omething,butshekwhat.DornawasafraidAmaliawouldrememberandaskherfortheflyingbroom.BeforeleavingtheKingdomofDreams,shehadgivenittoDeanna.EveryonehadevacuatedtoWhiteFairy’ssmalltemplesecludedintheheartofthedenseforestwhichbecamethenewheadquarters.Thetribesandtheirnumerouspeoplewerescatteredoverseveralnearbymountainranges.Astheliaisonperson,Deannahadtowalklongdistaeveryoneintact,soDorheflyingbroomwithhertofacilitateherjob.TodistractAmalia,Dornaquietlyandsaidjokingly

    “Amalia,youareoldbutyouareveryhealthy.Wouldyouliketopyhide-and-seekwithme?”

    “Sure”theolddyrepliedenthusiasticallyawoofthemranaroundthefrontandbackyardspyingthegame.Shrieksofughtershowedtheywerehavingagoodtime.

    “Careful”cautionedAisha.“Don’tfallintotheswimmingpool!”

    “It’salright”saidYokoandShei.“Letherpy.Weareheretomakesuresheisalright.Wouldyouliketogoinandattendtoyourjobofthehostessoftheparty?”

    Thesuanddarknesscoveredtheearth.

    “Dorna,itisalreadydarkaingcold”saidShei.“Ithinkweshouldstoppyingandgoihefourofthemwalkedinsidewherethefirewasburningbrightlyandtheroomwastoastyandcozy.TheentigaromaoftastyfoodcausedAmalia’sstomableandshebeganshoutingforfood.

    “I’mhungry.Iwa.”

    “Someoftheguestshaven’tarrivedyet”saidYoko.“Let’swaitawhiletilleveryoneishereandwealleattogether.”

    “No.No.Iwanow.I’mhungry”criedAmaliastubbornly.

    24

    “It’salright”saidAishaleadingAmaliatothetableandpullingoutachairforher.“Let’snotstandonceremony.Ifsheishungrylethereatfirst.”YokoandSheiwentarouablechoosingthefoodAmalialikedandputtingthemohattheypcedbeforeher.Amaliaatoncebegaingandcalledforwine.Aishawentandgotabottleofagedredoureditintoagssforher.Theolddysatthereeatinganddrinkinghappily.ThebeautiesbecameawarethatAishawasnotallthereaobeworriedaboutsomething.

    “It’ste”shesaid.“Whyisn’tDimitrihereyet?”

    “WhenwebroughtAmaliaovertotheparty”saidYoko,“westoppedatDimitri’sapartmentwhichwasonourwaymeaningtogivehimaridehere.Buthisapartmentty.Wedon’tknowwherehewentto,sowecamehereourselves.”

    “HepromisedtoetothepartysowecouldallhaveChristmasdiogetherandcelebratetheholiday.Couldhehavegonebahisword?”

    “No,Idon’tthinkso”saidYoko.“Letmecallhisgoodfriendsandaskthem.Richard,Jamaz,Big-O,Mr.Kaffee,DwarfMidthatobnoxiousMr.Fingerarealwaystogether.ThedepthofDimitri’sfriendshipwiththemmayexceedthatofhisretionshipwithus.Theyshouldknowhiswhereabouts.I’lskthem.”Takingouthercellphoneshepunchedsomenumbersandstartedtalking.“Hello.IsthatRichard?’

    “Yes,thisisRichard.What’sup?”

    “DoyouknowwhereDimitriwent?”

    “No,Idon’t.IjustknowheishavingdihyouguysatAisha’spcetocelebrateChristmasEve.Weareallgatheredhereathisapartmentpnningtohaveourownallmaleholidaycelebration.”

    “Well,heisn’thereyet.Hiseyesarebad.Couldsomethinghavehappeohim?”

    “No,that’simpossible.Heknowsthisarealikethebackofhishandandcouldn’tpossiblygetintotrouble.”

    24

    “We’rejustafraidtheremighthavebeenanact.”

