ered he was gay. Super friendly, kind, we exchanged a few words, but both he and I quickly walked away, because we were both looking for the same thing. Shrugging my

imagined it could be. - Big day, huh? - Fernando commented as soon as we sat down at the bar and each ordered a shot of whiskey, neat. - How can Uncle Geraldo handle it? What does he already have? Seventy years? - More than that, I think. He was the oldest of the three brothers. - And the only one that lasted, too. Both my father and Fernando's mother had already left. In fact, we were both orphans, and our uncle did a great job practically raising us. We were like children to him, as he had none with his long-time wife, our sweet aunt. - Both of us, at thirty-seven, are complainers. I guarantee that if it were him, he would be there, happy as hell, commanding all those people to eat out of his hand. The guy is a master. I couldn't help but smile as he raised the glass to his mouth, thinking how right my cousin was. Uncle Geraldo was truly a master. A perfect commander for the ship that Antunes Viana had become. One of us would have to take his place when he retired, and from what Aunt Adelaide had said, she was very committed to making that happen sooner rather than later. Apparently, this was the same thought as Fernando. - Have you ever thought about one of us in his place? - he commented, almost surreptitiously, as if it weren't important. But was. Whoever was going to take on the role would have to do it with honor, because we owed it to the man who gave us everything. - I think so, but I don't like the idea that much - I replied with conviction. - How not? Isn't that what we work so hard for? - It is and it isn't. I work for the company to continue being what it is. I like what I do and leaving the legal sector to work in the administrative part of the company would be something that I would not like. But I would do that, if it was our uncle's wish. Fernando nodded, taking another sip of his drink. Whenever we talked about Uncle Geraldo's retirement, he was as reluctant as I was. That night, on the other hand, I had the impression that that had changed. He seemed more interested in being the successor than before. - We don't know what's going on in his head, do we? He never showed any distinction between us, and we always worked the same. We've never been negligent, so I really don't