When in Vanuatu by Nicki Chen

Author:Nicki Chen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: She Writes Press
Published: 2021-09-14T16:00:00+00:00

Preparations for moving involved a whole series of tasks and decisions. They needed to make airline and hotel reservations, sell their car, and borrow or rent one in Port Vila until they could get a new one. There were arrangements to be made with a moving company and extra boxes and wrapping paper to locate. And there were all those decisions about what to bring and what to give away and to whom. Then they had to pack up the small things and supervise the movers who would take care of the furniture. There was no room in Diana’s head to think about what they were leaving behind.

Not until the night of the farewell party.

It was at Madeline and Quan’s house, a dinner party for some of Diana and Jay’s best friends. When she and Jay pulled up to the house, Diana was still preoccupied with packing details and decisions. Once they got out of the car, though, the whole world widened around her. She looked at the sky where a smattering of stars was trying in vain to compete with the bright lights in Madeline’s windows, and a silent, serene moon kept watch above the treetops. Something—maybe it was the sound of laughter from inside or the scent of damas de noche—reminded her of their first dinner parties in the Philippines. How romantic they’d seemed then!

Quan met them at the front door. “Welcome,” he said, kissing Diana on both cheeks and giving Jay a warm one-armed hug. Then he led them into the living room, a large space, filled to bursting with many of the friends they’d made over the past four years. Such an attractive group, Diana thought—the men looking smart and distinguished in their batik shirts and informal barongs, the women looking beautiful, each in her own way. Dark or fair, outgoing or quiet, they all had strength of personality. And they all looked lovely tonight, Sheila Chatterjee in a sari, Emily Brown and Gerda Klein in colorful dresses made from batik and Thai silk, fabric brought back from missions no doubt in their husband’s suitcases. Diana, too, was wearing a dress made from fabric Jay brought back from a business trip, a sleeveless dress with a long straight skirt made from Malaysian batik.

“Hey.” Madeline’s slim arms wrapped around Diana from behind. “I’m going to miss you,” she whispered in her ear.

“Me, too.” Diana smiled, blinking away a tear.

Madeline squeezed her arm and stepped back. “Sorry. I need to get back to the kitchen. Luz is waiting for me to taste the soup. Quan will take care of you.”

“Right. You two need some drinks. Mirasol. Please see what Mr. and Mrs. McIntosh would like to drink. Then . . .” Quan jingled his ice cubes. “. . . we men can retire to the lanai and leave the living room to the ladies.”

The women smiled at their husbands and each other. No one really minded the separation. Their lives and their conversations were so different from their husbands’.

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