按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
No； it was Mrs。 M。 Her auburn hair was swept back from her face； damp from the swimming pool； her robe fastened none too tight。 She possessed the air of having enjoyed life too much that day。 〃Owen？ It's good to see you。〃
〃Yeah； Mrs。 M； me too。 I didn't think you had got here just yet。〃
〃Oh； my husband still hasn't left his desk yet。 I've been here since Wednesday。
Good to be back。 I despise the city。〃
〃Survive winter okay？〃
〃Superbly；〃 she said； but in a way that meant its opposite。 Mrs。 M was a woman full of irony； he had known it for years。 Mrs。 M embodied the house：
beautiful； classic； and rich。 〃Do you want coffee？〃 she asked。
5
〃I saw you waiting for her；〃 Mrs。 M said。 They were in the sunroom off the kitchen； and Owen had just finished his first cup of cinnamon coffee。 He got up to pour himself another； but Mrs。 M interceded； she had a fresh cup； with cream； all ready for him。 He sat down at the table again。 She took the chair across from him。 He saw her knee emerge from her robe。 The hint of her champagne glass breasts； small but perfect。 Mrs。 M was in many ways more beautiful than her daughter； but still； his heart belonged to Jenna。
He did what he could to look at her face； but something in her eyes bothered him。 He looked； instead； at her silken arms。
〃You're in love with my daughter。 No； that's fine。 I've known it since you were both young。 Do you think it will lead anywhere？〃
〃Lead？〃 He said the word innocently； but she must've seen through this。
〃I don't know。〃
〃Yes； you do。 You're smart。 I've watched you grow up。 You're smart and handsome and wise。 But； do you think that she will have you？〃
〃I haven't。。。I haven't considered。。。〃 he stammered。
〃You're a remarkable young man；〃 Mrs。 M said。 〃She doesn't deserve you。〃 Then； she put down her own untouched coffee； and stood up from the table。 〃She gets in tonight。 After midnight。〃
〃How？ The ferry …〃
〃She has her ways；〃 Mrs。 M said。 She brushed something from the edge of her eye； and bed her hands through her hair like a mermaid would。
〃Fancy a swim？〃
〃Not today；〃 he said。
〃e on； just a nice long swim。 Have you been practicing all winter？〃
He nodded。
〃I thought so。 You ripple now。 You don't move； you ripple。 You're in better shape than he is；〃 Mrs。 M said； and then went to get her bathing suit。
6
e midnight； he saw the shroud of some sailboat press beneath the lights of the harbor。 He sat up on the bluffs and watched as she docked； as the sail came down。 No one stepped off the boat at the jetty。 Was it her？ Was this what Mrs。 M had meant？
He fell asleep in the cool wet grass and awoke at dawn。
And he knew。
Jenna Montgomery had found another。
7
〃Jimmy；〃 the guy said； his face gleaming； tanned； teeth so much thoroughbred he could've been in Pimlico； his eyes squinty； his nose small； his hair honey…blond from too much sun； and his handshake strong and sure and arrogant。 He looked rich without ever having to say it。 He smelled rich。 He probably tasted rich。 〃Good to meet you； Crites。〃
〃Owen。〃
〃You're not an Owen or a Crites；〃 Jimmy said。 〃You're a Mooncalf。〃
〃Mooncalf？〃 Jenna laughed； looking at Owen and then back at Jimmy。
〃That sounds ghastly。〃 She wore a bikini； but had a long towel draped about her waist that ran all the way to her ankles。 Her hair was wet and shining from a morning swim。 For a moment； Owen imagined how it would feel to untie the bikini top and press his face against her breasts。 For a moment； the image was in his mind； then； gone。
All Owen could think was： they'd slept together on the boat。 Jenna and this Jimmy character。 Jimmy had done it with Jenna。
Done it。
A sacred act if it was love。
A debased ritual； if it was lust and emptiness。
Which it had to be。
He tried not to imagine Jimmy drawing her legs apart； or the scent of passion that clung to them； the sweat and fever； as they joined together。
Tried not to imagine the thrusts。
〃Mooncalf reminds me of upstate New York； or Pennsylvania；〃 Jenna said with no little disgust。 〃Cows and chickens。 Amish in carriages。 Birthings and midwives。 Owen can't be a Mooncalf。〃
