Like Iraquitã told me, Anahí and I exchange my headdresses and share cauí, a drink common in celebrations. I kiss her mouth softly and hear someone clearing their throat, it's Anahí's grandfather that shakes his head, surprisingly smiling for the first time.
"Isn't now when you kiss the bride?" I ask curious to the people around me.
"On our weddings, we don't have that part, Itagiba," Iraquitã whispers on my ear, making me feel embarrassed.
"Sorry, sir. My bad," I tell Apaioká, red faced.
The rest of the night was magic, a banquet was served in the middle of the oca, baked fish, Brazilian guinea pig, fruit, cassava, beiju, pamonha[18], cooked corn, besides several desserts and porridge made from coconut, corn, and peanut. The Indians definitely know how to party, there's so much music and dancing by the end of the night I was done for.
The women set up a hut for me and Anahí to spend our first night as a married couple. All very simple, but filled with care and love. In the bedroom they set up a platter with fruit and juices and after we take a shower together, Anahí, now my wife under the blessing of Tupã, and I make love unhurriedly, enjoying every kiss, every touch, every coming and going of our combined bodies.
CHAPTER 28
ANAHÍ
I leave the reservation with a lump in my throat from trying not to cry, the days we spent in the reservation were unforgettable. Remembering my adventure-filled childhood, drinking in the elder's wisdom, bolstering myself with the youngster's expectations, wiping the slate clean with my mom, finding my roots again made me go back to concrete jungle stronger. My Viking focused more and more on his recovery, he has retired the crutches for good and only uses the cane when his spine groans when he does too much, which is almost always... He and Renato walk every day on the boardwalk and they dove headfirst on the Sport Center project that will open sometime in the next few months.
I've been listlessly lying in bed since early morning, I look at the door that opens a little and Klaus sticks is head in asking for the third time if everything is okay. I reassure him that I'm just tired, but with the passing of the hours, my cramps worsen in a way I can't ignore. I go to the bathroom and when I look at my panties I panic, crying quietly. I'm bleeding! Oh my God, my baby! There's something wrong with me. I call Klaus from the bathroom and he doesn't hear me. I yell louder for help and Das Dores comes in, asking worriedly, "What happened, child? Is everything okay?"
"No, Das Dores. I'm bleeding. Call Klaus!"
Das Dores goes to call Klaus and he bursts through the door with wide-opened eyes, battering me with questions like a Gatling.
"Little cabocla, what's happening, baby? Das Dores told me you're bleeding. What happened? What can I do?"
"We need to get to the hospital, I think I'm losing the baby."
Klaus shakes his head desperately and runs out to call for Renato. Das Dores helps me change my clothes and Renato knocks on the door before opening it.
"Are you ready, Anahí?"
I nod and he asks permission to Klaus before picking me up, taking me to the car. Klaus and Das Dores sit in the backseat with me and Renato drives like maniac to the clinic, while Klaus speaks with my doctor on the phone.
Fifteen minutes after we get to the clinic Dr. Sabryne hurries me to the exam room. They run a series of exams which only makes me more anxious. I give up trying to be strong and break down completely terrified. What is wrong with my baby? Did I have a miscarriage and Dr. Sabryne doesn't know how to break the news? Klaus paces the office and forgets all about manners when he hits the table and demands the doctor tell him what is happening right this minute.
"Look here, don't take this the wrong way, but I need to know what's happening with my woman and son. Can you fucking stop writing notes on that fucking clipboard, and talk with me?"
I frown at Klaus and tell him to be quiet, Dr. Sabryne finishes the ultrasound and answers calmly, removing her glasses tensely.
"Calm down, I'm going to try and answer all of your questions. Anahí, you experienced a threatened miscarriage, but luckily there was no dilatation. Your cervix is closed and the fetus is healthy. The heartbeat of your baby is normal and the gestational sac intact. Sometimes there's no specific reason for this threat. We ran a series of exams and ruled out diabetes and thyroid issues. I would like to take a deeper look if the bleeding happens again. To make sure you don't have any more complications, I'll prescribe you duphaston, to reduce the risk of miscarriage. I also recommend bed rest, enjoy being spoiled by daddy, right Klaus?"
