Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 09:24:39 -0500 (EST) From: "Publishing@TomCup.com" <publishing@tomcup.com> Subject: The Innocents: Paulo and Beto By Richard Dean Part 4 chapter 12 - A/Y Copyright 2000-2004 by the Paratwa Partnership: A Colorado Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, except in the case of reviews, without written permission from the Paratwa Partnership, Inc, 354 Plateau Drive, Florissant, CO 80816 This is a fictional story involving alternative sexual relationships. If this type of material offends you, please do not read any further. This material is intended for mature adult audiences. Names, characters, locations and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. 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Check it out at http://www.tomcup.com! ********************************************************************** The Paratwa Partnership, Inc. is a publication and marketing agency and is not responsible for the content of the Tom Cup Library, TomCup.com or its affiliate sites, or stories written by Mr. Cup or his associates. ********************************************************************** The Innocents Part 4: Paulo and Beto By Richard Dean richard@tomcup.com Chapter 12 Responding to directions from Beto, Paulo drove with efficient ability. They were comfortable with the familiar response of long-time friends and seldom were confrontational or excitable when events seemed out of control. Both young men were apprehensive of what they might discover in their meeting with Gloria d'Sousa. What kind of living conditions would they encounter? What did the family need most? What would ease their concerns? The favelas were neither kind nor comfortable. Everyone knew that. Both of them had never entered into one of the hovels of these unfortunate beings. They had read or seen images as reported by the news media of events and disasters, which occurred with regularity. As they neared the conclave of the favela, they noted people waving to a familiar sight; an OBK van on supposedly a mission of good will. "Slow down Paulo, it shouldn't be very far now. I don't know if we can go much further ahead. All I can see are alleyways and narrow passages. We may have to park the van and go on by foot. Damn! I was hoping the van would be our entry ticket into their home. It looks like we'll have to park it here." "I'm shivering with nerves at this moment, Beto. I want to hold your hand, but, I can't for obvious reasons." Paulo sighed. "Hang in there Son. I'm going to ask that lady if she knows the family. Wait here, I'll be right back, OK?" Beto confirmed. "OK." Paulo concurred. Paulo noted Beto confront a woman who was tending two young children as she sat in a straight backed chair placed outside of her entryway. They conversed for a bit, she smiled and pointed out the correct alleyway that would lead them to their quarry. He noted her saddened face as she explained in detailed hand gestures something to Beto. Beto appeared to sag and lean closer to hear her explanation better. Oh oh, something's not right. Beto seems to be alarmed. His hands are clenching into fists then opening with regularity. He gets that way when he's disturbed. I don't like this! Beto's head seemed to bow as he nodded his understanding of what the woman told him. He shook her hand and turned away to return to the standing awaiting Paulo. "What? What is it? Something's wrong. I can see it in your face. Beto! Tell me." Paulo pleaded. "In soft measured tones Beto answered, "She told me there was a fire several nights ago. Apparently four or five families were consumed in it. A few people survived, but they've been hospitalized or are being cared for by relatives. She thinks Gloria's place was in the midst of the fire. She hasn't heard anything more about them. So she doesn't know if they are living or dead. It's up this alley. Let's go." Paulo felt sickened and faint; on the edge to collapse. Dear God, could we have prevented this? The hints in that letter seemed to lead to this. Those poor children. No, nothing Beto or myself could do would prevent this. If Gloria had already made up her mind, nothing we could do or say, would deter her. Wordlessly Paulo nodded and walked side by side with his partner as they progressed up the pathway. Their silence seemed loud, as they were lost in thoughts; distressed and saddened. A jumbled mass of blackened refuse, a few bedsprings rusting within the remains of the conflagration blotted the landscape of an already blotted residential area. Remnants of furnishings, a sink here and there glared into the sun reminding those within view, of what once was. Beto wandered over to some neighbors who were outside talking the small talk that neighbors do. He inquired about the family of Gloria. Animated gestures accented the conversation. Paulo walked about the remains, kicking at pieces of the charred remains. Nothing appeared notably recognizable due to the severity of the blaze. The children! What about them? What do we tell them? When do we tell them? Are they ready to hear about the apparent demise of their family; their half- blood family? Do we admit we think their mother was the instigator of all this? We have no actual proof, but our suspicions seem to be borne out. I don't want to face the responsibility of this. Will Beto handle this equally well as would, I hope, Ricardo? Or is it conceivable that Elena and/or Júlio will be able to convey to them the loss of their family? We have the meeting tonight. NO! Not tonight! I don't want to be there. I'll fall apart watching the faces of those angels when they! hear about this. Beto may see it a bit differently. I assume he would think that these events may be easier for them to accept because of their transition as members of another family. Beto would stress that their mother was the one who sent them off, away from their home and family, knowing full well she may never see them again. She knew what would happen once she left them at the door of OBK. How will Ricardo respond to this information? Will he propose to take on this challenge? He is our leader after all, our father, our Mestre. Oh Ricardo. Will you fall apart as you did with Toninho's death? I fully understand why you died when Toninho died. You escaped vowing never to return. But you're back at last to discover circumstances you would never have conceived? "They think all of them died in the fire, Paulo. The firefighters carried five bodies from what was their home. One adult and three children in one room and apparently Gloria from the kitchen area. Let's get out of here, Paulinho. It's too depressing to look and think about it." "Good. Beto, we have to talk." "I know. I can only imagine." Beto responded with a sigh. On the drive from the depressed over-populated favela to the singularity and cleanliness of their home, Paulo recounted his fears and thoughts on the seriousness of these past events and possible repercussions to the future of those involved. Beto countered that he saw things from a different perspective. He felt that subliminal damage would be lessened by recounting to Clara and Javier that their mother had made the ultimate loving sacrifice she could to free them to enhance their transition into a new life without personal guilt to finally become socially responsible citizens of Rio de Janeiro. He told Paulo he could never approve of her decision to take the lives of others, but he did understand why she did it. Paulo's fears were further allayed by Beto's glowing comments. "Paulo, while we are at the Cavalcante's I'd appreciate it if you would get the children to go swimming in their pool with you. I want to have the opportunity to inform the other adults of the latest events without the children in hearing range. We can decide then how to proceed with educating them, instructing them and how we will inform them about the demise of their mother and half-siblings. It won't be a fun evening, but we have to put on the show of our lives. We have to do this, darling. We owe it to them. It's the best plan I can think of on the fly of the moment." "Oh, good," Paulo said relieved, "I was fearful there would be no way to prepare the others without distressing the kids. I can keep them occupied while you are busy with the others expanding on their futures." "I love you Paulinho!" "I love you back, as much as ever." Paulo responded warmly. ********************************************************************** Send comments to: richard@tomcup.com To support this and other stories by the author, join at http://www.tomcup.com. If you like this story, check out Tom Cup's "Calvin: A Coming of Age Story." Available at Barnes and Nobles Bookstores, Amazon.com, your local independent bookseller, or from Tom Cup.com. Tom Cup's "Of Our Teenage Years" is scheduled for publication and release in paperback in the Spring of 2004. Check it out at http://www.tomcup.com!