He came back from his job in France and arrived in his hometown of Coimbra late at night. As usual, his first stop was his mothers house. Dona Isabel pulled her son into a tight hug:
How long its been since I saw you, my boy! Ive missed you so much! So, have you managed to save any money?
The usual amount, he answered with a forced smile. On the way home I thought: why rent someone elses flat when I spend most of the year away? Better to buy my own, even on credit.
Youre right, his mother agreed. Youre already twentyseven; its time to think about starting a family. Children will come later. Without a home of your own youll go nowhere.
Two months later João bought a onebedroom flat in a new building and decorated it exactly how he liked. He left the keys with his mother as a precaution and left again for work abroad.
But the moment he crossed the border, Dona Isabel handed the keys over to his sister, Carla. She was a few years older than João, had never held a steady job, lived in debt and was waiting for a prince to rescue her.
She can stay there for a while, save a bit, get back on her feet, the mother thought. Whats the harm?
She was wrong. In four months Carla not only failed to improve her situation, she piled on even more debt. When it was time to move out, she simply changed the lock so that nobody, not even João, could force her out.
When João returned and tried the key, it wouldnt turn. He was stunned.
What the heck? he muttered, and rushed to his mothers house.
She, uneasy, admitted that she had let Carla stay but didnt know about the new lock. João exploded:
Its one thing to let her stay without telling me; its another for her to change the lock! And now she wont leave?
I offered her to come back here, his mother tried to explain. She refused
The next day João called the police. They forced the door open. He didnt press charges against his sister, but the conversation was harsh.
You could have stayed at Moms, Carla said coldly. Anyway, youll be leaving again. I need to live my own life.
Thats not why I bought the flat, João snapped. Get a rented place for your boyfriends, find a job, pay off your debts.
Ill sort my life without you! Get married first, then start giving advice!
Carla left, taking her belongings. Their relationship collapsed. João wasnt surprisedhe had known for a long time that she only wanted family money.
Months later, Dona Isabel owned a plot with a garden. João, on vacation, went to help her and, unexpectedly, ran into Carla in the yard.
Hey, little brother, she said with a sarcastic grin. Did the guilt finally push you to come dig potatoes?
Better question: what are you doing here? Need more money again?
Mom bought me an apartment, she declared without hesitation. All on my own effort.
What? An apartment?
A twobedroom flat in a new building, furnished, on credit. Mom put it in my name.
João went pale. He remembered the hard work on construction sites in France, the savings hed scraped together for a down payment and Carla getting everything on a silver platter?
He said nothing, helped in the garden and left, but his heart tightened.
A week later Carla wrote to him. The balcony door was broken and she asked him to fix it. João agreed, curious to see her palace. The flat was ordinary, no better than his own.
The latch snapped, she evaluated. We need a new part.
Buy it yourself. Ask Mom for money, she retorted, indifferent.
Are you kidding? Mom bought you a house, furnished it, and you cant even sort this?
Youre just jealous. Mom likes me more. You can leave!
João walked away in silence. That same day he blocked her number, refusing any more calls or meetups.
Let them live however they want, he decided. I know my place, and Ill never leave my keys with anyone again.
Sometimes family teaches us that love isnt measured by what we receive but by the honesty with which we live, and that at times we must step away to keep our own peace.
