Page 85 of Minha Dona

“What did you imagine?”

“Someone harder. More corporate. I’d heard that she was this force of nature, the youngest partner in your firm’s history. I suppose I pictured someone impressive but cold.” Juliana shook her head. “She’s the opposite. She’s friendly, she listens, when she asked me about my research she understood what I was talking about straight away and asked me the one question I’d ask me. Nobody ever does that.”

“Careful… she’s taken.”

Juliana grinned. “She’s interested in people. You can tell.” Juliana paused, swirling her drink. “She asked me about us.”

Helena’s stomach tightened. “About us?” she said carefully.

“Yeah. About the arrangement we had. She was direct about it without being confrontational… she said she knew we’d been sleeping together and that she wasn’t bothered, she just wanted to understand our dynamic.” Juliana smiled. “I told her the truth. That you taught me, that we switch, that it’s casual and honest and that I care about you but I’m not in love with you. She seemed to appreciate the honesty.”

“What did she say?”

“She said she was glad that you’d had someone who could give you what you need on both sides. She said she understood that she can’t give you everything, not yet, and she was grateful that someone had been able to.” Juliana looked at Helena. “She’s not threatened by me, Helena. She’s relieved. That’s a woman who knows herself. She wants to learn, too, to be the woman you need.” Juliana shook her head and smiled wryly. “Don’t you dare lose her. She’s perfect for you.”

Helena was, as much as anything, relieved. Yes, they seemed to be getting on earlier, but for them to have had that conversation without me involved is perfect.

“Thank you for being honest with her,” Helena said.

“I’m always honest. It’s my only setting.” Juliana pointed towards where Caitlin was just paying at the bar. “Now go and dance with your girlfriend. She keeps looking at the dancers like she wants to join in but doesn’t know how to be Brazilian.”

“She’s American.”

“Exactly. They think they’re outgoing, but not so much.”

Helena laughed and stood as Caitlin walked back over. She was indeed watching the dancers with barely concealed longing. “Dance with me?”

“I don’t know how to dance to this,” Caitlin replied over the music.

“Nobody knows how to dance to this music. You just hold each other and move.” Helena took her hand and pulled her over to the dance floor. “Come on.”

They danced, or at least what passed for dancing, which was mostly swaying together with Caitlin’s arms around Helena’s neck and Helena’s hands on Caitlin’s waist regardless of the song.

“I like your sister and her friends,” Caitlin said over the music into Helena’s ear.

“They like you. Even Mariana.”

“Mariana told me that I’m a thousand times better than your last boyfriend.”

Helena laughed. “They never got on.” She shrugged. “He had his qualities, you know, but…”

“But what?”

“But he wasn’t you.” She thought for a moment. “I’m going to kill my sister for bringing him up.”

“No you’re not. Mariana’s wonderful. Terrifying, yes, but wonderful.”

They danced for song after song, joined after a while by the others. Eventually, sometime around one, Thiago and Camila had drifted off back to the house already while Mariana and Juliana were planning to go on to a party at another house with some friends of friends they’d bumped into.

“Come, both of you, it’ll be fun,” Mariana said. She reached out and took Caitlin’s hand, trying to drag her away. “Even if you’re not coming,” she said to Helena, “we’re taking Caitlin with us.”

“Don’t you dare,” Helena replied. Caitlin was watching the two sisters with a grin. “She’s mine.”

“The night’s still young,” Juliana added.

“Very kind of both of you, but Helena and I are heading back.”

Helena and Caitlin walked home along the beach, shoes in hand. The sand was cool under their feet and the moon was bright on the water. They walked in silence to start with. Both women were drunk…. not falling over drunk, but very far from sober. Enough that any inhibitions were cast to one side, certainly.