READING 1

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CHAPTER 1

The early afternoon sun filtered through the curtains of Paxton’s spacious living room, casting a warm, golden hue across the expensive furniture. The room, though filled with tech gadgets, held a sense of comfort—a prolific workplace but also a nest where friends could gather and confidently talk about their personal lives. Paxton, a successful entrepreneur with a sharp mind and a generous heart, was known among his friends as the one who always had a plan, the one they could rely on.

Today, however, as he sat on his couch, gazing out at the cityscape beyond his windows, something weighed on his mind. He had always been the anchor, the friend who kept everything together. But now, the winds of change were blowing, and he wasn’t sure if he could hold everything in place.

Paxton had invited Amber and Terry over for coffee, intending to share some news that he had been holding onto for a while. As he waited for them to arrive, he thought about how much their friendship meant to him, but also about the many secrets he kept from his buddies. Amber, with her nurturing spirit, was always thinking about her family and friends, putting their needs before her own—except when there were other females in the vicinity. Terry, with his sharp wit and loyalty, was someone who could always be counted on, although sometimes he let his insecurities about his appearance get in the way.

The three of them had countless memories together, and now they were on the verge of creating new ones with a trip they were planning. But it was still uncertain how these two friends from traditional mining enterprise families would react when they figured out what the name “Naomi” meant to Paxton. Of course, they had heard the name before, but they could not imagine how it would affect their lives once they got the full picture of this young girl’s impact on the decision they were about to make.

How would they react to the changes he was about to share? How would a woman with such a different background alter their destiny? The trip to Europe, which they had all looked forward to, might have to be postponed or completely canceled. He wasn’t sure how they would take the news, especially when they learned the real reason behind Naomi’s return to Paxton’s life.

Terry was dealing with a lot of engineering problems at his company’s latest venture. Amber had her hands full with her family, preparing for the wedding of her youngest son and helping her eldest deal with the paternity test his ex-girlfriend demanded from him. Paxton acknowledged all that, but he also knew he could not hide from his dearest friends what he was about to say.

—

When Amber and Terry finally arrived, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, but there was an undercurrent of tension. Paxton noticed how Terry seemed a little more subdued than usual, and Amber’s smile, while genuine, didn’t quite reach her eyes. Something was on their minds, too.

As they settled into the comfortable chairs around the coffee table, each holding a cup of freshly brewed coffee, Paxton felt the weight of the conversation that was about to unfold. He knew that this meeting would not just be about casual updates or travel plans. There were deeper concerns at play, and unspoken worries lingered between them.

Paxton took a deep breath, ready to break the news about the potential change in their travel plans and the reason behind it. But before he could speak, Terry’s expression caught his attention—a mixture of sadness and concern that hadn’t been there the last time they met. Amber, too, seemed to be holding back something, her fingers nervously tracing the edge of her cup.

The silence stretched for a moment, each of them lost in their thoughts, until Paxton finally spoke, his voice calm but with a hint of hesitation. He knew the conversation that was about to follow would reveal more than just their travel plans—it would bring to light the challenges and decisions that each of them were dealing with in their own lives.

What started as a simple plan for a vacation was turning into something much more complex, and Paxton realized that their friendship would soon be tested in ways they hadn’t anticipated. As they sipped their coffee, the stage was set for a conversation that would change everything, leaving them with more questions than answers.

CHAPTER 2

The coffee cups clinked gently as they were placed on the table, each of them lost in thought, bracing for what was to come.

Paxton, a man with a sharp mind and a love for sports and traveling, sat across from his friends, his usually confident demeanor slightly overshadowed by the weight of the news he was about to share. He had always been the one to keep things light and fun, avoiding the grumpy attitudes he despised. But today was different; today, he had to face a reality that could alter the course of their lives.

Terry, sitting beside him, had a commanding presence. As a widower with a successful engineering career, he had built his life around discipline and strength. His broad shoulders and medium height gave him a formidable appearance, but it was the keen intelligence behind his eyes that defined him. He was not a man to be taken lightly, especially when it came to matters of business or personal space.

