City of God (33 page)

Guimarães was a changed man. He'd become quiet both at home and at work, staring off into space. Sometimes the routine of managing a bank forced him to stop thinking about Ana Flamengo, but most of the time he thought about the moments they'd spent together.

On Fridays, he imagined the people he passed on his way
home from work were heading for romantic encounters. Maybe he could just have Ana Flamengo on Fridays? Perhaps he'd feel less guilty about cheating on his wife and his homosexuality: ‘No, I don't want anything else to do with transvestites! Fucking her just once a week is the same thing – it's still a relationship. I'm never going to see that worthless dog again. If Fabiana finds out she'll divorce me on the spot. Oh God! Take away this desire! I don't want the kids to imagine me kissing a transvestite on the lips … I should've had the courage before I had kids … Why do I want it? Why does this shit have to happen to me? But what's wrong with being attracted to men? If only I could tell Fabiana … If only she understood me … I'm going to fuck her every day … I'd better fill the tank … Ana Flameeeengo … What a hot arse! Why are men's arseholes better than women's? If mother knew how many times I took turns with Gilberto when we were young, she'd freak out. I've got to own up to liking faggots … No, no, no! This fucking traffic jam! I owe her an explanation … If I go there, I'll end up fucking her again. I haven't slept with Fabiana for almost a month … If she could just take a lover … I'm going to invite her out for dinner tonight … This business of taking work home sucks …'

Guimarães found his wife scowling and monosyllabic, as always. Even though she'd been invited out for dinner, she didn't change her demeanour and only accepted the invitation because of the children. She told him she needed to have a serious talk with him. Guimarães agreed, on the condition that they didn't fight. While they dined, Guimarães did his best to put his wife at ease, and tried to act naturally. He was ashamed to think about Ana Flamengo when he was with her and his kids. He'd find a way to be more loving and initiate sex more often. This was undoubtedly what she wanted to talk about.

* * *

‘Adriana, I love you, I've always loved you. There isn't a single second of my life that I don't think about you. You're the rose in my garden, the sun that lights my days, the light at the end of the tunnel. That's why I'm dedicating the next song to you with all the love a man can give a woman. A kiss from Marisol,' said the announcer at the travelling fair that had set up in a vacant lot near Main Square. His voice was romantic and a slow song was playing in the background.

Disconcerted, Adriana laughed in front of her friends, who clapped their hands and teased her on that rainy Sunday evening. Marisol watched Adriana's reaction from his hiding place. Her eyes searched for him in the far corners of the travelling fair.

Shortly after Adriana had broken up with Thiago, they'd started exchanging looks and affectionate gestures. In any conversation, they always pretended to agree with each other to show that they thought alike. Both on the beach and at the dance, Marisol always found a way to be near her and walk her home, and she, in turn, gave him every opportunity to do so. She knew Marisol was interested in her because his doting behaviour spoke louder than words, but she had never imagined he would make his feelings public because he knew Thiago was still trying to get back together with her. Adriana told her friends that she thought the way he made his declaration was terrible.

As if that were not enough, Marisol sent a boy over to give her a toffee apple. He let her eat a little before walking slowly towards her with tearful eyes and arms ready for a hug and a kiss. Patrícia Katanazaka and Dóris found an excuse to leave the two alone. Marisol suggested that they head for The Plots. Adriana told him she thought using the loudspeaker to declare his love had been unnecessary. All he needed to do was say something
and everything would have worked out fine; it would have been much better to keep it secret so Thiago wouldn't suffer.

‘You saw with your own eyes how he tried to kiss me on Wednesday,' she said as they strolled through the streets of The Plots.

Marisol told her he hadn't said anything earlier not out of friendship, but because he was a man, and men had to respect other guys' girls. Now it was Thiago who should respect him and, when he found out they were together, he'd have to stop this business of trying to kiss her. He said he was shy and that was the only reason he'd used the fair announcer. He hadn't even thought about Thiago – all he'd wanted to do was tell her how he felt about her. Still, if Thiago found out soon it would be easier for him to understand that she now belonged to another guy.