"That's right, leave it to me. I'll make sure she rests. Are you sure I shouldn't take her to New York? I was reading the other day that they have a hospital that specializes in high risk pregnancies. We don't care about the cost, I just want my woman and baby to have the best treatment possible."
"I'm sure, Klaus. There's no need to make Anahí and your baby go through all of that for something that didn't happen. The baby is safe, growing healthy, and she's fine. It was just a scare. Any issues, call me, day or night. I'll keep you for observation overnight, we'll do some more exams in the morning to make sure everything is alright, and if you keep responding well to the medication, I'll release you. Okay?"
Dr. Sabryne transferred me to a room where I spent the night under observation, with Klaus's tense company, where every sneeze and harsher movement earned me a million questions whether I was feeling sick again.
It's been three weeks since the threatened miscarriage and Klaus was more frustrated about having to postpone the wedding than me, the bride. One of the days where we were intertwined in each other on the bed and he asked me for umpteenth time if I was upset that we had to postpone the wedding because of the bed rest, I grabbed his face, kissed him quietly, and said, "Viking, we've received a beautiful blessing from my people. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life, the way our souls connected on that day, there will be nothing like it. Mother nature has blessed us as husband and wife. When the doctor says I stop the bed rest, we can have another ceremony, invite friends, drink, celebrate, but for me, I'm already your wife."
"You're right, it's just that I know how much these ceremonies mean for you women. But ever since I had you in my bed for the first time, you became mine. It won't be one more party that will change that.”
SIX MONTHS LATER
KLAUS
"You have to tie a knot, not a bow. Do you think I'm a woman or something? Fuck it, Renato, you're screwing with me, I'm already fucking late!"
Renato undoes the knot in my tie for the third time, and God listens to my prayers and brings Ursa into the room to save me from Big's clumsy hands.
"And why are the ladies taking so long to come down? Jarbas is waiting for us in the car."
Úrsula walks over to us trying not to laugh. If she wasn't my big sister and cursing at her wasn't a disrespectful, I’d tell her to go fuck herself, fucking big-mouthed chick. Renato frowns and pouts, looking put out. Why do I ask him to do these things when I know Big is clumsy as fuck, a two-legged tractor? Maybe because he's the black version of me? My best friend?
"It's not my job to make you pretty, buddy. Tie your own fucking tie, I'm going downstairs and to the party ballroom. I'm not leaving my girl alone all this time without me. Can you believe she bought a dress that has a slit that shows most of her thigh? You know women, little Ursa, why do they do this?"
"Who told you I knew women? They’re one of the world’s biggest mysteries, women... I know how to make them happy, how to treat them like princesses, delicate flowers, one more beautiful than the other. Even though ever since I married, Luiza made me leave all that behind."
"Will you stop talking shit and fix my tie? That man wants to give me a bow. How can I marry little cabocla like this, all mussed up?"
Úrsula ties my tie perfectly and then taps my ass, teasing me, "You look gorgeous, little brother. Let's go, Kau, before your sexy little cabocla comes to her senses and leaves your sorry ass at the altar."
I
tell Jarbas to drive to the ballroom in Urca at full speed and when we get there, there's still no sign of Anahí. A structure was set up outside the ballroom, decorated with pink and lilac peonies and azaleas. The guest's chairs are to the side of the altar. My mother, beautiful in a long red-wine dress, kisses my forehead and offers me her arm, walking with me over a white carpet, to where the witnesses are: Felipe and Sara, Magali and Renato, Das Dores and Cire, next to the judge of the peace that's conducting the ceremony.
As soon as the first chords of "How Big is My Love for You" by Roberto Carlos, played on keyboards and violins play, Anahí appears, beautiful, like an angel. The delicate white dress, made of a smooth fabric wraps around her body like a see-through robe, she has her hair in a side-plait, intertwined with delicate white little flowers, contrasting with her dark hair. Her hand on her 9-month belly, she walks towards me, smiling at the guests, that follow her procession standing up. I forget the protocol and walk to her giving her a chaste kiss on the forehead and lips. The judge of the peace starts his speech about the transformative power of love and the importance of conversation in a happy marriage.
