Chapter 4 – Rio: Opening our Hearts
The ship finally pulls into port at Rio de Janeiro. Most passengers decide to stick it out and continue on to New York City, but a few decide on one of the other options. The captain speaks to everyone that is staying about what to expect with regards to the repair. He suggests everyone check in after three days to see when the new expected departure date and time will be. Lee turns to Rosemary and asks, "You ready to go see Rio, sweetheart?" Rosemary excitedly raises her arms, and they head for the ramp!
They check into their hotel and start to unpack some things. After Rosemary hangs up their clothes, she plops down on the couch next to Lee. She pats his leg and says, "Thank you for taking me on this adventure, Lee!"
He puts his arm around her, and she rests her head on his shoulder, "We finally made it to Rio! I am going down to the concierge to get some directions and find out if there is anything special going on while we are here. Do you want to come with me?"
Rosemary thinks about it and then decides to just stay in the room and finish unpacking their things.
Lee hurriedly comes back into the room with a big grin on his face, "Great news, honey. We can take the tram to everything we need to see. Also..."
That perks up Rosemary and gets her full attention. She stops what she is doing, fully expecting him to spit it out right away. When he doesn't, she prods him, "What did you find out, Lee?" He starts to slowly walk up to her, keeping the suspense going for as long as he can. He knows how much the not knowing is getting to her, but he loves to surprise her. She puts her hands on his arms and asks again, "Lee, what did you find out?"
"Much Ado About Nothing is being shown at the Theotro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro all this week! I know it is one of your favorites, but you have to remember it will be in Portuguese."
She hugs him while he lifts her off the ground, "Oh Lee, that is wonderful. I can't wait! Anything else? Did you remember to ask about a place to develop our film?"
"The concierge told me where we can find some open-air markets and a camera store near the Palácio do Catete. So, what do you want to do today?"
Rosemary quickly says, "Let's go to the camera store to get the film developed. I have no idea how long it will take, plus it will give us a chance to buy some more. You don't want us to run out, do you Lee?"
"No, I guess I don't want you to run out of film," replies Lee with a sarcastic grin on his face. Rosemary chuckles and lightly hits him on the arm. He says, "Once we drop off the film, we can head to Palácio do Catete. I believe it is right around the corner from the camera store."
They ride the tram to the stop near Palácio do Catete. They walk the short distance to the camera store and go inside. Rosemary looks around while Lee goes to the counter to drop off the film and find out when the pictures will be ready. He walks through the store trying to find where she went. Finally, he sees her in the back picking out which film to purchase. She notices him coming and asks, "Oh good, you found me. When will the pictures be ready?"
"The clerk says in two days!"
"Perfect!" exclaims Rosemary. She hands him a bunch of film and innocently asks, "Can you please buy this for me?"
"Do you really need this much film, Rosemary?"
"Of course, I do. Trust me, it won't go to waste. I promise."
Lee reluctantly purchases all the film and meets her just outside the store. "I hope you are happy now, sweetheart."
She looks in the bag and then up at him with a smile on her face, "I most certainly am."
With a smirk on his face, he asks, "Are you ready to see Palácio do Catete?" She nods and they walk in the direction of the palace.
As they get closer, Rosemary quietly asks, "What is so special about this place, Lee?"
Lee whispers, "It used to be the palace, and then it was turned into a presidential residence in 1889 with the overthrow of the monarchy. They do tours whenever the president and his family are away on business."
Rosemary sarcastically replies, "Where do you get all this information? Let me guess, you read?" Lee chuckles and takes her hand as they walk into the building. As they are leaving after their hour-long tour, Rosemary inquires, "What night do you want to go to the theater?"
"I will leave it up to you, honey. I will be happy with whatever you choose to do."
Rosemary giggles softly, "Well, in that case, I'm thinking that tomorrow, we can go to the Corcovado Railway in the morning and see the play in the evening. Then the next day, we can check-in on the ship and visit Llha Fiscal. Does that sound good to you?"
Lee nods and then asks a question he knows Rosemary will love to answer, "Do you want to do some shopping for the rest of the day?"
Rosemary says, "Do you really need to ask that? I will go shopping anytime or anywhere especially with you, my honey-bunny!"
