Part 70: Secrets Part 1
The night had finally arrived at the beach. Mia was leaning back on her little makeshift bed, with her arms crossed behind her head. The sky above her was covered in stars. Even back home in her native town, in the open fields, she couldn’t see this many stars. It was a truly wonderful sight and she felt blessed to see it.
Seth was writing in his journal. He had his picture of his girlfriend Tanya in his mouth as he wrote. Mia turned to her right to see her friend Shanna. The red-head pulled out a bottle of skin cream and began to rub it into her arms. Seth paused in his writing, as he caught a whiff of the cream. “That smells like vanilla.” He mentioned.
“Ten points,” the red head congratulated him on stating the obvious.
“That is not a good idea to use a skin lotion that smells like that, Shanna. People might want to eat you.” He grinned.
“THAT . . .was not funny,” she pointed at him.
Seth held up his two fingers, “It was a LITTLE funny.”
“The only thing little around here is your-“
“GUYS!” Mia interrupted Shanna, “Please, you argue like a married couple.”
Seth and Shanna laughed as it was not the first time Mia had to play the “parent” of the group. The Lakota woman then leaned up and motioned for Shanna to toss the cream to her as well. As Mia put some of her arms and face, she looked back to her red-headed friend. “How is the sunbathing going?” she asked her.
“Terrible.” Shanna grunted, “That lotion I was using was not working.”
“Then why bother to sun bathe?” asked Seth.
“Why bother?” Shanna exhaled, “What the hell ELSE am I gonna do around here?”
The three friends gave each a round of laughter at Shanna over the fact that it’s difficult for a red-head to sunbathe. Then Shanna stopped laughing as she looked into the distance. Mia and Seth turned around to see what she was looking at. Brendon gently came over the horizon, holding his sword in one hand. He walked up to them and slowly sat down cross-legged. “Forgive me for taking so long,” he smiled, “Sometimes when you meditate, the hours seem to slip by.”
“Brendon, “ Mia leaned over, placing her hand on his leg, “Earlier, I was just trying to determine the meaning of my dream. I shouldn’t have forced the issue. Its really none of my business.”
Brendon sighed, smiling, “Most of what you say is true, but I think you respect me enough to determine who I will to bare my dishonor too.”
“Of course,” she blushed.
“Dude, why do you keep talking about dishonor?” Seth put his photo back in the journal and closed it, “I can’t even freaking imagine what you might do that would be dishonorable.”
“I appreciate your sentiments, my friend. But you’ve only know me for 11 days. You don’t know the full story.” The Asian whispered.
“Well, personally, I consider myself a good judge of character. I think you’re a pretty honorable guy.” Seth patted him on the arm.
“And you . .are perhaps the truest friend I have ever known.” Brendon replied.
Seth looked at him for saying such a thing. Even a bold statement like that made Mia and Shanna look twice as well. The young man smirked and shook Brendon’s hand. “Dude, you are the best. That is the best damn compliment anybody has ever said to me.”
“Brendon, really,” Mia continued, “You don’t have to tell us your secret.”
“No, Mia. I must. It’s a burden that had clouded my heart for too long. Perhaps some of the pain and weight will be lifted if I tell you what happened to my life.” The Asian man sighed.
“If you think you’ll feel better then,” Mia said, not wanting to argue.
“But there is a price for my secret. And perhaps through our discussion tonight, our friendship will be permanent and last well beyond the confines of this island.”
“What price?” Shanna raised an eyebrow.
“For me telling you my secret, I want to hear one of yours.” Brendon smiled.
The group paused at what he suggested. Seth just smirked, and his Asian friend playfully hit him on the arm, knowing full well he already had something planned to tell him. Mia just smiled at the idea. Shanna leaned back down, twirling her hair in her hands. “What kind of secret?” she asked.
“Whatever you wish to reveal.” Brendon smiled.
“Oh, c’mon, Shanna,” Mia grinned, “Isn’t there something you wish to get off your chest?”
“Well . .Brendon’s sounds severe. I don’t think I’ll have anything to top it.” The red-head confessed.
“Whether your secret outweighs mine is unimportant, “ Brendon pointed out, “This is a mere bonding of friends. I trust each and every one of you. Whatever you wish to reveal is up to you.”
Shanna smiled at her friend trying to make her feel more comfortable. She leaned back up, with a smile on her face. “I do trust you guys.” Shanna replied.
“Then I’ll start,” Mia clapped her hands, “When I was 13 my grandmother died. I was very close to her. She practically raised me. She taught me a lot of things. But what most people didn’t know about her, was that she had a severe knack for saving money.”
“Most grandmothers do.” Seth smiled.
“Anyway, when she passed on, my Uncle Freddie came looking for the key to her safety deposit box. She was in the ground two days, and he wanted her savings. He accused me of taking it and hiding it. He even slapped me around, trying to force me to tell him where I kept it.”
“No kidding?” Shanna gasped.
“Yeah. But what he didn’t know and what no one else knew, was that during her funeral, I placed the key in my grandma’s hand before they buried her.” Mia said proudly.
