The first four chapters revealed a little bit about the Mirabel sisters: Dede, Minerva, Maria, and Patria. The following four chapters, four through eight, each dedicate another chapter to each unique and individual sister. Throughout these four chapters, our profile of each sister gets richer, and a few more characters come into play.

Dede resumes her interview session with the American/Dominican woman. Before she begins recounting, the direction it takes is because of the presence of Minerva’s daughter. The story progresses like such: Minou talks to> Fela conjures Minerva who says > Virgilio Morales is alive. This is where the story picks up.

1948- Fate throws this political dissident Lio toward the Mirabel sisters via their cousin and future husband of Dede, Jaimito. Their (Jaimito and friends) impression of him says it all, “They were split between admiration and wariness of his dangerous presence among them.” Jaimito even squabbles with Lio and accuses him of “exposing us all.”

Lio stands firm by his resolve and reveals a little bit about himself by replying, “If I leave my country, it’s only to continue the struggle. We can’t let Chapita kill us all.” After the topic of conversation goes here, fear takes over and breaks up the party. Afterwards, Dede reveals, “She had never known an enemy of the state before. She had assumed such people would be self-serving and wicked, low-class criminals.” Until now, Minerva is the only one with political ideations. Perhaps Dede’s mind/fate has changed? Eventually, Lio must leave, and before he does, he requests Minerva to join him.

1949- The story picks up with Minerva. Again, it’s about Lio. She says, “When I met Lio, it was as if I woke up.” The two meeting was as perfect as two peas in a pod. The day of the Discovery Day Dance turns everything upside down. Minerva slaps Trujillo after he acts inappropriately while dancing with her. She also lies to him and denies knowing Lio. They manage to leave and go home. Eventually, Papa is picked up and brought in for questioning. He is gone too long. Mama and Minerva set out to the capitol to find him. Here they find Papa and they make formal apologies to Trujillo.

1953-1958- Maria Teresa chapter consists of more diary entries. Earliest ones tell of Papa’s death and funeral. Maria takes on the voice of the younger sister once again, along with her admiration of Minerva. She remarks, “ I don’t like this kind of thinking like Minerva likes, It makes my asthma worse. I want to know things I don’t even know what they are. But I could be happy without answers if I had someone to love.” This statement reveals an honest simplicity in Maria. > Always all about Minerva > meet Manolo >goes to capitol to study law> Maria follows> Minerva get law degree BUT no license to practice> Mariposa #2 goes underground

1959- Patria’s quotes that reveal: (Very critical of her sisters)

“Build your house upon a rock, He said, do my will. I had built my house on solid rock, all right.”

“My sisters were so different! They built their homes on sand and called the slip and slide adventure.”

"Minerva lived in a little nothing house - or so Mate had described it to me - in that Godforsaken town of Monte Cristi. It's a wonder her babies didn't both die of infections."

"Mate and Leandro had already had two different addresses in a year of marriage. Renters, they called themselves, the city word for the squatters we pity here in the country."