    “Anact?You’reafraidhemighthavehadanact?No,Idon’tthinkso,butforyourpeaindwewilllspreadoutandl

omething,butshekwhat.DornawasafraidAmaliawouldrememberandaskherfortheflyingbroom.BeforeleavingtheKingdomofDreams,shehadgivenittoDeanna.EveryonehadevacuatedtoWhiteFairy’ssmalltemplesecludedintheheartofthedenseforestwhichbecamethenewheadquarters.Thetribesandtheirnumerouspeoplewerescatteredoverseveralnearbymountainranges.Astheliaisonperson,Deannahadtowalklongdistaeveryoneintact,soDorheflyingbroomwithhertofacilitateherjob.TodistractAmalia,Dornaquietlyandsaidjokingly

    “Amalia,youareoldbutyouareveryhealthy.Wouldyouliketopyhide-and-seekwithme?”

    “Sure”theolddyrepliedenthusiasticallyawoofthemranaroundthefrontandbackyardspyingthegame.Shrieksofughtershowedtheywerehavingagoodtime.

    “Careful”cautionedAisha.“Don’tfallintotheswimmingpool!”

    “It’salright”saidYokoandShei.“Letherpy.Weareheretomakesuresheisalright.Wouldyouliketogoinandattendtoyourjobofthehostessoftheparty?”

    Thesuanddarknesscoveredtheearth.

    “Dorna,itisalreadydarkaingcold”saidShei.“Ithinkweshouldstoppyingandgoihefourofthemwalkedinsidewherethefirewasburningbrightlyandtheroomwastoastyandcozy.TheentigaromaoftastyfoodcausedAmalia’sstomableandshebeganshoutingforfood.

    “I’mhungry.Iwa.”

    “Someoftheguestshaven’tarrivedyet”saidYoko.“Let’swaitawhiletilleveryoneishereandwealleattogether.”

    “No.No.Iwanow.I’mhungry”criedAmaliastubbornly.

    24

    “It’salright”saidAishaleadingAmaliatothetableandpullingoutachairforher.“Let’snotstandonceremony.Ifsheishungrylethereatfirst.”YokoandSheiwentarouablechoosingthefoodAmalialikedandputtingthemohattheypcedbeforeher.Amaliaatoncebegaingandcalledforwine.Aishawentandgotabottleofagedredoureditintoagssforher.Theolddysatthereeatinganddrinkinghappily.ThebeautiesbecameawarethatAishawasnotallthereaobeworriedaboutsomething.

    “It’ste”shesaid.“Whyisn’tDimitrihereyet?”

    “WhenwebroughtAmaliaovertotheparty”saidYoko,“westoppedatDimitri’sapartmentwhichwasonourwaymeaningtogivehimaridehere.Buthisapartmentty.Wedon’tknowwherehewentto,sowecamehereourselves.”

    “HepromisedtoetothepartysowecouldallhaveChristmasdiogetherandcelebratetheholiday.Couldhehavegonebahisword?”

    “No,Idon’tthinkso”saidYoko.“Letmecallhisgoodfriendsandaskthem.Richard,Jamaz,Big-O,Mr.Kaffee,DwarfMidthatobnoxiousMr.Fingerarealwaystogether.ThedepthofDimitri’sfriendshipwiththemmayexceedthatofhisretionshipwithus.Theyshouldknowhiswhereabouts.I’lskthem.”Takingouthercellphoneshepunchedsomenumbersandstartedtalking.“Hello.IsthatRichard?’

    “Yes,thisisRichard.What’sup?”

    “DoyouknowwhereDimitriwent?”

    “No,Idon’t.IjustknowheishavingdihyouguysatAisha’spcetocelebrateChristmasEve.Weareallgatheredhereathisapartmentpnningtohaveourownallmaleholidaycelebration.”

    “Well,heisn’thereyet.Hiseyesarebad.Couldsomethinghavehappeohim?”

    “No,that’simpossible.Heknowsthisarealikethebackofhishandandcouldn’tpossiblygetintotrouble.”

    24

    “We’rejustafraidtheremighthavebeenanact.”

    “Anact?You’reafraidhemighthavehadanact?No,Idon’tthinkso,butforyourpeaindwewilllspreadoutandl