After a while they stopped in a dark place to kiss and caress one another. Marisol tried everything to get her to have sex with him but, although she was turned on, she said no.

Thiago strolled down Main Street with his hands in his pockets and his head down, dreaming up things to say to impress Adriana at the dance. He felt like the biggest dickhead for not being able to control his jealousy, which had made him attack two more of Adriana's friends at the rock ‘n' roll festival. He couldn't even claim to have done it because he was out of it, because he'd stayed clean so he could keep an eye out. ‘No way am I gettin' off my face and lettin' some guy make a move on my girl while I'm not watchin'!' he'd thought before they left.

He was the only one who'd stayed clean during the festival, acting like a guard dog, watching every guy who admired her out of the corner of his eye, putting his arms around her almost constantly to show she was his. Whenever she moved away from
the tent, he grew surly, his rudeness knew no bounds and he threatened to beat people up. He lost it completely when Adriana ran into two friends from the beach almost at the end of the festival and started chatting to them. Without a word, Thiago attacked them viciously, which started a huge fight, since the two were with other friends who ran to their aid. The Boys from the
favela
ended up knocking three of them out and breaking the arms of another two in a fight that was, in Adriana's opinion, completely meaningless. She didn't even bother telling him that she didn't want to be with him any more. She believed her silence would be enough to make Thiago leave her in peace. They each made their own way home from the festival. At first it seemed he'd accepted the separation without any problems, but after a while he started approaching her whenever he got the chance. Even when they were among friends, Adriana would ignore him.

Thiago found Patrícia Katanazaka and Dóris at the bus stop, asked after some friends, commented on the rain, made some small talk and then fell silent. Since he'd lost Adriana he'd said little, almost never saw his friends and could only think about making himself look better and dress better. He thought he was already good-looking, and if he had a lowered Beetle, with wide tyres, metallic paintwork, tinted windows and a roof rack, there wouldn't be a single girl who could resist him; Adriana herself would run back into his arms when he drove past in sunglasses with his arm out the window.

He arrived at the dance somewhat guarded, shook hands with his thirty-two friends in the middle of the hall and put his hands in his pockets. His heart beat faster when he noticed that neither Adriana nor Marisol were there. That fucking bastard had been acting all chummy so he could pounce on her as soon as he got the chance. He wanted to ask where Marisol was, but decided to
stay quiet because he had the impression that everyone knew he was with Adriana and they'd take the piss out of him for sure. He danced with everyone, then slowly sidled off and discreetly left the club. He wasn't sticking around to see Marisol strut in with his arm around his Adriana. He dashed to catch the 690, which went past full. He'd go straight home to bed, as this was the only thing he could do to get his mind off Adriana.

Adriana convinced her new boyfriend to come out of the rain after a great deal of effort, as he was dead set on having sex with her. They went back to the fair. When he saw the rain had eased up, Marisol invited her to take a ride on the big wheel with the intention of keeping her by his side longer, and this was the exact moment that Thiago got off the bus a hundred metres away.

The square was deserted and there were only a few people at the fair. Thiago was still set on going home, but when he saw the fair he changed his mind; he could have something to drink and play roulette to loosen up. He headed towards the fair again with his hands in his pockets and his head down.

The raindrops became visible as they fell near the weak lights of the fair, a love song embraced the night, the wind-borne cold stung his face. He observed the people around him, who seemed to be wearing rags compared to his cool gear. He was good-looking, perhaps even more so than Marisol; Adriana wouldn't think of trading him in for Marisol. He crossed the square sneaking glances at the Del Rei Bakery and the pharmacy, where Marisol often hung out.

He entered the fair and went to the ticket counter, where he bought a shot of Fogo Paulista and two roulette chips. On the big wheel, Marisol's mouth was glued to Adriana's. Thiago saw them when he was halfway to the games stand. Everything spun so fast that the colours of the rainy night ran together, everything spun in his eyes, his whole body was tense, his hands shook, the sky
came and went with the speed of the lightning that now lit it up, scribbling across the landscape. The long smooch, Marisol's hands stroking his princess's back, the Fogo Paulista burning his stomach, the music playing, his hatred growing, hot flushes pulsing through his body, the big wheel stopping and Thiago running, unnoticed by the couple.