They walk around the open-air markets hand-in-hand. She insists on getting more gifts for everyone. She picks out a small futbol for little Jack, a satin shawl for Elizabeth, a beaded barrette for Susannah, a card deck with scenes from Brazil for Patrick, and a special leather-bound sketchbook for Catherine. She wonders to herself, "Should I get anything for my parents?" She sees a silk scarf her mother would absolutely love and a pocket watch that would be perfect for her father. She asks Lee, "Do you think I should get these for my mother and father? I have no idea when I will see them again, but I have been thinking about them ever since you mentioned them the other day."
Lee takes a look at the gifts and says, "I think they are perfect. You should definitely get them for your parents. I'm sure they will love anything you give them."
"Really? You, Lee Coulter, want me to buy more gifts? Are you feeling okay, sweetheart?" She reaches up to feel his forehead.
Lee takes her hand into his and nonchalantly says, "Maybe you will see them soon," while secretly hoping the letter he sent to her folks finds them well and they can visit them soon.
They happen to see John and Mary, one of the couples from the ship, with their children sitting at a table. They wave Lee and Rosemary over and offer them a seat. Lee politely tells them they don't want to impose on their family time, but they insist. Lee and Rosemary put their purchases down and sit across from the family. Rosemary breaks the silence with, "I don't believe we have met your beautiful family."
Mary thinks about it and then realizes that it is true, "These two are my daughters, Annie and Sarah, who are both nine years old. That over there is my son, Willie, who is seven years old. Over there, sitting on John's lap is my youngest, Samuel, who just turned four."
"You must have your hands full with all of these children," Lee replies.
John shakes his head in agreement. He assures Lee there is never a dull moment in our house. "Do you two have any children?"
Lee takes Rosemary's hand into his and says, "Not yet."
Rosemary gives Lee's hand a squeeze and adds, "We hope to be blessed with a child in the future."
A soft expression came over Mary's face as she says," Rosemary, children come just at the right time. John and I were married for seven years before we had the twins. We didn't think God would bless us with a child, and then surprise, we had twins. Please don't give up hope."
Rosemary puts her hand on Mary's arm and thanks her for her kind words. She looks over at Lee and tries to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. He reaches out to grab her hand, hoping he can comfort her.
John looks to Mary and says, "We better get back to the hotel so the children can take a nap. If you'll excuse us."
Lee stands up to shake John's hand and says, "It is nice getting to know you a little better. Hopefully, we will see each other again on the ship." After they leave, Lee pulls Rosemary up close and puts his arms around her waist. He looks deep into her somber blue eyes, "Are you okay, sweetheart?"
Rosemary rubs his chin with her fingers while gazing into his warm blue eyes, she has come to know and love with all of her heart. "I…I am okay. She has renewed my hope that one day it might be possible for us to have a child of our own."
The next day, they ride the Corcovado Railway to the top of Corcovado Mountain. As they are riding up the mountain, Lee cannot help but look over and see his excited wife. She is snapping pictures and staring out the window in awe. He tries to grab the camera so he can take a picture of her, but she stops him. Instead, she connects the cable release and puts her head on his shoulder and takes a picture of them both. The train stops at the top, and he holds out his hand for her to take. She gladly accepts, and they walk off the train to see the beautiful views at the top. Lee sees a bench away from the crowd, so he leads her there and tells her to sit down next to him. She quizzically looks over at him and then sits down with a smile on her face.
Lee quietly asks, "Can I help it if I want to enjoy this moment with you by my side?" She wraps her arms around his arm, and they just sit together enjoying all the views. After a few minutes, he inquires, "Have you ever been this high up before, Rosie?"
Rosemary answers, "No, I have not. It is so beautiful up here. It almost takes my breath away. Here, let's take a picture of the both of us." She connects the cable release and hands the camera to Lee. They turn to where the mountains are at their backs, and she takes the picture. "Have you been up on a mountain before?"
"I hiked some mountains in Banff and Glacier National Parks in my younger days," Lee remembers fondly.
"How come I have never heard any stories about this, Lee?"
"Hmm, I never told you about the camping trips with my childhood friends?"
"No, you didn't, Lee." He apologizes and tells her those stories are for another day. "Lee, you see those little boys over there? Do you think they are alone?"
"I don't know, sweetheart. Do you think I should go over and talk to them? They probably don't speak English."
Rosemary nods and says, "Yes, they look like they are dirty and alone. Please go over to see if we can help them." Luckily, one of the boys speaks English, and Lee is able to find out they lost their parents five years ago and have been living on the streets the last six months.
Lee points over to Rosemary and says, "My wife and I would like to help you! Do you need some extra clothes or shoes or blankets? Are you hungry? Do you need food? Can we help you find a shelter?"
