Make-Believe Marriage by Dill Ferreira

be waiting for the
question.
    - Do you intend to stay
long? - She wanted to know to prepare her spirit and her patience when she
needed it.
    - Forever. - A painful
response for her to hear.
    Amanda looked into his
eyes and could see that this seemed to be his true intent. It would not be easy
to have that cynical man always around and disturbing. She would have to
accumulate a lot of patience in case he did not change his attitudes toward her
    - Tell me something,
Amanda. - He seemed curious about something. - Don’t you miss our time
together? - She thought of telling him that she had never missed his lies, his
extramarital affairs, his changing moods. She missed only the father of her
child that had left him without a cause. At that time she could only miss one
person who picked her up and helped her the way Breno had never been able to,
Antônio. Yes she did miss him. - Amanda, are you there? - he asked noticing her
absence.
    - Of course I'm here,
where else could I be? - She knew where she was and was not near there.
    - I said we could get over
it, just a little conversation and understanding. I assure you that I am
willing to do anything to get it right. - Amanda just looked at him. It was
strange, but she could not even pity her ex-husband. Nothing he said or did reached
her feelings or cleared her of any of her doubts; it was as if Breno had not
been part of her life. Something had definitely taken him out of her mind and
heart. And he was the one to blame for that.
    - I do not think that's the
best option for us. - She said self-confidently.
    - This is the best and
only alternative we have to regain our family and give a complete home to our
son. - The way he was talking was exasperating her. It was as if only he knew
what was best for the three of them and was the only one prepared to decide for
the two of them. Amanda wanted to say there was another man in her life and
that they would soon be married, providing a decent and good home to her son. However,
she preferred to say nothing, perhaps Breno didn’t really intend to file for
custody and if she forced him, she could make him rethink the matter. The
waiter arrived bringing the drinks.
    - Your favorite drink. -
Breno said handing her a reddish glass that he had asked without her realizing
it, because Amanda was not at all happy with that meeting and only agreed to go
because of her son.
    - It is no longer my
favorite, Breno. - She said it to help him realize that much of that Amanda
that had been deceived by him no longer existed. - Days change us a lot. - she
finished speaking and picked up the drink; although it failed to be her
favorite, it was still tasty.
    - I noticed you have
changed. More self-confident and feminine. - He confessed watching her a
little. - What caused it, this little ring? - he scoffed touching on her finger
on the table.
    - You caused it. - She
said feeling a certain pleasure to see she had stunned him.
    - So I still have some
power over you! - Breno was blind to the things he could not control.
    - You sure do. The power
to break all the sweetness, naiveté and fragility that was inside me. You
managed all that, congratulations. - There was no bitterness in Amanda's voice.
This feeling had no more space in her life and would never have again Even if
Breno insisted on the hurt to be reborn, she would not allow it ever because
both he and those feelings had been deleted from her life.
    - This guy who gave you
this – he said pointing at the ring. - might take a lot more from you; I had to
lose you to see how much I want you. He has not been through something like
that yet, maybe he does not even like you. Why risk it if you have the chance
to do it right with me? - Her confidence made her increasingly certain that she
had wasted her time going to that lunch to try to make him see that there was
no more future for them.
    - From where do you get
this self-sufficiency? - She wanted to know.
    - What can you tell me
about this man you’re