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Back Salt and Sugar Save as PDF
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

Pedro looks conflicted, like he wants to say something, but the words don’t come out. And then his eyes suddenly zone in on something past my shoulder. He goes pale.

I turn around to follow his gaze to see Seu Romário Molina across the bakery.

“What’s Grandpa doing here?” Pedro launches me a worried look and runs to join his grandfather.

Seu Romário seems so intent on talking with the bakers behind the counter, he hardly notices Pedro approaching him. A baker there offers him a sample, and I see Seu Romário grab a slice of bolo de rolo, which he then hurls across the room.

The whole room of Deals Deals bakers and customers gasps.

“I don’t want your bolo de rolo!” Seu Romário bellows, while Pedro holds him back. “I’m not afraid of you leeches! I’m not selling Sugar! Do you hear me? NOT. SELLING. SUGAR!”

Seu Romário looks like a cornered animal lashing out to defend himself. I wonder if Mom feels this cornered, too.

Pedro pulls his grandfather away from the counter, while the startled bakers call for security. And in the confusion, Pedro looks back at me. Just a brief moment. And I feel like this is the closest we’ll ever come to understanding each other.

I see it in Pedro’s eyes.

We’re both up against something that’s far bigger than our families’ feud.

22

SATURDAY, MAY 7

Saturday morning, I get home from Vozes to find Mom and Dona Eulalia in yet another screaming match in the middle of the street.

A small crowd of neighbors has gathered to watch this time.

“There’s no way I’ll work with you!” Dona Eulalia shouts at Mom. “I’d rather sell Sugar to Deals Deals than work with a Ramires!”

Her words are so raw, my whole body freezes. She’d rather sell Sugar than... What?! I should do something, but I feel as if suspended in midair, my breath stuck in my throat. Even Pedro, who was just then rushing out of Sugar, halts the moment he hears his mother’s words. The shock in his eyes matches the way I feel.

I hadn’t had a chance to talk with him about what happened at Deals Deals. He kept himself surrounded by people at school yesterday, almost using his friends as a shield so I couldn’t approach him. I was hoping he could put the feud aside for one second and help me figure out a way to save our bakeries, but that plan goes up in smoke as our mothers scream at each other.

“So you’d rather be a traitor to your own neighborhood?” Mom yells at Dona Eulalia.