A Corpse for Cuamantla Read Online Free

spectacle ended only when Pedro convinced his wife to return to the house to settle their differences in private. Throughout the ordeal, María sat at the battered kitchen table in rigid and stony silence. Once the squabbling couple disappeared from view she herded her children into the car and drove off.
    No one knew exactly where she went, but María's absence would mean extra work and responsibility for everyone in the room, including Miguel. The impact of this realization sobered the group faster than Rosa's strong black coffee. A poorly managed fiesta would upset the villagers, creating a domino effect that could hinder teachers' working conditions into the next school year. Unhappy villagers would complain to the education bureaucrats in Tlaxcala, who would vent their irritation on the union leaders, who would in turn retaliate against the teachers. A serious situation indeed, moderated only by the dose of levity everyone enjoyed at Pedro's expense. The Battle of Puebla quip alone would enliven conversations for the rest of the school year. Well worth the price for everyone except of course, Pedro and María.
     

Chapter 4
     
    D o you think María will return for the fiesta?" Anna asked, as she and Miguel left Rosa's kitchen together and crossed the street to the school. The events at breakfast had relegated the theft of the Cédula to the back of Anna's mind and she forgot for the moment about phoning Art Fortin.
    "Of course, she'll return."
    "If I were her, I wouldn’t.” The level of embarrassment María suffered was more than most people could bear, Anna thought. If she were María, she'd hide out for the rest of the day and nurse her hurt feelings in isolation.
    Miguel’s attention was elsewhere. "Maestra, look. " He pointed to the father and daughter crossing the zócalo. "Here comes the fiesta queen."
    The little girl, a first grad er in Miguel's afternoon school wore a long white taffeta gown. She held tightly to the hand of her influential father, an important official in the barrio of Cuaxpo. Later in the day he would host a dinner for anyone of status within the village. The guest list could number over a hundred and this year included Anna, who had followed the selection of the fiesta queen with interest. Prominent in the negotiations was the new laptop computer Miguel extracted from the girl's obliging father. More evidence of Miguel's political finesse considering he desperately needed a laptop for his graduate classes at the University of Tlaxcala. When Anna complimented him on his ingenuity, he quickly explained how the computer would benefit the school and increase student learning.
    "Don't you agree, Maestra?" he ’d asked during their daily English lesson, an earnest expression accenting the lines of his handsome face. Anna grinned at his response, which brought a knowing smile to Miguel's lips. He winked at her, which made her blush and twist her ponytail, a nervous habit she’d retained from her high school days.
    Their noontime English lessons had led to their growing if competitive friendship. Anna used the opportunity to ask probing questions about the school and community. Miguel used the time to flirt with Anna. He could be unpredictable and cocky, but his sincerity was a trait she appreciated. Sometimes when they were alone together she felt as awkward as a teenager, a phenomenon she attributed to his dark good looks. She probably paid too much attention to his looks. Not that she was attracted to him. Well, maybe a little. Nothing serious.
    "Time to check on our fiesta preparations," Miguel said, returning to Director mode. He headed into the school leaving Anna to wander the plaza filming the chaotic preparations.
    §
    S moke rose from the food stalls around the plaza, and despite her substantial breakfast Anna's mouth watered at the savory scents wafting across the square. She concentrated on her filming, focusing her camera on parents arriving at the school with costumes for their