One Trip

Virgínia

Despite what happened at Murilo's family home, our relationship managed to hold firm, and he didn't pressure me to go to the imposing residence again the weekend that followed.

However, he fulfilled his family commitment and I didn't criticize him for it, even if I felt a bit betrayed because it was as if he wasn't really on my side but on the side of that snobby grandmother of his.

Anyway, we managed to keep a routine and every time Murilo tried to bring up the subject, I diverted the conversation, and so we were together and living in his apartment.

I was also managing to keep in touch with my mother now and almost every day we talked on the phone, but my father was another story. He was still upset and unwilling to accept my pregnancy, even though everyone said it was something completely out of the blue, my father would not take advice and wanted absolute distance from me, according to what my mother told me.

But life had to go on, and I knew that at some point, my father accepted his grandson... At least that was my biggest hope.

I continued to go to the store and Murilo followed his work routine, but he always tried to leave the office as early as possible, and we had dinner together every night, as well as breakfast in his apartment.

The nausea was a thing of the past and all I did now was eat and eat Murilo had a lot of fun with my strange and sudden desires, but he always attended to them promptly.

More than ten days after that fateful Sunday lunch, Murilo and I were having dinner when he seemed to clear his throat as if he was about to say something important and wanted to draw my attention to him.

" What? " I asked, smiling.

" I have something to ask you, " He said, sounding afraid.

I sighed, already feeling irritation taking over because if this something was about going to his grandmother's mansion again, there was no way I was going to accept it, and we were going to fall out.

" I'm not going, " I said at once.

" You don't even know what I have to say! " he said, sounding as impatient as I had ever seen him.

"If this is about going to your grandmother's for lunch…”

" It's not about that, Virginia " He denied it, throwing his napkin on the table "In fact, I'm not even going to waste my time asking you for anything.”

He said this and got up, leaving the table and leaving me completely stunned, not understanding what had happened there, but I ended up getting up and walking behind him, following him to his room.

" What's your problem, Murilo? " I asked, quite annoyed already "You can't talk to me like that because I have nothing to do with your stress, you hear me?”

Murilo looked at me intently, but said nothing, just sitting on the bed and then letting his body fall onto the mattress, but keeping his legs out.

" Aren't you going to say anything? " I insisted.

" I'd better not argue with you " That was all he said, looking up at the ceiling.

" It's just as well, because like I said, I'm not to blame for your problems " I threw it in his face.

He continued in silence, and it was making me even angrier, and I concluded that I needed to calm down because all this nervousness would do my baby no good.

After a few minutes in which neither of us said anything, I walked over to the bed and sat down next to him, emotions more in control, and caressed his chest, feeling like an evil meanie.

" What happened? " I asked in a light tone of voice "Tell me.”

" Do you want me to tell you chronologically or alphabetically? " He still managed to joke, but it was noticeable that Murilo was tense and agitated.

" In chronological order, so I can better understand what's going on " I joined in the fun, lying down next to him and touching his face affectionately.

" Number one: Bruna is tormenting my life at work, finding every possible and imaginable reason to come to my office and disturb my peace " He started to enumerate "Two: Grandma came to the company and insists on the fact that I should bring you to her house again; and number three: the company get-together is on Saturday and I feel obliged to be there, with my employees, as I do every year.”

I listened attentively and analyzed his words, feeling a lot of anger toward his exfiancée and even his grandmother. But about the get-together, I didn't understand because I didn't see any problem with it.

" About your grandmother, we won't talk because I won't change my mind about going to the lion's den again," I said determinedly "About Bruna, I don't know how to help you. So let's get to point three. What's wrong with getting together?”

Murilo then told me that it would be an event held over two days, at his summer house in Guarujá, and that all the employees who stood out in their departments were invited to be there. He wanted me to accompany him on the trip, as his girlfriend, and although I felt a little anxious about being part of something so grandiose, I still didn't understand what the real problem was in doing this.

" I still don't understand what the problem is, " I said, smiling now, trying to clear the air "What you wanted to ask me was to accompany you on this trip, is that it?”

" Yes, " He confirmed.

" I wouldn't feel very comfortable participating in something like this, but I can accompany you, Murilo " I agree, all the same, "We already have so many obstacles in our relationship, and I'm not going to put another one to that.”

When I finished saying those words, Murilo held my face and stared at me intently, and I imagined that he was about to reveal the real problem on that trip.

"It turns out that Bruna and my biggest business rival, Ethan Constantino, will also be there.”