132
JUAN FRANCISCO BLANCO
“I doubt it. It would be a wild guess, at best. I am glad that
we have the portals. I just hope that they work as well getting us
back home as they did in transporting us here,” Tital said, pulling
off his Woolrich shirt.
“Why do you think we were chosen by these Spirits?” Bardala
said, turning over, hoping Tital could answer her tough questions.
She bit into a tart Meteor Cherry, and offered Tital some of the
bright red fruit.
“I have no clue as to why they chose us. We will have to ask
them later about that. You really never had a boyfriend?” Tital
inquired, as he looked for his clean pair of Columbia hiking shorts
for the next day, rooting around in his backpack.
“Nope, no boyfriend. I was always moving around with my
parents. With a scientist for a father, and a professional science
photographer for a mother, well… let’s say I am used to seeing a
lot of new places, so when would I have time to find myself a
boyfriend? I guess you have had several girlfriends though,
right?” Bardala pried gently, glancing at Tital while she reached
for the fired-clay cup of wine next to her bed.
“Well, there’s an old expression, a gentleman never tells,
when the subject of his past women comes up,” Tital said, trying
to dodge Bardala’s inquiry.
“Mister Big Secret,” Bardala said with a frown. “You probably
never had a girlfriend either.” Bardala knew that would pry the
truth from him, or so she thought.
“I had one…” Tital said, before thinking that maybe not so
naïve Bardala had tricked him.
“Go on,” she said, as she turned to face him. “What was her
name? She did have a name?” she slyly questioned, pushing him
to talk of his past while she ate some more juicy cherries.