“WHOO!” Seth cheered, “Good one, Mia.”
“But Mia . .don’t you think your grandma would have wanted you to have whatever is in that safety deposit box?” Shanna asked.
“Doesn’t matter. I won’t let her savings be misused by my Uncle. If he wants what is there, he’ll have to dig her up. I don’t think he’s vile enough.”
“Good job, Mia,” Brendon patted her on the shoulder.
The Asian then turned to his red-headed friend. “Shanna?” he asked, signaling it was her turn.
Shanna crossed her legs to face her friends. She smiled, looking slightly shy. “Maybe you’re right, Mia,” she said, small tears forming in her eyes, “Maybe I’ll feel better if I get it off my chest.”
“Go on, Shanna.” The Lakota girl encouraged her,” It’s okay. We won’t think differently of you.”
“I hope not,” she said, rubbing off her silent tear, “Back home, my father is a proud man. I’ve done nothing but seek his approval, even helping him out to run his pharmacy. But if he knew this about me, I am afraid he would disown me.”
No one said anything. They waited for her to regain her strength to continue.
“Back home, I have an on/off relationship with a guy named Josh. Very loving, very patient. But I also have a secret love,” she said, “Her name is Rebecca.”
“Rebecca?” Seth blinked.
“Shanna,” Mia leaned over, taking her hand, “You’re bisexual?”
“Yes, “ she started to cry, “I’ve tried . . .to be straight but when I met Rebecca, she offered me something. A tenderness I couldn’t find anywhere else. We’ve always met in secrets and one time someone at the town knew what we were doing. He called me a bull-dyke in front of my friend and Josh attacked him. I never . . .I never told him why that horrible person called me that.”
“Shanna, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.” The Lakota girl comforted her.
“Easy for you to say. You don’t live a rural, backwater town with outdated values. If my dad knew what I did with Rebecca, he’ll probably kill me.” She wiped her tears.
“If your father truly loved you, he’d accept you for who you are,” Seth pointed out, “If that means you are bisexual, so be it.”
“Indeed. You are the person that you have always been,” Brendon whispered, “Whether you choose to love Josh or Rebecca or both of them, is no one else’s concern but your own.”
Mia then leaned over and embraced her. Shanna cried on her shoulder, letting it out. The Lakota girl could tell she had held onto this pain for quite some time. It also made the red-head feel better knowing she didn’t feel disgusted enough to touch her. As they parted, Shanna smiled as she wiped away her tears. “You’re right, “ she slightly giggled, “I do feel better.”
As they parted, then the three friends looked to Seth. He just simply smirked at their gaze.
Seth was writing in his journal. He had his picture of his girlfriend Tanya in his mouth as he wrote. Mia turned to her right to see her friend Shanna. The red-head pulled out a bottle of skin cream and began to rub it into her arms. Seth paused in his writing, as he caught a whiff of the cream. “That smells like vanilla.” He mentioned.
“Ten points,” the red head congratulated him on stating the obvious.
“That is not a good idea to use a skin lotion that smells like that, Shanna. People might want to eat you.” He grinned.
“THAT . . .was not funny,” she pointed at him.
Seth held up his two fingers, “It was a LITTLE funny.”
“The only thing little around here is your-“
“GUYS!” Mia interrupted Shanna, “Please, you argue like a married couple.”
Seth and Shanna laughed as it was not the first time Mia had to play the “parent” of the group. The Lakota woman then leaned up and motioned for Shanna to toss the cream to her as well. As Mia put some of her arms and face, she looked back to her red-headed friend. “How is the sunbathing going?” she asked her.
“Terrible.” Shanna grunted, “That lotion I was using was not working.”
“Then why bother to sun bathe?” asked Seth.
“Why bother?” Shanna exhaled, “What the hell ELSE am I gonna do around here?”
The three friends gave each a round of laughter at Shanna over the fact that it’s difficult for a red-head to sunbathe. Then Shanna stopped laughing as she looked into the distance. Mia and Seth turned around to see what she was looking at. Brendon gently came over the horizon, holding his sword in one hand. He walked up to them and slowly sat down cross-legged. “Forgive me for taking so long,” he smiled, “Sometimes when you meditate, the hours seem to slip by.”
“Brendon, “ Mia leaned over, placing her hand on his leg, “Earlier, I was just trying to determine the meaning of my dream. I shouldn’t have forced the issue. Its really none of my business.”
Brendon sighed, smiling, “Most of what you say is true, but I think you respect me enough to determine who I will to bare my dishonor too.”
“Of course,” she blushed.
“Dude, why do you keep talking about dishonor?” Seth put his photo back in the journal and closed it, “I can’t even freaking imagine what you might do that would be dishonorable.”
“I appreciate your sentiments, my friend. But you’ve only know me for 11 days. You don’t know the full story.” The Asian whispered.
“Well, personally, I consider myself a good judge of character. I think you’re a pretty honorable guy.” Seth patted him on the arm.
