The house, simple but rather big, felt even bigger without children living in it. The oldest would marry soon enough, the twins were living in the neighboring city, where the public university had just opened its doors, and they only came home on Saturdays.
As ever, her husband passed every cachaça-and-domino night at the bar. But there were two developments: for one thing, he now showered before heading off to his watering hole; for another, he no longer sought out her body for their little weekly bout of lovemaking.