The boy responds, "We cannot go to a shelter because they will split us up, but could you please help us with food, clothing, and blankets?"
Lee looks at the three boys and says, "Of course, we can. Why don't you come back down with us, and we can get you some food?" The boy translates for the other two and they all smile. The five of them take the railway back down the mountain. Rosemary takes the boys and sits down at an outdoor table while Lee goes into the restaurant. He comes out with three small bowls of feijoada and some water for the boys. "Did you want anything, Rosie?"
"Is that feijoada? I have been wanting to try that since we got here. Also, why don't you get some pão de queijo and quindim? I would love some water as well."
He gives her a surprising look, "What are pão de queijo and quindim? How do you know what they are?"
"You don't know what those are? Hmm. I thought you read up on everything. Pão de queijo are cheese bread and quindim are these little custard desserts."
"Okay, I will be right back." He looks at the boys and says, "Don't eat so fast. I can get you more if you are still hungry."
The boy quietly asks, "Can you please get us some for our dinner?"
Rosemary looks at Lee and answers, "Of course, he can." All three boys nod excitedly.
The boys finish up their feijoada by the time Lee comes back with the pão de queijo, quindim, feijoada, farofa, and rice for he and Rosemary to share, waters, and feijoada for the boys' dinner. She giggles, "Wow, exactly how hungry are you, Lee?"
"Sweetheart, you were the one who told me to get all of this. What did you expect?"
Rosemary puts the pão de queijo and quindim in front of the boys. She says, "Go ahead. This is for everyone to share." The boys grab some of each and put in their empty bowls.
The oldest boy asks, "Would you like to know the proper way to eat feijoada, rice, and farofa?" Lee and Rosemary both nod simultaneously. The boy says, "First, you take the rice and put on your plate. Then add the farofa. Lastly, you add the feijoada. They are best when they are mixed together like that. The rice and farofa soak up the juices from the stew and the beans and meat are thick and rich."
Lee asks Rosemary, "Are you ready to try?" They both put a generous helping on their spoons while the boys look on with smiles on their faces. "We eat on a count of three. One, two, three…" They both put the food in their mouths and savor the wonderful taste. "This is so delicious. The combination of pork, and sausage, and black beans is so thick and hearty. I was expecting it to be spicier, but it doesn't need to be. What do you think, Rosie?"
"I agree. This is so delicious. I love how the crunch of the farofa adds to the texture of the stew. The blend of spices is absolutely perfect." She hands him a couple pão de queijos, "Here, try these. You will love them!"
"Mmm, these are good. They are gooey on the inside, but crispy on the outside. I did not expect them to be so gooey," replies Lee. He takes a small piece of quindim and feeds it to Rosemary.
She giggles and taps his arm, "Not in front of the boys, Lee Coulter." She takes another bite, "You will like this too. The center tastes like coconut." She takes another piece and tries to feed it to Lee, but he turns his head. He takes the fork from her hand and feeds himself. "That's not fair, Lee."
He tries to keep a straight face, but her pout always gets to him. He turns to the boys and asks, "Did everyone get enough food?" Everyone happily nods. He hands a bag to the oldest boy, "Here is some food you can take for dinner. I hope it is enough."
The boy says, "Thank you so much for the food. We have not eaten this well in some time. We are sorry if we cut your trip up the mountain short."
Rosemary responds, "Don't you worry. We are glad that we are here to help you boys. We unfortunately have to leave in a little while, but we can come back tomorrow and take you shopping for whatever you need. Can you meet us here tomorrow afternoon?"
The boy answers, "Sim!"
The oldest boy says something to the younger two, and they get up and start walking away. Rosemary quickly thinks to ask, "What are your names?"
The boy says, "I am Diogo, and I am thirteen. My brothers are Alexio, who is eight, and Matheus, who is seven."
"Don't forget – be here tomorrow at this same time," Rosemary reminds them.
Lee and Rosemary take the tram back to their hotel to get ready for the play that night. As they are getting ready, their minds drift to the boys. They cannot imagine being on the streets at their age or any age for that matter. Rosemary stops what she is doing and sits on the chair, "I understand they think they will be split up, but surely there is a place where they can all stay together. Is there anything we can do for them?"
Lee walks over to Rosemary and sits next to her, "That is one of the things I love most about you – your big heart. I don't know what we can do right now, but maybe tomorrow we can figure out something together. Are you still in the mood to see the play? I am okay either way, so I will let you choose. Do you think we can still enjoy the rest of our night?" Rosemary meekly smiles and nods yes.
