*********************************** 
        One, two, three… "Someone pick up the phone!" he muttered. "Pick up, pick up, pick up pick---um, hello?" 
        A grouchy voice answered. "Hello?" 
        "Um, hello, may I please speak to Marron?  Please?" 
        "Trunks?" 
        "MARRON? 
        "Yes. Why'd you--" 
        "Is that REALLY you?" 
        "Yes…" 
        "It's REALLY, REALLY you?" 
        "YES, IT'S REALLY, REALLY ME!" she yelled.  
        "But what's wrong with your voice?" 
        "I've got a terrible cold, okay?  Now why'd you call me?" 
        "Oh, I see!  I thought you had some old lady living with you!" 
        "Very funny, Trunks." 
        "Um, but anyway, the reason I called is because Bra is…well, I don't know what, but there's something wrong with her."  
        "Oh?  L-like h-how?" she stammered. 
        "Well, she's been really upset lately…do you know why?  I figured she'd've told you, seeing as you're 
best friends and all." 
        Marron struggled for an answer.  What could she say?  She had to say something!  But she couldn't tell Bra's secret, but she couldn't lie about it…she's a horrible liar!  She wanted to hang up the phone, but that would just be dumb, and he'd call back besides. 
        "Marron?" 
        "Um…YES!  I mean, NO!  NO, no, no, no-no, I know nothing!" She smacked herself on the forehead.  Real smooth, she told herself. 
        "Are you sure?" Trunks asked. 
        "Uh…uh-huh.  Yes.   Absolutely positive." She squeezed her eyes, hoping he'd buy it. 
        "Really." He sounded skeptical. 
        "Yes, Trunks, really." 
        "And you don't know anything about her, huh?" 
        "That's right!" 
        "Really?" 
        "BY DENDE, TRUNKS!  How many times do I have to say it?" 
        "I'll keep asking until you tell me the truth.  Are you telling me the truth, missy?" 
        "Uh…sort of?" 
        " 'Sort of'?  How do you 'sort of' tell the truth?" 
        She didn't answer. 
        "What are you hiding from me?" 
        "OKAY, OKAY! I KNOW EVERYTHING!  THERE, HAPPY?" 
        "Bingo!" He laughed. "You're not very good at keeping secrets, you know." 
        "Yes, I do." 
        "So what's bothering her?" 
        She sounded horrified. "I can't tell you over the phone!" 
        "Why?" 
        "Why?  Why?  Because…because…BECAUSE!" 
        "What do you mean?" 
        Marron sighed. "Okay, look , how about we meet for lunch and I'll tell you everything then." 
        "Sure!  That'll be great!" 
        "Yeah, great," Marron muttered, then, "AH…AHCHOO!" 
        "Um, remind me to bring you some of the medicine my mother made." 
        "Trunks, remember to bring some of the medicine your mother made." 
        "Thank you!  I'll pick you up at noon, how's that?" 
        "Good." 
        "Okay, see ya!" 
        Marron slowly hung up the phone.  Oh, Dende help her, what was she going to TELL him?  The truth?  How could she?  But how could she not?  "Achiii!" She sniffed a couple more times and headed for her room. 

*******
        "Well, Trunks, I have something to tell you," Marron said nervously as she watched Trunks finish his lunch. 
        "I know." 
        "But for the safety of the people in here, let's go outside." 
        "Huh?  Safety?" 
        "Just in case, okay?"  
        "Just in case of what?" 
        "Just in case…youfreakoutandkillsomepeople…can we just go now?" She stood up anxiously. 
        "Um, okay, okay!  Hold on!" He finished his last glass or orange juice and called for a waiter to bring them a check.  After he paid it, they walked outside and headed for the nearby park. 

