I’d talk to my uncle about this.
“Thanks, Avó Violeta. I appreciate you telling me all this, and I’m sorry I don’t come around as often. I’m going to change that.” I got up from my chair and gave her a heartfelt hug just before I saw Joel smiling from where he stood leaning against the frame of the kitchen door.
Joel had driven us into Lisbon, which gave me some time to process the conversation with Violeta, but as soon as we got to the center, my focus was on the kids and the class.
