Augusto watched the man walk away until he disappeared from sight. His heart was pounding, sweat dripping down his forehead. He'd just been threatened by a guy who knew way too much about his family. He couldn't stop wondering why him, out of all the pediatricians in Brazil—or hell, even the world.
He waited, full of that kind of bad anticipation, just to make sure the guy wouldn't come back. Then he finally shut the door and went back inside.
Elisa was out at the market, picking up stuff for dinner. Since there was still about an hour before she had to pick up Rob from school, he figured he'd talk to her as soon as she got back. He grabbed a glass of juice and collapsed on the couch. His eyes locked on the coffee table, but really, he was staring through it—like a movie reel playing everything that had happened so far. Starting with that weird firing, then the emails, then the creepy guy at his door.
Then came the punch to the gut—that icy grip of fear in his stomach.
What if...?
What if losing his job wasn't even about that junior doctor's screw-up? If that guy had the power to keep him from getting hired anywhere else, maybe he'd been behind the firing too. Augusto thought about telling Sam everything—but gave up. What could Sam even do? These people were way above their heads.
About twenty minutes later, Elisa walked in. She flashed him a big smile, but Augusto's attempt to smile back came out more like a grimace. That was all it took for her to drop the groceries right there on the floor.
— Did something happen? Is it those offers again?
— You better sit down, babe.
She joined him on the couch, tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and sat up straight—ready for bad news.
— Yeah... it's them. A really strange guy came here today. He said if I didn't take the offer, I'd never get a job again. He also... threatened you and Rob.
He hadn't realized how serious it all was until he said it out loud. A knot formed in his throat. He tried to hold back tears. He didn't want to scare Elisa, but just thinking someone might hurt his wife or son... it tore him apart.
She moved closer and hugged him.
— It's okay, love. We'll figure something out.
Augusto told her everything, exactly as it happened. He was surprised at how calm she managed to stay.
— Seems like we don't have a choice, huh? We tried the police, and they did nothing. If these people can really block you from getting hired anywhere, then yeah—they're dangerous. Maybe if we go along with their plan, they'll just leave us alone.
Deep down, what she really wanted to say was let's run. But... where would they even go? If these people could pull this off, how do you hide from that? The most sensible thing, at least for now, was to accept the offer. Or so she tried to convince herself.
Augusto nodded, gulped down the juice, and got up to grab some water—but stopped halfway. His phone buzzed in his pocket. For a second, it felt like the floor had turned into a black hole. He pulled it out like time had slowed down. A new email notification. He was about to delete it out of habit when the man's voice echoed in his mind. He dropped back on the couch, staring at the screen. Elisa looked at him, worried.
— What is it, love?
He handed her the phone. The email was short:
Dr. Vianna,
Attached are some photos of the place where you and your family will live. I hope the images help with your decision. I know I'd be extremely tempted by an offer like this.
Hugs, Ben.
P.S. I love the last photo.
Elisa started letting out soft little sighs next to him. Augusto kept glancing from the phone to his wife. He noticed her smiling. Maybe he smiled a bit too. The place was stunning—surrounded by trees and greenery. The house sat on a hill, built from wood, with that cozy rustic look. Judging from the pictures, there were no other houses nearby—the rest of the town sat far below, in the valley. And a huge tree stood in the front yard, casting shade over most of the land.
Elisa turned to him, eyes sparkling.
— Oh my god, honey, that place is incredible!
Augusto smiled. They kept flipping through the pictures. When they got to a panoramic one showing the view from the rooftop stretching into the horizon, they knew—they were hooked.
— Maybe we're just being paranoid, right? Elisa said.
Augusto sat up a little. The couch let out a soft creak. He tilted his head side to side and nodded.
— Maybe. But why was the guy so... I don't know, threatening?
— Eh, maybe he's just some socially awkward dude. Could be he doesn't know how to deal with people—or maybe they're just desperate for a good doctor. And that's what you are! — She gave him a playful punch on the arm.
Augusto gave in to her kisses and smiles. He pulled her close and laid her down on the couch. With everything going on, they'd been neglecting their... couple time. Things heated up right there in the living room. And hey—they still had over thirty minutes before picking up their kid.
Augusto wasn't unemployed anymore. He replied to the email saying he accepted the offer. They put their São Paulo home up for sale and set the moving date. Just two days left until their new life in Rio Denso would begin.
They told Rob the news, and—like any kid—he hated the idea of moving. He'd be leaving all his friends behind. But when Augusto showed him pictures of the new house, the kid caved. Damn! There was so much space to play! He and Bóris were gonna have a blast.
Rob and Bóris were tight. Ever since Rob came into their lives as a baby, they'd adopted the big dog too. The plan was for them to grow up together, and boy, had that worked out. An eight-year-old boy and a Saint Bernard—best buds for life. In the end, what seemed like a hard move turned out to be pretty exciting. Everyone was happy. Even Bóris seemed stoked.
Augusto knew he'd miss Sam, but whenever one of them had time off, they could always meet up for a beer and catch up. From now on, it was a whole new life. New job, new town, new house.
It all felt kind of magical, even sweet—except for that little thing. That faint itch at the back of Augusto's mind. Like a warning. A quiet little voice saying something wasn't right.
But the bags were packed.
Time to go.