Jim snorted。 〃No； it's a beautiful name。 Mooncalf。〃
Owen remained silent； still numb from meeting the interloper。
〃Well； if he's a Mooncalf then what am I？〃
〃Kitten；〃 Jimmy laughed。
〃If I'm Kitten； then you're Cat。〃
〃All right； then I'm Cat。 Now； what shall we call this island？〃
〃Outerbridge；〃 Owen said。 〃Call it Outerbridge。〃
〃That's not the game；〃 Jimmy grinned； and damn if his smile wasn't dazzling。
Anyone would fall in love with this guy； anyone； man； woman； or dog； he was so damn attractive and warm； it made Owen want to walk away and forget about Jenna pletely。 〃The game is everything； Mooncalf。 It doesn't matter what things are。 You shape them into the way you want them。 That's how you gain mastery。〃
〃Mastery's the thing；〃 Owen said； faking a sort of blissful … and very nearly nonchalant … take on all of it。
I'll beat you； he thought as he watched his rival； this apollonian boy with his golden hair and squinty green eyes and the way he had arrogance that was absolutely seductive。
I will beat you； Owen made the oath then and there。 He glanced briefly up at the unfettered sun and prayed that if nothing else went his way in this life； he would beat down this Jimmy。
Then； Owen reached out and gave Jimmy's shoulder a friendly squeeze。
〃Just not big on games I guess。〃
Jenna laughed； 〃Owen； the game is called Paradise。 You rename everything to your liking。 Jimmy invented it。 Isn't it。。。marvelous？〃 She pecked the bastard on his ear。 Owen noted： the kiss went to his earlobe； and Jimmy barely had an earlobe。 His ear was smooth and rounded and touched down right behind one of his several dimples。
Jimmy laughed； shrugging； grabbing her around the waist and pulling her close to him。 〃Let's call the island Sea Biscuit。〃
〃No；〃 Jenna groaned。 〃That's terrible。 Terrible。 Owen； you name it。〃
〃Outerbridge；〃 Owen said。
It was noon； and they were at the jetty。 The sailboat bobbed gently with the current； and Owen finally took his baseball cap off。
〃There now；〃 Jimmy said； approvingly。 〃You look less like a little boy than like a man。 The Mooncalf has such pretty hair for a moody guy。〃 He reached over and scruffed his hand through Owen's hair。 His fingers felt electric。 〃I know the name for this island。 I know。 It's called Bermuda。 We're in Bermuda；〃 he laughed； leaning into Jenna； kissing her just behind her ear。
No； Owen thought。 You're in the realm of Dagon。
8
A restless night came to him； and then another and another。 He lay on his single bed； sheets pulled back； and a fever such as he had never before felt washed over him。
Whosoever has loved the way I love Jenna Montgomery； he whispered to the stars through his bedroom window； has known sacrifice and torture and days and nights of endless wanting； thirst without satisfaction； hunger without morsel。 Whosoever has wept within themselves for what they could not reach； could not touch； has felt what I feel。
Whosoever has spent his life working his body； mind； and soul to its absolute limit to be the extreme candidate for the love of a beautiful and angelic girl as I have for her； as I have given myself to the shape that she would long for。。。
That man would not rest were a rival to steal the prize from him。
Dagon； he whispered soundlessly。 Dagon。 My god。 Bring her to me。
Eventually； Owen Crites slept better imagining the world under the sea where the people who were part of Dagon had dwelt； with their vast and imperious citadels； their large cold eyes and their wet shapeless forms； and he imagined the great sacrifice he would throw to them for their entertainment。
9
〃How are you going to waste your last summer？〃 Owen's mother asked as she switched off the faucet； plunging her hands back into the soapy water。
〃Now； don't blot； Owen； dry。 There's a difference。〃 She passed him the first dish； which he sprayed down and then wiped with the green…and…white hand towel。 The kitchen in the caretaker's house was as narrow as one of the closets in the big house； but the window looked out on a small sunken garden； behind which； the pine trees stuck out like crooked teeth。 〃Don't blot；〃 his mother repeated。
