Chapter 66 – The Road to Lisbon
The air of Penedono was crisp that morning, filled with the smell of wet grass and smoke rising from the chimneys of stone houses. Jota tied the laces of his worn-out boots, the same pair he had carried through endless afternoons of training in the village. They were cracked, their soles nearly giving up, but to him, they were as precious as a crown.
Ana sat nearby, munching on a piece of bread, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Brother, are you nervous?" she asked, swinging her little legs as if she were already at the stadium.
Jota smiled, brushing dust off his knees. "A little. But more than nervous, I feel ready. Today is just another game, Ana. Only the field is bigger, the crowd louder, and the dream closer."
