Gray skies hung over the island. No wind stirred the palm fronds or blew away the sticky humidity. Everything was a struggle in the still air; tempers were frayed. Emilia fretted so much at the center of a swarm of mosquitoes that Maria doused her with insect repellent and wordlessly carried her across the road, shoved the now crying toddler into the babysitter’s arms, and left her there. Sharon sat on one of the patio chairs before realizing it was wet from the rain and burst into tears when Diego laughed at her. Jack closed himself in his office and moodily checked his emails and tracked his investments online while waiting for someone, anyone, to bring him coffee. Mona made herself a cup of tea with an herbal teabag she found in the kitchen and stood sipping it as she watched the little tendrils of humidity rise in the first shafts of sunlight that peeped through the clouds. Manning woke with a smile on his face and whistled while he shaved.
--Barbara
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