Chapter Fourteen: Lisbon:

Now we go west from Spain to Portugal. Shona looks like she’s up to a good first night home.

Shona straightened her hair with a flat iron in her bathroom. She already had her make-up on. Her friends invited her out tonight. How could she say no? Shona finished up with her hair. A smile came across her face. Suddenly, her phone rang.

“Hello?” she asked.

“Shona!” a woman’s voice said. The Portuguese woman perked.

“Yelena!” she said. “How have you been?”

“Great,” her friend said. “We’ll be there to pick you up really soon.”

“Okay,” Shona said. “I’ll see you then. Love you.” She hung up and giggled to herself.

They were going out to a club tonight. Shona met up with them earlier in the day. She and her group of friends all had lunch out together. It was Yelena’s idea to go out tonight. How could Shona say no? She hadn’t seen them in so long. Her family didn’t object. After all, she hadn’t seen everyone in so long.

“Yelena is getting married, you know?” her mother said. Shona turned her head as she washed the dishes.

“Really?” she asked. Her mother titled her head.

“She didn’t tell you?” she asked.

“Well, she did,” her daughter said. “But I was half-listening.” Her mother frowned.

“Shona!” she said. The younger woman rolled her eyes.

“There was so much talking going on,” she said. She finished drying a plate and put it on the rack. Her mother smiled and shook her head. Shona got started on drying another dish.

The rest of the day was pretty chill. Shona didn’t really do much around the house. She couldn’t wait for tonight. This was going to be Yelena’s last night out as a single woman. (She was getting married in January.) Around, six in the evening, Shona went upstairs to get ready. The woman got all dolled up too. She wasn’t going to look too laid back and casual. Shona picked out one of her favorite outfits. Long red dress and red high heels. With her hair and make-up, she was ready to go.

Shona could hear the doorbell ringing from upstairs.

“I’ll get it!” she shouted.  The woman quickly cleaned up the bathroom and walked out. She made her way to the front door. Yelena and her friends were waiting for her.

“Guys!” Shona said, clapping her hands. She hugged her friends. The girls headed out of the house. Her cell phone was ringing, but Shona didn’t really care. Tonight was going to be her night.