Secret Sister Signs

1955: The Sweet Taste of Victory

"The sun is setting!" Lucy pointed to the sky.

Marcos nodded and helped her over another log. "Thanks for the commentary, Luc," he rolled his eyes.

She scowled. "I'm just saying we should have been there already. You got us lost! Admit it!"

"Will not, c'uz we're not lost," he huffed. "It's just taking some time to get around c'uz we don't have horses -"

"We're lost!" She snapped.

"We're not lost." He repeated. "Look, I learned a few things while I was -"

"In the Air Force." She rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprise? Tell me, Mr. Done-Everything, I'm-The-Air-Force, were you there on D-Day?"

"As a matter of fact -"

"Ugh, can you just be quiet for five minutes straight? I've heard enough fun facts!" And Lily and Bethany had their nerve to say that she was a know-it-all. I can't be this annoying, right?

He chuckled. "Y'know I think Sierra Leone has made you pluckier than ever. It's fun though, I think it." He smiled dashingly.

She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes as she looked him over. If the trip had changed him at all, it was only that now he had a darker tan that looked magnificent with his honey golden brown hair and somehow made his already bright green eyes seem to glow. If anything, he looked even more movie-star handsome than ever. She suddenly realized he was still holding her hand.

She anxiously pulled away from him so quickly she lost her balance and wobbled backwards. She toppled over the log and landed in a puddle of mud. "Are you...kidding me?!" She shrieked, just when she thought the day couldn't have gotten any more uncomfortable.

Marcos smirked and knelt beside her. "This must surely be embarrassing for you. What oh what will the proper folks think when you show up with mud on your britches?"

She sniffed disdainfully. "Yes, I imagine I look like a sight. Go head. Laugh it up." She struggled to keep her embarrassment at bay. She was already queasy, flushed, sweaty and her stomach had been growling frightfully so the last thing she wanted was for Gemlings to see her cry on top of all that. She may not have had any dignity left but she thought she'd cling to her composer till the death of her. She calmly wiped at her eyes.

"Hey, I wouldn't worry about it," he smiled reassuringly. "Now c'mon. Once more. Up we go, solider," he grabbed her hands and tugged her to her feet effortlessly.

Lucy was still a little shaky on her legs, so she let him hold onto her hand for a moment. As they were walking, she began noticing fireflies stirring. They were few and far in-between but when the last of the blazing red sun rays faded into the depths of the inky shadows, the whole jungle was alight with the little fire bugs. Their glow was as soothing and tranquil as candles. They fluttered through the night sky and dark jungle as if they were small pieces of fallen stars.

"So lovely..." she breathed and tried to take in everything at once; how the trees, flowers, bushes, the grass on the ground, the rocks and the nearby bubbling brook were all glowing with bewitching golden light. Everything was sparkling and dazzling, she came to a halt to keep everything in her sight for a moment. She smiled with enchantment. "This is absolutely beautiful..."

"It sure is," Marcos said softly as he looked around, then smiled slowly with amazement as he gazed at her. "God, you're really beautiful, Lucy. I -"

"Did you hear that?" She said suddenly, looking around, trying to stare beyond the beauty of the fireflies.

He quickly shook his head. "No, but look, I was wondering -"

"I heard it again!" Lucy grabbed his hand. "C'mon, it's this way!" She pointed and hurried along.

"What is?" He followed her once more.

"It was a goat! I'd know their little cry anywhere." She admitted.

"Really? Goat-whisper now, are we?"

Lucy softly chuckled. "Alright, yes, it sounds strange. But I milked goats day in and night out on my uncle's farm. Anyway, that goat I just heard. It has to be in the village. Oh, we must be close!" She excitedly tugged him along as she hurried along.

"You milked goats? I never would have guessed that."

"It seems like we learn something new about each other every day," she smiled but then she beamed when they emerged through the trees. 

Below the ledge they were on was the village they had been searching for. It was truly beautiful, cradled in a huge gorge with a thick layer of floral trees surrounding it protectively, and it was surrounded by roaring waterfalls. Streams branched off around the perimeter in a network of dazzling patterns, torches illuminated the bridges over the streams that led to and from the village. "At last! Oh, we did it!" She exclaimed excitedly. She had never been so happy before! She had traveled across the ocean, survived hyenas, elephants, leopards, lions, a jungle and had finally found Lily! Lily was here, she had to be! 

"Yes!" She cheered. "I did it! Oh Marcos, I can't remember being so happy! I survived the wild and now at last, I've made it to the end!" She turned to him quickly. "Thank you, of course. I couldn't have done this without you," she blushed and absently stroked her hair.

He smiled and nodded. "Yeah, sure. Anything, Lucy. Really...I mean it," his tone was more serious but still as affectionate as ever as he added, "anything for you. Hell, I've had more fun these past few weeks with you than a whole lifetime without you."

Lucy's heart fluttered unexpectedly. Was it only the mystic firelight from the lightning bugs or the adrenaline rush that was making her heart dance? There was just something about everything in that moment that made her feel weightless, emboldened and lost in awe. It was a feeling she'd never had the pleasure of experiencing before, but it was one she yearned to prolong, if only for a few minutes more. "Perhaps I was wrong about you," she breathed, searching his face with her pale blue eyes.

"Did you just...admit to being wrong?" He smiled more with amazement and slowly stepped closer.

"No, I didn't," her dimples deepened when she smiled. "I said perhaps. I didn't state anything. But while on the subject..." she trailed off as she watched him carefully lift his hand to delicately caress her jaw. Goosebumps unexpectedly flourished across her skin. "You have managed to surprise me, Marcos."

"I'm full of surprises," he tenderly stroked her face with both hands.

Her heart raced more vigorously; her stomach felt alive with butterflies as she put her hands over his. She pushed herself up to her toes and met his lips with hers. He gently kissed her back, cupping his hands under her jaw. It was so beautiful, it was dizzyingly. She nearly felt light-headed and leaned more against him for balance. Warmth spread through her like a sweet fever as he wrapped his arms around her, tipping her head back as he kissed her more intensely.

The emotion that was washing over her was as frightening as it was addicting and was something she never could have predicted feeling before. She couldn't remember a time when she felt so liberated. She slid her hands down his arms and turned her head in time with his as he deepened their kiss, her heart felt like it was swelling to the bursting point with dazzling new emotions. It was almost too much to process.

Lucy quickly leaned back, struggling to calmly catch her breath and fought the urge to shiver in his warm embrace. She stroked his arms around her again before she slowly pulled away. She licked her lips before shakily touching them with her fingertips. A blush was creeping up her neck and tinged her cheeks cerise. He took a step closer, but Lucy quickly retreated more. She briefly met his gaze; his eyes were resplendent with desire. She smiled a bit despite herself but quickly shook her head and anxiously hurried away, carefully picking her way down the slopes to the village.

"Are you coming, Mr. Gemlings?" She called, determined not to look at him again. Her mind was racing with riddles she didn't understand. He made her feel things that were too impossible to fathom, and another puzzle was the last thing she needed when she was so close to solving the one at hand.