When Aninhas was four, her father left the house to live with another woman. It happened right after NewYears; at the doorway he muttered an apology to his daughter and shut the front door behind him. Her mother accepted the situation with a calm that made it seem inevitable. In their family, no woman ever enjoyed a lasting partnership. A few weeks later, that night, the mother swallowed every diazepam and paracetamol pill she had and slept forever.
In the morning, Ana tried desperately to rouse her mother, shouting and shaking for a long time. She then scraped together a makeshift breakfast from whatever was in the fridge and went back to attempt another waking. Exhausted, she eventually fell asleep, clinging to her mothers side.
January days slipped by quickly, and darkness fell as the girl finally opened her eyes. She woke because of the cold, pulled the blanket tighter, and pressed herself even closer to her mothers bodyonly to feel the chill intensify. Thats when Aninhas realized the unbearable cold was emanating from her mother. Burning tears streamed down the girls face.
At the entrance, the door swung open. Ana bolted toward it like a whirlwind; it was Isabel, her mothers younger sister.
Aninhas, youre home. Wheres Mom? Ive been calling her all day; why isnt she answering? Im worried!
Ana clutched Isabels coat and tugged hard. She stared with wide, watery eyes, pointed toward the bedroom, and shouted with all her mightthough no sound escaped; her mouth opened, her face twisted in pain, tears and mucus ran, but no voice came out.
Isabel had never been able to have children, so her husband left after five years together. Because she was childless, she devoted herself to her niece with a genuine, almost motherly love. When the tragedy struck, Isabel handled the paperwork to become the legal guardian, and Ana went to live with her. Isabel surrounded the girl with constant care, yet after three years of therapy and rehabilitation, the nieces voice never returned.
That winter, a chill arrived with the SantoAntónio celebrations, bringing real, crisp snow. Aninhas and her friends spent the whole day sledding in Parque EduardoVII, built an entire family of snowmen, rolled around in the drifts, and made angel imprints.
Time to head home. Your clothes are coated in ice and the gloves have turned into little blocks. Lets go. Well stop at the supermarket for milk and pasta, Isabel urged.
People streamed in and out, doors opened and closed, while an orange cat sat to the right of the supermarket entrance, looking wise with halfclosed eyes, as if it needed nothing; it only shuffled its front paws because of the cold. Ana knelt beside it, gesturing to Isabel to go in alone.
Ill be quick, just stay right here!
The girl petted the cat slowly; it rose, arched its back with pleasure, and began to purr. Ana wrapped the orange felines neck with her arms, pressed her cheek against its fur, and warm tears started to fall down her face. The cat licked her cheeks, sneezed, and licked again.
How disgusting! What are you doing? Its a filthy street cat.
Isabel seized Anas hand and started leading her toward the car. The girl struggled, trying to break free, but Isabel forced her into the back seat and moved to the drivers spot.
The cat followed into the vehicle, looked at Ana, and meowed.
No, it cant beIm letting it go now, Aninhas whispered, trailing tears along the window.
Did you just say that? Say it again, say it again, Isabel asked in a trembling voice.
We cant abandon it. It will die without me! the niece shouted straight at her.
The woman jumped out of the car, grabbed the cat, and sat beside Aninhas in the back seat. The frightened orange cat clawed at her coat, then, seeing the girl, leapt into her lap, lay down, and stayed still.
You want this cat, is that it? If youd said that sooner, I would have found you one ages ago, Isabel smiled, pleased.
