By the time it got close to Christmas, Sis and Charlene had become pretty good friends. Along the way, Eva's repeated invitations for a sleepover were declined — but each time it was with less enthusiasm, according to Sis. Shortly after New Years, Charlene agreed… but that she (Charlene) would have to talk to Sis first, and that Sis would have to promise to keep what she (Charlene) had to say as a Top Secret to never, ever be told to anyone else under any circumstances. The sole exception Charlene was willing to grant was for Sis to tell me, provided I was willing (and able, in Eva's opinion) to maintain the same degree of confidentiality.

Needless to say, both of us were wondering what the hell Charlene could have to say that even might call for that kind of demand for secrecy.

It was a couple of days before the two of them sequestered themselves in Eva's bedroom; I don't think it was any coincidence that some of Eva's stuff not only blocked the peephole I had into her room, but she had her radio turned up higher than usual so I couldn't hear anything, either.

The next evening, Sis came into my room after supper and sat on my bed while I was doing my homework. When I got to a stopping point and turned my attention to her, she pointedly told me "Billy, you know Charlene and I talked yesterday after school. What she told me surprised the Hell out of me, and I've got to talk to somebody about it. What she said… it's really, really important that you don't say anything about it to anyone else. That means nobody, not even Mom and Dad; and not now or ever. I know you'll want to, 'cause I sure as hell do, but you can't — not even a little bit. It's not something that you absolutely have to know, so if you don't think that you can keep it to yourself completely and forever, tell me now. Until I have your word on that, I can't break my promise to Charlene. All I can tell you that it's bigger and more important that the stuff we did together when we were kids."