Marco Domici: Keeping Secrets

"Scoot over, you." Tala said as she stepped over a snoring body and moved beside Jillia. She was in full battle gear, boots to gloves. Her lacar was strapped off and ready.

"Sure?" Jillia replied, raising an eyebrow. She was sitting with her back against a wall, eating a burger from a paper plate. A little grease drizzled on her chin. "I thought...you...would be...someplace else." She said quietly.

"Me too." Tala shrugged. "That smells good, by the way. Beats the can of something I had earlier."

"You're too young for this, child! Honest." Jillia picked up the burger and waved it in front of Tala. "One day you will be mature, like me. And be able to eat real food."

Tala looked up past and asked "What?" As Jillia looked Tala puller her burger laden hand close and took a big bite.

"Hey!" Jillia cried out.

"Mmmppbh..." Tala replied, smiling. Grease and sauce covered her chin. After a full minute of savory chewing, she added. "Any news?"

"None here. Team assignments, gear checks, and nap time. Recon guys are out and we should get good intel in a few more hours." She pointed at the body Tala had stepped over. "Someone knows how to get some shut-eye. Took all of three minutes to zonk out."

"Not bad." Tala looked around, and lowered her voice. "You sure he's asleep?"

The body gave a loud snore. "Think so." Replied Jillia. "That's been the routine for a while now." She looked at Tala. "So, what's news with you?"

Tala looked around at the others. A few were playing games of chance, most were sleeping. Rasmus was in one corner adding to his log of the day.

"Someone we know has, or at least had, a girlfriend back home." Tala whispered.

"Is that a serious has, or had? Or just a sort of has or had? And which is it, has or had?" Jillia whispered back. "I did feel kinda funny about it."

"Can you keep a secret?" Tala asked. Jillia nodded, but Tala asked again. "A real secret?"

Jillia looked at her friend, and slowly nodded. "For you, cross my heart and everything. Serious."

Tala hesitated, then whispered. "Someone we know was planning on getting married, not too long ago." Jillia's eyes went wide, but she remained quiet. "He got sent here right before he could ask. The thing is, this was the second time he was going to ask."

"Same girl? She turn him down the first time?" Jillia smirked.

Tala shook her head strongly, then went back to whispering. "First time, someone was on a missionary trip. He goes for a year, his girl gets knocked up by someone else, and he up and runs off to boot camp."

"Missionary? You mean like the Path or something?" Jillia's eyes were wide.

"Something like. But different. I don't know much about it." Tala looked around. "Here's the thing. He's not sure if the second girl will wait for him either. It'll be several months before they see each other, and she wasn't there at his going away."

Jillia thought for a bit. "So, should we press forward or not?"

"Dunno." Tala replied. "Where were you earlier? I sorta expected to have to share time."

Jillia blushed. "Uh...can you keep a secret?" Tala nodded, and grinned. "I've gone out with a few of the guys here. Nothing too serious, certainly no big questions being asked." She looked around. "It was kinda fun when we were on the trail because you and I could tease Marco unmercifully. I thought it was going to be fun here, too. We could share a new boyfriend and I could make my old ones jealous."

"What happened?" Tala asked.

Jillia turned completely red. "We're all gathered around, I'm showing off to some of the guys, and I see Marco heading our way. Then one of dad's old friends starts talking about me as a kid, when he would visit."

"Uh oh. That's never good."

"Right as Marco shows up this guy starts talking about how I would run around the woods with nothing but a diaper and a stick and act like I was hunting. I about died right there!"

Tala put her hand over her mouth and covered her laugh. Her torso shook for a full minute before she fell over. Her foot weakly tapped a couple times before the convulsions ceased.

Jillia slapped her on the rear. "Get up, you. Quit laughing."

Tala sat up, tears running all over her face. "Bang...bang..." She said, pointing her finger and starting to convulse again.

Jillia scowled and finished off her burger. She took a swig of cold coffee and made a face. "Nasty crap."

They sat in silence for several minutes. Finally, Jillia asked quietly. "So, why did he tell you all this? He confessing or trying to play for pity?"

Tala looked down. "No. It's...well..." She looked around. "Really, can you keep a secret?" The pain shone through her eyes.

Jillia nodded, and pulled the younger girl tight. "Anything for you."

Tala nodded, and said nothing. She just took off her right glove and gently rested her hand on the side of Jillia's throat.

"Whoa..."