He went behind the petrol station, along the right branch of the river, and slowed to a walk when he realised they couldn't see him. He couldn't think; all he had in his mind was the image of that passionate kiss on the big wheel and Marisol's hands stroking Adriana's back. He rambled through the entire
favela
heedless of the rain, feeling that life would always be a big mess.

Marisol woke after midday and, without eating, went up to the roof to smoke a joint. He had the habit of looking at the sky and thanking God for the good things that happened in his life. He couldn't wait to give it to Adriana and watch her come in his arms. He thought about her while he examined the double-barrelled derringer he'd stolen from his father, who was a policeman. He had to give it a good clean so he could take it to the next dance at Cascadura Tennis Club. In the last fight the guys from Cascadura had come in greater numbers and kicked out the Boys from the
favela
, who'd really taken a pounding. This had never happened before. He'd fire a few shots to give their enemies a fright. He oiled it, cleaned it with kerosene and washed his hands, then he got a bit of dope, wrapped it in a piece of paper together with a few bullets for the derringer, stuck the gun in his waistband, and came down from the roof. In the bathroom, he splashed his hands with rose-scented lotion and put in some eye drops, then headed for Katanazaka's house to show the Boys the gun.

Mrs Katanazaka opened the gate and said she was the only one
home. They made some small talk, then Marisol drank a glass of water and said goodbye.

As he was leaving his friend's place, he ran into Thiago who was holding a stick:

‘What's up, man? If you're lookin' for me, here I am!' said Thiago with bulging eyes and a medieval seriousness, ready to fight to the death.

‘What's up, Green Eyes? Don't go yet! Let's have another smoke!' said Acerola in Blonde Square one sunny morning.

‘Hey man, today's Friday, I'm skint, and I can't hang around smokin' all day, 'cos I gotta work. I ain't a lazy arse like you, man!' answered Green Eyes jokingly, then headed over to The Other Side of the River, carrying tools to put an iron gate in at Whiskers' place.

He was on a happy high from good weed. From time to time he switched the hand carrying the tools. He lit a cigarette before crossing the bridge, then swapped it with his partner for the gate he had on his back and carried it to Whiskers' house.

Green Eyes and his partner had been in the business for a month, long enough to discover the tricks and secrets of the trade. The main trick they discovered was using as little cement as possible in the installation and the secret was ripping the gate out at night, painting it a different colour and reselling it to someone else.

‘Hey, Green Eyes. I'm not sure I wanna pull the scam on Whiskers, man.'

‘C'mon! Whiskers might be a no-good, but he won't come after us. That's not how he works … How's he gonna find out? All we gotta do is show up at night and rip it out on the sly … No one's suspected anythin' yet!'

‘Well, it's up to you, OK?'

Whiskers was still asleep when Green Eyes clapped his hands in front of his house. He woke with a start. He thought Tiny had come looking for him again. He'd borrowed a gun from Tiny to do a hold-up, because his was damaged, but before he could overpower, rob and kill the owner of a pharmacy in Madureira, he was chased and caught by two military policemen, who took the stolen money and Tiny's gun.

Tiny was hard on Whiskers when he told him what had happened.

‘I want the same gun back, or five million cruzeiros, or a pound of gold in a week! If you don't get it to me, you're gonna bite the dust, got it? Got it?'

It was impossible for Whiskers to give Tiny what he wanted, even if he got lucky in all his jobs all week long. He looked out of the window and was relieved to see Green Eyes and his partner. Even so, he went outside with his damaged gun cocked.

When he'd made sure Tiny wasn't around, he put away his gun, took twenty cruzeiros from his pocket and gave them to Green Eyes to finish paying for the gate and its installation. He was happy to please his wife, who'd been asking for a new gate for a long time. The children wouldn't be able to run off any more.