We exchange rings and say, 'I do' with silly smiles in our lips as if there's no one else here but us. We sign the documents and when we're saying our vows, I stand on a podium and speak from my heart.
"I didn't write my vows, I decided to improvise and speak from my heart instead of head. I always thought those love declarations were cheesy and I promised myself that I’d never chain myself to anyone. Today I know love is not a chain, it's wings. You, little cabocla, set me free from an empty, meaningless life, from the solitude that I insisted was fulfilling. Today I'm no longer alone, your love has brought me back to life, and as a cherry on top, you've made me a father. I love you today and always, baby. But I want to take advantage of this special moment in my life, to thank someone with whom I’ve grown apart. Mark, I thank you from the bottom of my soul for taking me out of that car on the day of my accident. Even if I’d stayed a paraplegic permanently, still your actions gave me a new shot at life. If you hadn't pulled me out of that car, I'd never have met my little cabocla and wouldn't be here, marrying this fantastic woman, among my family and friends."
Mark stands up choked up and nods, thanking me for the words. Anahí holds my hand squeezing so hard I almost yell from pain. She faces me with twisted grimace and takes a deep breath, lowering her eyes to her belly.
I throw the mic to the floor and hug her, "What is it, honey?"
"My water broke, the baby is coming."
"The baby is coming, people! Eat, drink, celebrate for us. We have to go."
Anahí and I leave the altar and I yell the same name as always, hearing a raspberry when he comes closer.
"Big, call Jarbas. I have to take Anahí to the hospital."
Renato grumbles with Magali, "Fuck, I couldn't even get a beer, eat some hors d'oeuvres. I never go to a fancy party and when can eat my fill, you decide to give birth, Anahí?" I hit him on the arm, but that doesn't stop him. "Aunt Mariana, save a plate for me, please! Lili, you behave. No dancing."
"Hurry up, Renato. Where's—"
"I'm here, brother. Let's go before this baby comes right here in the middle of the ballroom," Úrsula says, pushing me to the exit.
Fuck! Where's Jarbas? Is it possible that the one moment I need him the most, the driver decides to disappear? Anahí groans in pain and holds her belly, squeezing her lips. I look at the parked car and think, once a driver, always a driver. No one can get Anahí to the hospital faster than me. I tell Renato and Úrsula to sit on the backseat with Anahí and they surprise me by asking scared, "You're driving?"
"Yes. Buckled up."
I drive fast through the streets of Rio's Zona Sul with the pedal to the metal, I run through all the red signs I come across and pretend not to hear Renato and Úrsula yelling that we're going to crash. Near the clinic a policeman tells me to pull over. Renato grumbles like a baby ogre that I almost made him shit his pants and Úrsula curses me when the police officer asks me for my papers.
"You were going over 60. I’m going to ask you to come out of the car and hand over your driver license and car documents. I'll have to write you a ticket for reckless driving."
I leave the car and he faces me with a frown, looking between me and my documents, until he asks curiously, "You look familiar, I know you from somewhere, but I can't remember where."
"Probably from race car driving," I say abashed, holding my driver's license.
"That's right! You're that driver that got into an accident. Damn it, I knew I knew you. I used to watch all your races. It's a fucking pleasure to meet you! When I tell my colleagues, they won't believe me. Klaus Schneider. You were good, very good. Now, why were you driving so fast?"
I point at Anahí sitting on the backseat and quickly explain, "My wife is in labor and it's a high-risk pregnancy. I needed to get to the hospital fast. Actually, I was going to ask you–"
"Of course, of course. I didn't see anything. Go ahead, friend. Congratulations on your baby."
I thank him and get back in the car, hitting the gas pedal until I arrived at Leblon's clinic.
Anahí goes through the ED and the medical team calls Dr. Sabryne. They get Anahí ready and take her to the birthing room, getting everything set up for when the doctor gets here. One of the doctors ask me if I'm going to watch the birth and I puff out my chest and nod firmly feeling my legs tremble like jelly.
"Yes, of course I'll be there."
