Sapphire Moonlight

Chapter 38

To Leigh

Chapter 38

It was half past seven Porto Passagiam Summer Time on Friday evening and still daylight, just before dusk. Joao Caio was approaching Providencia do Rio Turvo by the secondary road, having branched off from the SJ 190 a little earlier. A roadside service station on his right was left behind and he started paying attention to the road signs in order not to miss the entrance to the town. 

A quarter of an hour later he stopped at the hotel to leave his luggage and to take a shower. Then he drove down to Juliana's house. She was standing in the porch waiting for him.  

She introduced Joao Caio to her parents. They both liked him. They thought Joao Caio was reliable. They talked to him warmly. He also liked them. Then after a while Joao Caio and Juliana left. They were having dinner together.  

Juliana suggested they went to Claude's, in the outskirts of Providencia do Rio Turvo. She wanted to show him the place. 

Joao Caio had turned on the radio, tuned to the Providencia do Rio Turvo FM Station. A song started to play, Everybody's somebody's fool, sung by Connie Francis. The lyrics were slick. The lyrics said the tears she had cried for him could fill an ocean. That everybody was somebody's fool, somebody's plaything, with no exceptions to the rule. The melody and the lyrics flew on, continuously, nicely sailing on.  

'I like it,' Juliana said. 'I heard it two or three times, it seems they've been playing it. I'd never heard it before.' 

'It's an old song from the sixties. Really nice.' 

Joao Caio drove on, following her instructions. He glanced at the town around. Pavements, the people walking on them, houses, shops, the traffic, they kept passing as he drove by. 

'Imagine the girl I saw in Desembargador Alcindo Street on my very first day is right beside me now. Let's hope I do not wake to realize it was a dream, only a dream.' 

'No, it's not a dream.' 

'At the start you appeared unattainable, you know.' 

'We're all unattainable at the start. But I'm real. Not a dream.' 

'Did you feel the same about me?' 

'Of course I did.' 

'The town has become connected with you. So when I'm away... But it's nice to have someone to miss.' 

She came nearer and put her left arm around his shoulders. 

'It's nice there exists someone I count the time down till he arrives,' she said. 

Claude's was an elegant place, situated out of town. There were the tables indoors and there were the tables outdoors, almost amid the trees. The murmur of people talking without any hurry travelled in the air in sound waves that were homely, the clinking of cuttlery and crockery, the smell of burning wood, as if you could take all the time that you wanted, the sound of soft music, of people arriving. It was a quiet early evening. One of those that remain in the memory forever, which you may recall, like a film you can play again any time. They decided to sit outdoors.  

They ordered gnocchi made of potatoes and filet steak. 

Potato bread, cheese bread and French bread were served as a starter, plus butter, tuna pâté, and cream of aubergine. The bread was served hot. Then came the main course they had ordered. It was really good.  

'Do you like the place?' she asked him. 

'I like it very much.' 

'I was sure you would, though one never knows. I'm very glad you like it.'