Chapter 3: After the Party

They danced on, their steps in perfect unison as the melody and crowd flowed around them leaving them alone in a small world of their own. When the music ended, Tony was there, ready to cut in with a tap on Joâo’s shoulder.
“No thank you, I’ve had enough dancing with you two smooth talkers. I’m going to rest and cool off.” Rose said.
Tony and Joâo resignedly and unwillingly walked Rose back to her family. They bowed and walked off together toward the punch bowl. Soon they joined Adelina and some of her friends and they all left the dance area together laughing and talking.
It was late in the night before Rose’s family got ready to leave. After bidding the bridal pair farewell, they were feeling a bittersweet happiness of personal loss but joy for the couple’s new happiness. The Gomes family boarded their tasseled buggy and started tiredly but happily on their journey home, minus one member, Manuel. It was the beginning of the end for that family as a new one was formed for Manuel and Felicianna.
Soon Mary, the eldest daughter, would be married to Tom Tavares, a childhood sweetheart, and move away to the Island of Oahu. Within two years, Flora would marry Frank Gouveia and move to Wailuku and Joe would marry Irma Silvia and move to Makawao.
Rose, Lydia, and Virginia would be the only ones left then. Their mother was ill. The farm was too much work for Joseph, alone without his sons to help. They would have to sell. Where would they go? What would happen to them?