"Do you have any problem with blood, sir?"
"No, I'm used to it. I will watch the birth."
A doctor comes in the room and I recognize Dr. Sabryne because of her voice, and she examines Anahí, reassuring her saying that she's dilated enough and the baby will be coming soon. I don't know the sex because in all echos the baby had his legs crossed. Anahí pushes when the doctors ask and sweats, tired, moaning with pain. I dry her forehead and kiss her, trying to pretend I'm not a nervous wreck seeing her so weak. Time passes and the pain and dilation increase, but the baby still hasn't come out. I pull away a little bit and look between Anahí's thighs, the baby is crowning and my legs falter a little bit by seeing the blood. I hold on to the gurney and moan my little cabocla's name, seeing everything around me spin and then everything goes dark.
I wake up lying on a gurney and look beside me, there's a hospital bed and Renato and Úrsula looking at me scared.
"Damn it, man. That was embarrassing."
I sit, still dizzy and a nurse opens the door to ask me if I'm feeling better.
"Yes, thank you. I'm good. My wife and baby?"
"Your wife and baby will be coming back to the room in a little bit."
Úrsula brings me a bitter coffee and we all wait forever until Anahí is rolled in in a gurney and a nurse brings my baby in her arms. They settle Anahí and give her our baby... My eyes go from Anahí and the tiny package on her lap and when I near her, I see that beautiful face and the full hair with a pink bow.
"It's a girl, little cabocla. Our baby is a little girl!"
"Now you have two women to look after, Klaus." Anahí says quietly, smelling our daughter.
She cries and the nurse says she's probably hungry. Anahí uncovers her breast to feed her and I stay next to her, entranced by the beautiful image of my wife and daughter, together, connected, like one is the extension of the other. Piece of my flesh, my little girl is beautiful. Dark hair like my little cabocla's, tiny, pink mouth, full cheeks and brown skin. I've never seen something so beautiful in my entire life. After she's fed, Anahí asks me if I want to hold her and even scared, because I'm so clumsy, I hold my daughter on my lap, snuggling her in my arms. She opens her eyes and I stop trying and cry, like an idiot, enchanted by my little girl's intense blue eyes. Anahí watches us smiling, and says touched, "Viking, what do you think of Apoena?"
I repeat it quietly, sounding it out.
"Apoena. Apoena Saraíba Schneider. I like it little cabocla. She
'll be Apoena, my little girl."
"Apoena, in Tupi-Guarani, means "one that sees far"."
Apoena opens her eyes again and faces me without blinking, her clear, blue eyes looking at me, she sees far. I'm sure she can see how happy my heart is, fulfilled, and complete for having her in my life.
CHAPTER 29
KLAUS
SIX MONTHS LATER
Úrsula lowers her sunglasses to look at a gorgeous mulatta that walks by us with a thong bikini, she turns her face and mumbles a mantra that makes me and Renato laugh.
"Don't look, don't look, Úrsula Schneider, don't look!"
"You should be ashamed of yourself, little Ursa, before Luiza takes your eyes out with a rusted spoon," Renato teases Úrsula while enjoying cold coconut water.
"Besides, aren’t you too old for this? Everyone know you're almost menopausal," I finish, giving the final blow on Úrsula's reputation as a flirt, and she curses me, throwing sand at me, making me laugh and run for a dip to escape her heavy arm.
Renato laughs and when I leave the water; Úrsula is waiting for me sitting in the sand, I sit next to her silently, gazing at the sunshine reflecting in the calm sea, like a shiny carpet. Úrsula finds my hand and asks me with a lump in her throat, "Do you remember the day we met here and you weren't walking yet?"
"Yeah. You never told me what Renato said to convince you to talk to me again," I say watching her dry the corner of her eyes. Úrsula always pretends to be strong, but she's a fucking crybaby, leaking like a faulty faucet.
"He called me and said he knew why we weren't talking but that, as your friend and nurse, that he knew how much it hurt you to be apart from your family when you needed them the most. He asked what was more important, my hurt feeling or my love for you. I didn't answer, I silently heard everything and asked where to find you. You know the rest.”
Fatefully Yours Page 21