*********************************** 
        Trunks sat on a bench, tapping his foot, waiting for Marron to speak up.  For the past five minutes, all she had done was walk around and sweat. 
        "Well?" he finally asked. 
        Marron stood still and faced Trunks. "Well…" She gulped. "Bra was upset because she's having a very big 
problem…" 
        "I know, I can see that.   But what's the problem?" 
        "Oh, Dende, you're too curious," she moaned. 
        "Of course I am!  This is my sister, for Dende's sake!" 
        "Okay, okay.  I know, I'm sorry." She sat beside Trunks. "But it's really hard for me to tell you what Bra trusted me not to tell anyone else." 
        "Don't worry.  She won't hate you." 
        "I hope not." Marron sighed. "Well, Bra, your sister, is having love-life problems." 
        "What?  Was she dumped by someone?" 
        "No." 
        "Is she involved in a love triangle?" 
        "Nope." 
        "Oh, Dende." Trunks paled. "I know what it is!" 
        "What?" 
        "She's PREGNANT!" 
        "NO!" Marron yelled. "Bad guess, awful guess, terrible, terrible guess!" 
        "Then…what is it?"  
         Oh Dende please help me… "Okay." She took a deep breath. "The love of her life was actually leaving her for another woman.  But this guy didn't know that Bra liked him so much." 
        "Do I know this guy?" 
        "Um, well, yes." 
        "I do?  Who is it?" 
        She lowered her head and whispered a name. 
        "What? I couldn't hear you." 
        "Goten…" 
        "Botan?" 
        "Goten!  GOTEN, GOTEN, GOTEN, GOTEN!" she yelled angrily and then looked at Trunks with wide eyes. 

        Silence. 

        Then, "WHAT?" He stood up. "THAT CAN'T BE!" 
        People all around there staring at them. 
        "Shh, not so loud.  Now, Trunks, cool down…" 
        "Th…this is crazy!  My sister and GOTEN?   SINCE WHEN?" 
        "Since…I don't know when.  She's been keeping this to herself for a while now, though…" 
        "I need some fresh air." 
        "We got all we want." She frowned. "Trunks, don't get mad at Bra-chan…" 
        "I'm not!  I'm just…stunned!  Perplexed!  Nonplussed!" He touched his forehead. "I think my fever's coming back…" 
        "She was devastated when Goten proposed to Paris, you see," Marron explained. 
        "But they're not getting married." 
        "Does she know that? 
        "Oh.  I guess not." 
        "Poor girl.  She was so broken-hearted." 
        "So is Goten." 
        They both sighed. 
        "You know what, Trunks, I've figured out a way to get them together!" 
        "WHAT?  NO WAY!" 
        "Why not?" 
        "Well, firstly, I'll get sick if I ever see them go on a date and then there's my dad, who will get sick and kill everyone in sight if he found out and then we'll both get sick when they finally get married."  
        "That's NONSENSE!" 
        "Besides, he's WAY too old for her!  He's twenty-seven and she's sixteen!  Eleven years!  Eleven years apart!" 
        "Trunks!" Marron looked at him solemnly. "I'm just trying to help your sister.  To make her happy.  Is 
that so hard for you to accept?" 
        "Yes!  Well…maybe not…Okay, okay.  But do you think Goten would…you know." Trunks shuddered 
        "It's worth a try, isn't it?" Marron asked. 
        Trunks looked worried and confused. "Okay.  Let's try to figure this out," Trunks said. "Let's say that I'm Goten and…" 
        "And I'm Bra!  I'm just a teenage girl who's had a major crush on you since I was kid," Marron cut in. "I'm struggling, trying so hard to find a way to tell you how much I love you, but you're always off with someone else and my heart is breaking into millions of pieces with disappointment and all I can do is think, 'I love you, Goten!  I love you!' And that's all I want to say, over and over!" She grabbed Trunks' coat. "I love you, Trunks!" 
        His eyes widened and she gasped.  She let go of Trunks' coat like it burned.  She couldn't meet his eyes. 
        "Gomen nasai…I got caught up in the moment…" 
        "Um, th--that's okay…" Trunks shook his head. "So, at least I understand what's going on with Bra." 
        "Yeah…" She looked up at him. "So are you with me?" 
        "Well…" He shrugged. "Like you said, it's worth a try!" 
        Marron's eyes brightened.  She smiled and hugged him. "Thank you, Trunks!" she exclaimed. 
        He thought about how much he liked her hug, but decided that probably wouldn't be appropriate to mention. "So, well, it's not going to be easy…" 
        She giggled. "I know, but…" She stood up and straightened her hat. "I've got to  go now." 
        "Um, Marron?" 
        "Yes?" 
        "Is that all you wanted to tell me?" 
        "I guess so…"  
        "Really?   No more secrets?" 
        Marron looked away.  She knew she was blushing. "No more secrets," she agreed. 
         "Okay then, let's get you home." 