Across from them sat Amber, petite and energetic despite her self-admitted sedentary lifestyle. She had a nurturing spirit, evident in the way she spoke about her two sons, her dogs, and her family. Her curly black hair framed a face that was both striking and expressive, her thick lips often curled into a warm smile. But today, her smile was tinged with concern, her mind preoccupied with the challenges ahead.

As the conversation began to unfold, Paxton knew that what started as a simple gathering of friends was about to become a turning point in their lives. They were each carrying their own burdens, their own secrets, and as they started to speak, it became clear that this was no ordinary meeting. Although everything sounded normal at the surface, the words that would soon be exchanged would reveal much more: they would test their friendships and make decisions that would shape their futures.

Paxton: Hi guys. What’s going on with you?

Amber: I am good. Today I went with my son to sign the contract for his first job.

Paxton: What about you?

Terry: Very well. Today I went to the VET with my dog because he is sick.

Amber: Oh, what a pity! How is he doing now?

Terry: He is blind.

Paxton: I don’t know what that is. Please, explain. What is that?

Terry: He can’t see anything.

Amber: Awnnnnnnnn. I feel sorry for him.

Paxton: What can we do to help him?

Terry: We went to the eye doctor and she prescribed some eye drops/medicine. And the treatment is going to last one week. If he gets better, it will be ok, but if he doesn’t heal, he will undergo surgery.

Amber: I feel sad because I can’t help from here.

Paxton: Guys, don’t worry. You know I am rich. The money I saved for our trip to Europe, we can use to save the dog. How much will his treatment cost?

Terry: The treatment will cost about R$ 10k.

Amber: That is very expensive! I don’t have words to express what I am feeling.

Terry: Thank you, Ana. I know I can count on your prayers.

Paxton: Guys, I will pay for the whole treatment. Don’t worry!

Terry: Thank you, teacher.

Paxton: I bought us airplane tickets to go to Europe, but the trip was going to start next Friday. Now, we need to change our plans. What should/can we do?

Terry: I think we can schedule this trip for next year.

Amber: In my opinion, Thiago has a problem and this trip can be next year.

Paxton: But for next year, I won’t pay.

Terry: Wow.

Amber: Why?

Paxton: Guys, I am selling the school to an international education group. Next year, I will not be with you.

Terry: OMG. Paulo will be a big businessman. He will be a rich man.

Amber: Oh, no! Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm…

Paxton: Ana, please, don’t tell this to my girlfriend, otherwise she will want to get married and I need to make her sign a pre-nup (nuptial) agreement. Do you think it is important?

Terry: It is a good idea.

Amber: I think you are wrong but I told my cousin you are thinking about making her sign a pre-nup.

Paxton: Guys, pardon my French but “this is none of your business”. You are very nosy. Let’s talk about the trip? Leave my life alone!

Terry: We have a traitor among us.

Amber: But I am a traitor.

Paxton: I think this is a lot of trouble. So, let’s use your star credits at the school as a means of payment for the trip. How much stars do you have in your account?

Terry: Ana Paula will pay for everything?

Amber: I will not pay for everything. We will share the bill. We can discuss this matter among us.

Terry: I think we should travel to Greece. Do you agree?

Amber: No, I don’t agree, but we can think about this, because I would like to visit other countries.

Terry: We need to decide about this today.

Amber: Sure, we are in the middle of the year and we need to invite our friend Noyane.

Terry: I think we should choose interesting European countries. First, we can visit Greece, then we can go to Italy and Spain.

Amber: We can decide on these countries and invite Noyane to plan when we are going to travel.

Amber: How will we invite Noyane? What can we tell her?

Terry: Do you have some idea?

Amber: We can tell her that in Europe, there are really interesting countries full of nice places we can visit.

Terry: So, can you ask her if she accepts our invitation? We need to decide when we will travel and how much time we will spend there. If you could travel by airplane, which airline company would you choose?

Amber: We could travel by airplane.

Terry: Ok. If you had two suitcases, could you loan them to me?

WRITING 1