Ben entered the house, taking in its interior. He wore a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, and his green eyes also smiled, as if this were all a grand joke to him. He turned to the doctor and said:
— I see the moving truck hasn't arrived yet. You're going to love this house. It's warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Augusto said nothing, just looked at the man.
— Listen, my wife doesn't need to know about you. She and my son have already had too many bad experiences in this place.
For a split second, Augusto could see sadness in Ben's eyes. The man stepped closer and said in a nearly inaudible voice:
— Sorry about how the town welcomed you, doctor. I've taken care of that. People will treat you much better from now on. As for your wife and son, they don't need to know anything about me. I'll introduce myself as your neighbor — which I am.
The doctor nodded and headed toward the kitchen, signaling with a slight tilt of his head for Ben to follow.
Elisa was finishing dinner.
— Honey, this is Benjamin Mendonça, our neighbor. He came to welcome us, and I invited him to have dinner with us. — Augusto tried to sound as natural as possible.
— Oh, really? — Elisa looked at her husband, then scanned Ben from head to toe. — Well then, good evening, Mr. Mendonça!
Ben approached Elisa, offering his hand. She smiled nervously and shook it, then turned back to the stove to stir the pot of soup.
— But where exactly do you live, sir? I don't recall seeing any house from where the gravel road begins — Elisa asked.
Ben looked at Augusto, who signaled for him to go ahead:
— I live in the forest, Mrs. Vianna. I live with my mother and my son. My wife passed away a few years ago.
Elisa turned to him and said:
— I'm sorry to hear that.
He thanked her for the sentiment, and she turned back to the stove. She kept speaking with her back to them, focused on the pots.
— Help me set the table. Dinner's almost ready, and we can finally eat. All that running around in town and preparing food left me starving. And you both need to get to bed early, Augusto, don't forget.
But there was no table in the room. What Elisa meant was to prepare the floor so they could eat there.
— I hope you don't mind eating on the floor — said Augusto.
Ben looked at him again with that same smile and replied that he didn't mind at all — in fact, he liked the idea.
In just a few minutes, their makeshift floor-table was ready. Rob came downstairs next, with Bóris acting as his bodyguard. The dog circled Ben, sniffed him thoroughly for several seconds, and wagged his tail.
— What a fine animal we have here — Ben said, looking at Rob. His eyes held a certain tenderness. — What's his name?
Rob, who didn't know the man, answered with the innocence only children have, even around strangers:
— His name is Bóris. Mom and Dad say he's been with me since I was really little.
Ben smiled at him and introduced himself. When Rob found out the man lived in the woods, he asked if he could visit his house someday.
— I want to build a cabin near the forest. Would you help me, sir?
Augusto and Ben laughed at the same time, as if they were old friends.
— Of course, if your dad allows it — Ben replied.
Augusto looked at his son, unsure whether to say no. He felt slightly more at ease — as if Ben's presence gradually soothed the unease. Something told him the old man wasn't bad. What still raised questions was why the man had practically forced him to move to Rio Denso.
— We'll talk about that tomorrow, champ. Right now, it's dinner time, and then you need to brush your teeth and get to bed.
It looked like the boy was about to protest about going to bed early, but before he could say anything, Elisa came from the kitchen carrying a steaming pot that smelled irresistible.
— Come on, boys — she said —, gather around our floor-table. Dinner is ready. This was all I could manage for our first night.
The three sat down on the floor, and Elisa placed the pot on top of a cloth so it wouldn't damage the rustic wooden floor. The four of them sat there for at least an hour, chatting while they ate. Ben didn't talk much about his life in Rio Denso and mostly listened to Elisa, Rob, and Augusto tell stories about the big city. His eyes lit up at times, as if genuinely fascinated by their tales.
After everyone finished dinner, Ben offered to wash the dishes. Elisa resisted for a while but eventually gave in — he wouldn't take no for an answer, considering it a gesture of gratitude for the meal.
After washing and drying everything, Ben said goodbye to Elisa, Rob, and Bóris. The three then went upstairs to get ready for bed. Ben waited until they were out of sight before speaking again — in that nearly inaudible voice — to Augusto:
— Your shift starts tomorrow at seven, Mr. Vianna. The hospital staff is aware of your arrival and will help with your orientation.
Augusto nodded without a word. Ben continued:
— As for Rob, school starts at eight. My mother is his teacher. She can take him and bring him home each day, if you'd like.
The doctor opened his mouth to say that wouldn't be necessary, but Ben kept talking:
— I imagine Elisa will have her hands full tomorrow with the moving truck arriving. So, at least for tomorrow, I suggest you let him go with my mother. I assure you he'll be in good hands. Besides, I still don't fully trust that it's safe for him to walk around town alone or even just with you two.
A chill ran down Augusto's spine after Ben's last words. As much as he didn't want to let his son go with Ben's mother, he felt it really was safer. He didn't know why, but he could feel it.
— All right. I'll let Elisa know about your mother. But how will I recognize her if I've never met her?
Ben let out a muffled laugh and replied over his shoulder as he walked away:
— She's the one who picked up the keys to this house back in São Paulo, Augusto. I think you and Elisa already know her.
He made his way into the forest, slowly swallowed by the tall trees and the darkness of night.