In the Light of the Fading Sun Part I

Posted on Wed Feb 1st, 2023 @ 2:39am by President Tomás Garcia Cardoso

Mission: September, 2022
Location: Rio de Jinero
Timeline: Date 2022-09-03 at 1815

The roar of the crowd echoed over the back of the stage, but died down as Leonel’s powerful voice called their attention aided by a microphone. Invisible to the crowd was Tomás and Mariana seated in an open backstage area in comfortable chairs. Two other sat with them. The man, a handsome middle-aged man, was Tom’s running mate and, should they win, the next Vice President of Brazil. The woman was his wife.

Ernesto and Inez Dias were an attractive couple, and they shared a charm together that made them quite entertaining to be around. They joked and laughed with the best of them, so they made quick friends with the Cardoso family. Their nine year old daughter, Elisa, was seated with the Cardoso kids in a VIP section in the crowd.

“To think, soon my only job will be to stand behind you and stay alive.” Ernesto said, looking at Tom with a grin. “Do you think the Senate will miss me?”

“You’ll be working in the Senate every day, Nesto. I’m not having you sit back on a lounge chair praying for my death.” Tom responded, waving a pen at his friend and returning a toothy grin.

“Oh, never. I have much better things to pray for.” He responded in a gruff voice.

“Yes, like finally making something of your life?”

“Tommy, go easy on him. He has a frail ego.” Mariana said with a devious joking expression. The three of them loved to jab at each other, but Inez seldom joined in on that fun. She thought it was funny, but just never seemed to know what to say to add to the witty repartee. Ernesto looked in her direction and gestured toward Mariana.

“Tell the lady she has no idea what she’s talking about.”

“Mariana, you have no idea what you're talking about.” She said, probing eye contact selling the robot act she was doing by only repeating his words. It was a running joke between them, and all four of them burst out into laughter.

“You know, Inez is looking forward to my election.” Ernesto said, placing a hand on his wife’s leg.

“Yes, he’ll be done with so much of that work. I’m hoping to get a spare half hour with him now in a daily basis.” Inez said.

“And I have the opposite problem.” Mariana said, picking up her bottled water and taking a drink from it. “Tommy is going to be stuck at Planalto much longer than I want. I’ll be lucky if he even remembers we exist once he gets his hands on all that power.”

“I’ll be home for dinner, at least.” Tomás said, placing a hand on his own wife’s leg. She had always been extremely fit and spent daily time perfecting her body. Her legs were toned under her silver dress.

As the four of them continued to talk to each other, the sound of Leonel’s voice echoed in the background along with the natural noises of a massive crowd they couldn’t see. As his speeches wound down, Ernesto and Inez stood up, preparing for their exit and his turn at the microphone.

“God bless you, Ernesto.” Tom said, watching his running mate approaching the door. “You’ll need it, I’d wager.”

“I always do.” The man said in response.

“And now it is my pleasure to introduce our next speaker, your next Vice President and Second Lady, Senator Ernesto and Mrs. Dias.” Leonel’s voice boomed.

As soon as the introduction was finished, Ernesto and Inez walked out onto the stage to the roar of the crowd. They smiled brightly and waved, of course. He wore a brown suit with a red tie and she wore a formal silk dress. They said their thank yous before Inez kissed him and walked off of the stage to join her daughter and the Cardoso children in the audience. Ernesto walked up to the large podium right at the front of the stage bearing a sign which read “Cardoso-Dias for the Common Good”, the name of their governing coalition in congress, should they win. The crowd began a collective should of the phrase “We want God!”, pumping their fists in the air.

“Thank you, my brothers and sisters. It’s so good to speak with you this evening as the sun sets over Rio de Janeiro. I would like to thank all of you for your tremendous support of our political movement in the streets, in the churches, at the ballot boxes, and in your own homes and workplaces. We believe, truly, in bringing justice back to the government, curbing corruption in the state, and establishing liberty in all things except in evil and those who do it. As Vice President, I will stand behind President Cardoso, working with him to restore Brazil to its rightful place as a Catholic nation. I would like to thank Tomas Garcia Cardoso for believing in me and selecting me as his running mate, and of course, I would like to thank my wife Inez and my daughter Elisa. Their support has been incredibly valuable to me as we mount this campaign.”

TBC