“And you . .are perhaps the truest friend I have ever known.” Brendon replied.
Seth looked at him for saying such a thing. Even a bold statement like that made Mia and Shanna look twice as well. The young man smirked and shook Brendon’s hand. “Dude, you are the best. That is the best damn compliment anybody has ever said to me.”
“Brendon, really,” Mia continued, “You don’t have to tell us your secret.”
“No, Mia. I must. It’s a burden that had clouded my heart for too long. Perhaps some of the pain and weight will be lifted if I tell you what happened to my life.” The Asian man sighed.
“If you think you’ll feel better then,” Mia said, not wanting to argue.
“But there is a price for my secret. And perhaps through our discussion tonight, our friendship will be permanent and last well beyond the confines of this island.”
“What price?” Shanna raised an eyebrow.
“For me telling you my secret, I want to hear one of yours.” Brendon smiled.
The group paused at what he suggested. Seth just smirked, and his Asian friend playfully hit him on the arm, knowing full well he already had something planned to tell him. Mia just smiled at the idea. Shanna leaned back down, twirling her hair in her hands. “What kind of secret?” she asked.
“Whatever you wish to reveal.” Brendon smiled.
“Oh, c’mon, Shanna,” Mia grinned, “Isn’t there something you wish to get off your chest?”
“Well . .Brendon’s sounds severe. I don’t think I’ll have anything to top it.” The red-head confessed.
“Whether your secret outweighs mine is unimportant, “ Brendon pointed out, “This is a mere bonding of friends. I trust each and every one of you. Whatever you wish to reveal is up to you.”
Shanna smiled at her friend trying to make her feel more comfortable. She leaned back up, with a smile on her face. “I do trust you guys.” Shanna replied.
“Then I’ll start,” Mia clapped her hands, “When I was 13 my grandmother died. I was very close to her. She practically raised me. She taught me a lot of things. But what most people didn’t know about her, was that she had a severe knack for saving money.”
“Most grandmothers do.” Seth smiled.
“Anyway, when she passed on, my Uncle Freddie came looking for the key to her safety deposit box. She was in the ground two days, and he wanted her savings. He accused me of taking it and hiding it. He even slapped me around, trying to force me to tell him where I kept it.”
“No kidding?” Shanna gasped.
“Yeah. But what he didn’t know and what no one else knew, was that during her funeral, I placed the key in my grandma’s hand before they buried her.” Mia said proudly.
“WHOO!” Seth cheered, “Good one, Mia.”
“But Mia . .don’t you think your grandma would have wanted you to have whatever is in that safety deposit box?” Shanna asked.
“Doesn’t matter. I won’t let her savings be misused by my Uncle. If he wants what is there, he’ll have to dig her up. I don’t think he’s vile enough.”
“Good job, Mia,” Brendon patted her on the shoulder.
The Asian then turned to his red-headed friend. “Shanna?” he asked, signaling it was her turn.
Shanna crossed her legs to face her friends. She smiled, looking slightly shy. “Maybe you’re right, Mia,” she said, small tears forming in her eyes, “Maybe I’ll feel better if I get it off my chest.”
“Go on, Shanna.” The Lakota girl encouraged her,” It’s okay. We won’t think differently of you.”
“I hope not,” she said, rubbing off her silent tear, “Back home, my father is a proud man. I’ve done nothing but seek his approval, even helping him out to run his pharmacy. But if he knew this about me, I am afraid he would disown me.”
No one said anything. They waited for her to regain her strength to continue.
“Back home, I have an on/off relationship with a guy named Josh. Very loving, very patient. But I also have a secret love,” she said, “Her name is Rebecca.”
“Rebecca?” Seth blinked.
“Shanna,” Mia leaned over, taking her hand, “You’re bisexual?”
“Yes, “ she started to cry, “I’ve tried . . .to be straight but when I met Rebecca, she offered me something. A tenderness I couldn’t find anywhere else. We’ve always met in secrets and one time someone at the town knew what we were doing. He called me a bull-dyke in front of my friend and Josh attacked him. I never . . .I never told him why that horrible person called me that.”
“Shanna, it’s nothing to be ashamed of.” The Lakota girl comforted her.
“Easy for you to say. You don’t live a rural, backwater town with outdated values. If my dad knew what I did with Rebecca, he’ll probably kill me.” She wiped her tears.
“If your father truly loved you, he’d accept you for who you are,” Seth pointed out, “If that means you are bisexual, so be it.”
“Indeed. You are the person that you have always been,” Brendon whispered, “Whether you choose to love Josh or Rebecca or both of them, is no one else’s concern but your own.”
Mia then leaned over and embraced her. Shanna cried on her shoulder, letting it out. The Lakota girl could tell she had held onto this pain for quite some time. It also made the red-head feel better knowing she didn’t feel disgusted enough to touch her. As they parted, Shanna smiled as she wiped away her tears. “You’re right, “ she slightly giggled, “I do feel better.”
As they parted, then the three friends looked to Seth. He just simply smirked at their gaze.
posted by Jason | 2:34 PM
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