BooksBarbecue
Back Salt and Sugar
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise
  3. About the Author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. EPILOGUE
  56. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I see them! Mom, Dona Eulalia, and Seu Romário reappear in the back of the room just in time for the announcement. Pedro exhales in relief, spotting them, too.

“The Aguirre family with the Feijoada Island! Congratulations on winning this year’s contest.”

The audience claps and cheers. The fancy feijoada pot with side dishes has won. And I feel my heart sink all the way to my toes.

I’ve failed.

After everything... After lying to Mom for so long, I wished, and wished, and wished I could show her today that I’ll be okay. That we’ll be okay. But I’ve failed. And now Mom and Dona Eulalia will have no choice but to sell the bakeries.

We’re stepping off the stage, but the audience hasn’t stopped clapping. The ovation goes on, and much to my surprise, I realize people have directed their gazes to us.

“What’s going on?” I hear myself ask, my voice distant, drowned out by their cheering.

“Lari,” Pedro gives my hand a little squeeze, “they’re clapping for us.”

The judge who first interviewed us taps on the microphone. “I just wanted to say that the Gastronomic Society fully supports these kids’ and their neighborhood’s fight against that predatory supermarket chain. They may not have won the contest tonight, but they’ve won our admiration. We stand by family-owned businesses.”

My legs go numb. I’m glad Pedro is holding my hand, because I feel like I could fall over.

My eyes finally find Mom.

In the middle of it all, I realize she’s clapping harder than anyone.

50

THURSDAY, JUNE 23

In the chaos of trying to get off the stage, one of the judges asked to speak with us privately.

We mill about in a classroom, waiting with our families, but now Pedro and I are stuck with the aftermath of naming our dish after our grandparents. Mom and Dona Eulalia are sniping at each other again, looking close to turning this into a physical fight.

“My father’s name should never be associated with your mother’s! It’s an outrage!” Dona Eulalia shouts at Mom.

“Why are you talking like it was my decision?” Mom snaps.

The contest was supposed to bring our families closer, not to widen the abyss between us.

Mom’s phone rings and she turns her back on Dona Eulalia to answer the call. When Mom says, “Yes, Seu Ricardo?” the Deals Deals lawyer’s name, Dona Eulalia immediately snatches the phone from her.

“Why is he calling you?” Dona Eulalia shouts. She presses Mom’s phone to her ear, desperate. “Hello? HELLO?”

Mom yanks her phone back from Dona Eulalia’s grip. Dona Eulalia lunges again, her face going red, and Mom shoves her back. Pedro and PC quickly squeeze themselves between the women to keep them apart, while Cintia and Victor make sure to fan a distraught Seu Romário.

This is a nightmare.