They finish getting ready and take the tram to the theater. Much Ado About Nothing is one of Rosemary's favorite plays, so she is able to follow along even though it is in Portuguese. She explains what is going on to Lee as much as she can without distracting the people around them. Rosemary asks, "Did you enjoy the play? It is so much better in Portuguese."
"How is it better in Portuguese? You don't even understand the language."
"I don't know about you, but I happen to think Portuguese is a beautiful language. All the romance languages are beautiful as a matter of fact. Since you didn't know what they were saying, did you feel more of what the actors were trying to portray? I found that I was able to focus more on the feelings and emotions Shakespeare had intended instead of the actual dialogue. I really felt the chemistry between Beatrice and Benedick as well as Hero and Claudio. All of the actors were natural and so in the moment, it didn't seem as though they were acting out a story. It brought back so many fond memories of my time on the stage. I wish you were with me back then, Lee. We would have taken New York City by storm!"
"I agree, sweetheart. We would have been the couple that everyone envied. Just like we are now." They both quietly giggle. "I did actually enjoy the play quite a bit. I was able to follow for the most part. Thank you for explaining what was going on when you could. I hope we didn't annoy the people around us. I might actually be willing to see the play in English at some point."
Rosemary waves her hands in the air, "Really? You would want to see that again? Well, maybe it will come to Hamilton or Cape Fullerton or Union City! Will you take me if I ask?"
Lee responds, "I will take you but only if you ask nicely."
Rosemary clasps her hands together and lovingly says, "Please!"
Lee chuckles and says, "Well, in that case, how can I say no? So, are you ready to get some dinner? I am starving. Why don't we try the fancy churrasco place that is near the hotel? I want to try some picanha and caipirinha. Then we can take a romantic stroll around the park."
"That sounds wonderful to me," answers Rosemary.
They walk into the restaurant and are seated fairly quickly. The waiter hands them a menu and says he will be back shortly to take their order. Lee asks Rosemary, "What do you want to try?"
"I don't know, Lee. Can you just order for me?"
"Okay. I think I know what to order for us." He continues to study the menu until the waiter comes back, "My wife would like fraldinha and salada de maionese. I would like the picanha, potatoes, and collard greens. For our drinks, we would both like some água and a black tea for her and caipirinha for me."
Rosemary says, "What did you just order us?"
"I want you to taste everything and then I will tell you what you ate," answers Lee.
"Now I am worried. Did you order something gross?"
"You trust me, right?"
"Of course, I do."
"Then don't worry. You will love everything." All the food comes out and Rosemary is impressed with what Lee has picked. He looks down at this plate and rubs his hands together with a smile on his face. "Dig in, sweetheart." They both try a bite of everything on their plates.
Rosemary points to the potato mixture and says, "Lee, this is so good. It is similar to the potato salad Abigail makes but it has vegetables mixed in. You should try some. What it is called?"
"It is called salada de maionese." He takes a bite and is equally impressed, "I did not expect there to be apples in there either. Do you like the meat? It is called fraldinha and it is flank steak."
"It is very good. I really like the green stuff they put on the side. I think it is some kind of vinegary salsa. Can I try your meat?" He nods. She cuts off a piece of meat and puts on her plate where she takes a bite. "Oh, Lee. That is so fresh, tender, and moist. I might like it better than mine. I do believe these two meats are better than what we ate on our honeymoon in New York City. Can I please have some more of yours?"
"Of course, you can. As long as I can have some of yours." She smiles. He cuts a few more pieces for her and puts on her plate while she does the same for him. "By the way, this meat is called picanha. It is very popular here in Brazil and is taken from near the rump of the cow. It can be compared to sirloin cap back home." Lee happily finishes up his food and what Rosemary couldn't eat.
"Thank you for taking me out to the theater and this wonderful dinner. I couldn't imagine a better night," Rosemary says quietly.
"Do you want the last couple of sips of my drink?" asks Lee.
"What is it?"
"It is caipirinha. It is made with cachaça, sugar, and lime. Cachaça is a distilled spirit popular here in Brazil. It is good."
Rosemary thinks about it and then grabs the glass and takes a sip. "Lee, how can you drink that? It is so sugary and strong." She tries one more sip and then hands it back to Lee with a sour expression.
"Are you ready to go for a walk, Rosie?"
"I am ready when you are, my dear!"