Page 29 of Vistaria Has Fallen

Chapter Six

“Another party?” Calli said, wrinkling her nose.

“No, this one’s a real party,” Minnie explained, sliding onto the tabletop next to Calli’s coffee and breakfast plate. “Not like that stuffy thing for the General. Duardo says proper Vistarian parties are nothing like American parties—”

“How would he know what an American party is like?”

“They have TV here.” Minnie rolled hereyes. “Half the shows they get here are American. Anyway, it’s today. Sunday.”

“Tonight?”

“No, today. Soon.”

“Now?” Calli rubbed her temple. “Hell, they’ve just finished with Fiesta. Isn’t that enough?”

“Are you always this grumpy on Sundays?” Minnie asked, crossing her arms and tilting her head to one side.

“When I’m short on sleep I am,” Calli muttered.

“You slept in late yesterday andyou came home disgustingly early on Friday night. Last night you went to bed early again. It’s now nearly nine. That’s gotta be enough sleep for anyone.”

“It would, if I actuallyslept.” She thought again of the white lily in the vase on her bedside table. She hadn’t been able to throw it away, even though its presence made her uneasy. That discomfort had robbed her of sleep last night. Whenshe did doze, lurid dreams of men stealing into the house woke her.

“If you’re not sleeping, don’t bother trying. Come to the party instead.”

Calli wrinkled her nose again. “I haven’t got the energy,” she confessed. “All that dressing up—”

“You can wear jeans,” Minnie said. “Come on, Calli. Please.”

“Why do I have to go?”

“Because I won’t go without you and I want to see Duardo. He’s goingback home tonight.”

“He doesn’t live in the city?”

“God, no. He lives up in Pascuallita. That’s where he’s posted, at the base there.”

All the way from Pascuallita...She recalled Nick’s words when he had been shaking Duardo’s hand.

“Okay,” Calli said, understanding.

“Cool. They’re picking us up at ten,” Minnie said, sliding off the table and heading for her room. “I’m going to get dressed.”

“No, wait—” Calli began.

The bedroom door had already closed.

With a sigh, she got up from the table and went to change.

* * * * *

Forty-eight minutes later, they heard a horn sound outside the house. Minnie and Calli went outside, to find Duardo standing on the back of a beat-up, rusty and faded truck with an enormous engine cowling.

“Hell, it looks like Ford’s first model,” Calli muttered.

“Good morning, ladies!” Duardo waved them over. He wore jeans and a white shirt, which contrasted well with his tanned skin.

Minnie ran over to the back of the truck. Calli followed. The high walls of timber planking provided back support for seven more people sitting on the floor of the truck. Calli recognized one of the women, Elvira, from the General’s party. Elvira looked much younger nowin her pretty printed floral skirt and white cotton sweater, with her hair down. Calli nodded to her. “Hola,” she murmured. She knew all but two of the soldiers, too.