*********************************** 
        It was after dinner and Bra still hadn't come out of her room.  Trunks went upstairs and knocked on her door, trying to talk to her.  Finally, he just opened the door and looked at Bra, who was facing the window, just watching the stars.  From the looks of it, she was still hurt.  Even Trunks could see that.  He walked over to her. 
        "What do you want?" Her eyes never left the window. 
        "Bra, you've gotta eat." 
        "I'm not hungry." 
        He sighed and gave up on conversation.  He just stood next to her and watched the twinkling stars shine on the city. 
        "Beautiful, isn't it?" Trunks asked. 
        Bra would've agreed, but she didn't want to talk. 
        "It's okay, Bra…" 
        She looked over at him with eyebrows raised. 
        "Marron told me everything." He smiled at her. 
        "I don't know what you're talking about," she denied, looking away. 
        "She told me how you feel…she told me how much you want to be with him…she told me EVERYTHING.  There's nothing to be…" He stopped when he saw Bra's lower lip tremble.  She was going to cry again. 
        "No, Trunks, its no use.  He's getting married, so---" 
        "He's not getting married, Bra." 
        "But---" 
        "Nope.  Paris turned him down.  She says her career is more important." He shrugged. "So it's your big chance, Bra…" 
        Bra's eyes widened. "Wait.  Are you…ENCOURAGING me?  Aren't you supposed to be freaking out?  I mean, I'm in…I have a crush," she corrected, "on your best friend." She blushed. 
        "Well, I was at first.  You can ask Marron-chan.  But my job is to make my sis happy, right?" He patted Bra's head and laughed. "Come here, you!" He hugged her tightly. "Now go eat dinner and make Okasan happy, all right?" 
        Bra nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Oniichan." She kissed his cheek and wiped away her tears.  She couldn't express all that she was feeling, how relieved and happy she was when he found out.  And he wasn't even mad about it! "Um, did Marron tell you anything else?" she asked as she pulled away. 
        "Um, no…I don't think so." He shook his head and Bra smiled.  So it was her turn to tell Trunks something. "Well, you know that day you took me to Marron's house, for our shopping trip?" 
        "Yeah, it was just a couple of days ago." 
        "Well, I found a small blue book that was Marron's diary…" And she told Trunks the whole story. 

*********************************** 
        Marron was about to go to bed when the doorbell rang. She didn't turn on lights, just went straight to the door. "Must be Mrs. Sendoh," she muttered as she got closer, remembering that the old woman seemed to come around every night asking if Marron had seen her cat.  She was about to open the door when she realized she didn't have her robe on, but what did it matter?  Mrs. Sendoh was blind as a bat anyway and wouldn't be able to tell if Marron was in a short, black, nightdress.  She opened the door and jumped in surprise. "TRUNKS? What are YOU doing HERE?" 
        Trunks didn't answer. He just stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind him.  He shook his head and walked over to her. "And here I thought you'd told me everything…" he whispered.  Marron stared at him.  Although it was dark, the light from the big city shone in her open windows and she could see most of Trunks' figure.  Somehow, his mischievous eyes seemed to stand out the most.  
        She began blushing. "Trunks…" She stepped back and he stepped forward and she stepped back and they continued this way until she was trapped between the wall and him. 
        "You're not good at keeping secrets," he whispered, placing one hand on each side of her, trapping her.  He bent closer, and finally their lips met.  Marron knew she should've been startled, and she was, a little, but then she realized it was TRUNKS kissing HER.  As his lips went lower, onto her neck, she instinctively melted into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down and kissing him back.  Trunks lifted his head and smirked as he looked down at her, wearing that short nightdress.  The softness of the satin brushed against him as he scooped her up, pulling her up, closer, and kissing her with everything in him. 
        Marron knew she should demand an explanation, but she just couldn't.  All she could do was feel the rightness of it.  She'd care later, maybe, but this night was just for her and her fantasies…and for her fantasies to act out.  
        She moaned as his lips trailed lower.  She just wanted to enjoy the night.  The WHOLE night, with him alone….