On a Sunday night

3. Sofia and Roberto

On that November's hot Sunday night, Roberto went up holding the last of what seemed like a thousand boxes on his hands. He just moved from Petrópolis to Rio de Janeiro to start at a new post on his job as a multinational industry sales manager. That was the opportunity he was waiting for. Roberto studied business management and worked too hard to get at that point, which was one of the highest positions he could get so young.

He was thirty-one and used to live with his parents in Petrópolis after he divorced Helena. That crazy woman cheated on him and still managed to take away the house he fought hard to buy. Helena was pregnant at that time and swore the kid was his, but he was sure that was a lie. She refused to make the DNA test praying she was afraid of hurting the baby, so the judge decided she would keep the damn house and Roberto left the wedding with two cars and a pair of horns.

He would never know the truth about the kid's parenthood, because Helena lost the baby one month after they divorced. The pregnancy although was real and he felt really sorry for her loss. Roberto decided to move on and dedicate himself to his career and, one year later, he finally got where he aimed.

He wouldn't turn into a celibate, of course, but didn't want to stick with anyone. On the opposite, Roberto was appreciating pretty much his time as a single man. He was doing it better now than when he was younger.

While the lift's door closed, Roberto saw a woman running toward him.

— Hold the door, please! – she asked.

But Roberto couldn't do anything for her with both his hands holding that heavy box.

— I'm sorry I can't. – he said as the door shut close.

He entered his apartment, on the seventh floor feeling that he was forgetting something, but didn't remember what. So he headed to his bathroom to take a shower and get some rest before start to organize his place. Roberto welcomed the cold water over his skin, refreshing his body and taking away the sweat. He reached for the soap and remembered what he was forgetting. Roberto was so worried about the lots of boxes he had to carry up and left his bags in the car.

— Damn it!

He got out of the bathroom, put on quickly the same clothes he wore before and went down to the parking lot to get the bags. On the way back up, he saw the same woman that asked him to hold the lift's door. This time she was standing on the side of his apartment door and she was crying.

— Hey, may I help you? – he asked.

Roberto didn't get a proper answer, though. Instead of words he was suddenly kissed by the woman, while the door across the hall opened up.

— Sofia? – another man cried.

Sofia stopped kissing him and smiled fondly at the man. Roberto saw a woman hide behind the man, as if she didn't want to be seen. To him, it was pretty clear that the other man was Sofia's boyfriend or something like that and he was cheating on her.

— What does this shit mean? - the man asked moving forward – You're cheating on me!

It seems like you were just doing the same, dude. Roberto thought.

— Oh, darling. I thought I could kiss anyone as long as you're fucking with that bitch right behind you. – Sofia answered so calm that Roberto was afraid she would do anything bad with that guy.

What would be totally deserved. Sofia was a pretty woman. She had black skin, curled dark hair, green eyes and a body full of curves. He could spend a good couple of hours on the horizontal with her. Gladly.

Wow! Roberto thought. He was been used there. Not that he didn't appreciate the kiss, but he didn't want to get into any couple trouble.

— What...? - the man started to say.