Page 173 of Of Beasts and Power
“Whoo-hoo!” Dante hollered.
“Vanessa!”
“Over here!” My mom and Isis yelled, too.
I looked up behind me to see André wiping a tear from his cheek, the most dazzling smile I’d ever seen stretching his lips. Letting go of me, he clapped fiercely for her, emotion clear on his face.
“So proud, Vanessa!!” he yelled, another tear of happiness falling. “So proud!!”
Her gaze snapped towards us instantly, and she waved at us excitedly. When her gaze met her brother’s, tears escaped her too, but she wiped them quickly, blowing him thousands of kisses.
“Shake that booty!” Hannes yelled and she turned, shaking her tail feathers for him.
We all laughed.
“Say, hi Aunty Vanessa.” Dad pointed to her for little bear’s sake.
He beamed when his eyes found her, waving at her too. “Hi, Aunty Nessa!”
She made a heart with her hands for him and blew him a kiss just as cheers roared frantically all around us. The crowd recognized her mother in the picture wall behind her since she’d been a famous Passista in her time.
Shaking her shoulders and lifting her tail like she had before, Vanessa twirled and waved at the crowd before resuming her Samba. Filled with such joy, we all waved at her again, screaming as her float rolled past us to continue down theSambadrome.
André wrapped his arms around me again, the smile of happiness etched on his face while Dante and Hannes patted his back and shoulder, congratulating him for his sister’s debut at Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval.
Lifting both hands to my face, I had to wipe fresh tears, but they were born from untainted happiness like I never thought I could feel. Destined or not, all our lives had crashed into each other, creating a journey that healed us all.
I couldn’t wait to see what waited for us in the future.
The End