Owen began stacking the dry plates carefully。 〃I need a job。〃
〃You work for your father。〃
〃Not this summer；〃 he replied。 〃Hank'll do without me。〃
〃Hank？〃 his mother said； nearly laughing。 〃Hank？ Next you'll be calling me Trudy。〃 Then； her mood darkened。 〃Show some respect。〃 His mother reached down to pull the plug on the drain。 She reached back to her hairpins； pulling them out so that her gray…streaked hair fell along her shoulders。 She smoothed it back； and turned to watch him dry the rest of the plates and bowls from supper。 〃I know what you're thinking。〃
He glanced at her for the barest moment。
〃You're thinking that you'll work down where she goes at night。 The restaurant。 The dock。 You'll be there for the dances。 I've seen the boys working at those places。 They live here all year 'round。 But in the summer； sometimes they get the rich girls。 But those girls don't care about them。 The boys are just part of summer to those girls。 Just like the beach。 Just like a walk。〃
He remained silent； and kept his eyes on each bowl as he carefully wiped the towel through them。
〃I grew up in her world。 I know what she'd have to give up。 Don't ask her to do it。 Not if you care about her；〃 his mother said。 Then； she nearly snickered。
〃What's funny？〃 he asked。
〃I remember your father at your age； is all。 I remember him so well；〃 she said。 〃He's working on the pump now。 The pump and the well。 Today he worked on the azaleas and the roses。 Tomorrow； he'll probably check the pool。
If I had only known then。 Owen； you might as well go find that pirate treasure as think that a girl like that will be interested in you beyond these summerish flings。〃
Owen dropped the towel on top of the cutting board； and turned to walk away。 〃I know what you get up to；〃 his mother called to him； but he had already stepped out of the house； letting the screen door swing lazily shut。
〃You're nearly a man； Owen。 You need to grow out of all your imaginings now。〃
Her voice； behind him； was part of another layer of existence。 The smell of fresh grass mingled with the slight scent of the roses which were just blooming in spirals and curves up on the bluffs。
He walked to the edge of the hill； feeling the late sun stroke him like a warm hand。 At the rim of the koi pond； he knelt down and looked at his reflection in the green water。 Soon； the patchwork fish came to the surface。 He reached his hand into the murkiness； shivering with the chill； and found the god laying where he'd left it； behind the lava rocks。
He felt the edge of the god's face。
10
In a school notebook； Owen wrote：
Things Jenna likes。
1。 She loves swing dancing。
2。 She likes expensive perfume。 The kind older women wear。 Not like other girls。
3。 She likes sandals。
4。 She likes to let a boy open a door for her。
5。 She likes clothes from Manhattan。
6。 She likes to be plimented on how smart she is。
7。 She likes someone who listens to her。
8。 She likes holding hands。
Things Jenna hates：
1。 She hates heavy metal rock。
2。 She hates boys who look at her breasts。
3。 She hates having to wait for anything。 Ever。
4。 She hates Julia Roberts movies。 She reminds me of movie stars though。
5。 She hates when animals get hurt。
6。 She hates being treated like a piece of meat。
7。 She hates boys who want to go all the way because she told me three years ago that she's going to wait for the right one。
8。 She hates having to do things she hates。
11
He waited a week before going back up to the Montgomery place； and even then； it was after eleven； and the house was dark and silent except for the kitchen； where Mrs。 M always kept a light on。 At first； he intended to stand beneath Jenna's bedroom window and maybe toss a pebble at it to get her attention。 He noticed that the window … on the third story … was open； and he decided he'd call to her。
Then； he noticed that one of the guest room windows was open； too。
That woul