Shots. His hearing already identified well when it was violence in the street or when it was fireworks. In other times they even tried to make up the noise of gunfire with fireworks, in some cases they held crimes for game time. These days, this modesty didn't seem to exist much anymore. The issue was so trivialized now that if the shot didn't really seem close enough for the next one to go through the window or wall, it didn't even matter anymore.
She was doing the dishes while she was spying on whether her brothers were actually doing their homework. His mother should be getting home from work and he was late with all his homework because he was reading a book he got from Mr. Jonas, when he passed by his Newsstand. Banca do Pracista, which was Mr. Jonas's Bank, looked more like a used bookstore than a newsstand, with so many old books accumulated to sell. The humble owner of the Bank, certainly older than most of his books, was very fond of Jobson. He thought he was an educated, studious boy who deserved a great deal of life outside that community. The book was one of those that was once a mandatory work for the famous entrance exams, a classic of Brazilian literature. It wasn't the reading Jobson liked best, but this one had piqued his curiosity. If only Kelly, his sister, would help him in any way, even just this one time. Fernanda, their mother, was very fond of the way Jobson cooked, she preferred her eldest son's food. Well, after all, he was the only one of the children who dedicated himself to the tasks. Kelly had a thought that she learned about vested rights. If she ever helped her brother, it would never be just that one time. The brother would have acquired an acquired right to always ask for that task, so he didn't risk giving the chance to have his free time on his lost cell phone.
Clebinho and Clayton, the younger ones, despite not being as naughty as most children of their age, required a lot of care for a young man in his early teens to take care of alone, divided up with homework and his own schoolwork. Personal life didn't seem very viable to him.
Fernanda left home early and returned at night. She had two part-time jobs, as a secretary and as a store clerk. She had the dream of becoming a psychologist and always said that at one time or another she would drop everything to take the course.
Jobson was aware of the situation and felt sorry for his mother. So young, maybe younger than himself. How many times has he found himself giving advice, encouraging, helping to draw strategies to be able to handle things at home, the bills. He knew she couldn't make it through her course.
But, after all, he was also a young man who needed his space, his dreams. When he thought like that he felt selfish. None of the four were lucky to have their father around. Another reason Jobson felt sorry for his mother. She in the three attempts at relationship, really believed that this time was different. None of them were the result of a momentary bid. The last one with whom she had her two youngest children, with a difference of 10 months between them, was the relationship that Fernanda, Jobson and Kelly had the most hope for, until they thought that this time they would have a father. But poor Marilson, owner of a gas dealership, good people, very dear to the community, hardworking, friendly, passionate, he was shot dead, from those common shots. Police say it was a stray bullet, there were no witnesses. Some say it was the militiamen who tried to get some extra money from the man who couldn't pay more. Fernanda knew she shouldn't run after it. She was unhappy, but had 4 children, bereft. The militia leaders themselves supported her, which made her less suspicious of them or more resigned. Marilson's brother took over the business and also helped the family. Jobson's father was a drug dealer, dated Fernanda and got her pregnant when she was 15 years old. She still didn't know much about life, maybe he did too. Convicted liar, the rogue himself, disappeared into the world after the pregnancy, he was also in the crosshairs of other criminals. Kelly's father, despite being a worker, with the promises of marriage, also went away after the news of the pregnancy. About this one, Fernanda has news, she knows he is in Juiz de Fora and has already filed a lawsuit for the lawyer who provides free service in the community to go after him. But as much as there are good souls who want to help the poorest, even so, without recourse, justice, which is already slow, is almost stopped. Apparently, after he was subpoenaed, he changed domicile, which changed jurisdiction, which transferred the case, due to a miscarriage of justice. So, his lawyer
pension not paid, but a lawyer is hired
, took advantage of a loophole and got an appeal, which later ended up in a DNA request, which got in a queue and is still waiting for some answer.
Fernanda believes that she shouldn't expect too much from this side, as the boy has deteriorated in his life situation, he probably won't pay much, if he is forced to pay, he could even end up being arrested, which in her opinion could traumatize Kelly more, who already is a very rebellious girl.
Jobson thought about this whole complicated family structure as he tried to remember the part of him he would have to present at a history seminar and kept mentally repeating about the Portuguese government in Brazil among his thoughts. At the same time, he chopped onions, braised, counted the cups of rice, water, measured the salt, while the beans were already under pressure in the pan.
In the end, it seems that there would be time to have everything done for the mother's arrival, the boys had already gone to the shower, finished the tasks. In fact, he didn't look at the time, was his mother late? That quick thought worried him already.
He sat on the couch and pulled out his cell phone to check the time.
