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his side。 Jimmy gave him a nickname and acted like Owen was Jimmy's kid brother and they just seemed to get along fine。 It was like they'd known each other all their lives； in about five minutes。 Owen seemed to like all the ribbing and you know that sort of adolescent boy…talk they do。 You know that。 That way boys have of getting together and sort of sparring； and talking； and noticing each other's hair； or how one of them is sad； and they either peck it to death or get all brotherly。 I saw it with Jimmy and his best friends at Exeter； too。 The way they played like puppies。 That's just what it was like … like watching two golden retrievers wrestle over a bone。
I didn't see Owen much during June。 I guess he got the job down in town。 Sometimes I saw him when we went to the Salty Dog； but he never waited on our table。 Jimmy was virtually attached at the hip with me； which can get annoying no matter how much you care for a guy。 I used to try and lose him in the mornings； after he'd go off to play his beloved tennis with one of the local pros or with my mother。 My mother is excellent at sports； which are pretty much not my thing。 I like golf a little； and sometimes I like to swim； but the whole girl…jock thing is beyond me。
So Jimmy would slip out of bed； and I'd get dressed and go down to visit Marci and Elaine； and Elaine's brother； Cooper； down island。 Sometimes we'd take whole afternoons just having brunch； or wandering the Cove by the Great Salt Pond。 Jimmy would get all pissed off at me。 He was a little jealous。 Well； a little more than jealous。 He thought that since he was the first guy I'd slept with that he somehow should've had more ownership of me。 Or maybe I should've been more attached to him。 I mean； I was attached。 And he was； technically； the first guy I'd slept with； although I let Ricky Hofstedter press his fingers up there sophomore year； and then there was that time that I got drunk at Hollis Ownby's party and wound up making out with Harvey Somebody （he was a Somebody。 I just can't remember his last name） until I woke up with a hangover and a major pain down there and I hoped it hadn't gone too far beyond basic； you know； petting。
But Jimmy had all these needs； and some days； particularly in June and early July； I just wanted to chill and hang out with some friends without worrying about whether I was paying attention to Jimmy and all his issues。
I didn't think of Owen much except sometimes I remembered how much fun he was when I was younger and exploring the beaches； or how I'd take him out in one of my dad's small boats； and he'd tell me all about his plans。 How he was going to slowly start investing in stocks。 I'd ask him how？
And he'd look at me funny； and laugh。 Then； he'd tell me how his mother's father had been well…off and then when Owen turned twenty…one； he'd e into a trust fund。 I knew he was lying； but I sort of liked his lies。 They made the days go by。 Sometimes the summer seemed short when I was around him； and by the time I got back to school in the fall； I felt renewed。 I owed a lot of that to Owen。
But this summer； I've been distant from everybody。 Part of it is Jimmy。
And yes； it's sexual； I guess。 But since I'm paying you by the hour； I'd guess that you're okay with me telling you； right？ Well； Jimmy seems to not be all that aggressive in bed。 I know that must sound weird since I'm not terribly experienced in that arena； either； but I've watched movies； I've read books； and I talk with my girlfriends about this stuff。 This isn't like twenty years ago when no one ever talked about sex。 My friends all say their boyfriends seem to put the moves on them constantly。 With Jimmy； I have to literally reach down and grab him。 And then； he just sort of you know touches me here and there and then he … well you know … and then it's over and sort of unpleasant even though it's not ghastly or anything。 It's just not what I expected。
And then there was that fiasco with my birthday party。 Christ； it was embarrassing。 Mind if I light up？ I'm hungry for nicotine at the moment。
Ravening。
Ah； that's better。 I know everyone has to give up smoking at some point in their lives； but how nice to not have to give it up just yet。
So； the seventeenth was my big party； and I didn't even want Owen there … he didn't fit in with Jimmy's friends； and many of my friends found him a little cold。 Plus； there was the whole problem of his mother； who's a force to be reckoned with。 She's always looking at me like I'm the Whore of Babylon。
She was helping us set up the party； and she kept giving me that look。 You know that look。 That mother look。
But Owen showed； and frankly； I was happy to see him。 It was sort of a relief since I'd barely seen him all summer。 Well； I saw him when he went swimming。 In our pool of course。 In our pool。 I called him Leech （funny that he and Jimmy both have been called that； huh？） when he wasn't around because he really is such a leech。 I mean it in a funny nice way； not some awful way。 I once slipped off a rock into one of the little ponds on the property； and my legs were covered with leeches。 They don't hurt。 You'd be surprised at that； wouldn't you？ You'd think that something that sucks your blood would hurt； but they don't。 It's just the fact that they're there that makes them bothersome。
So it was my little joke： calling Owen Leech。 I care a lot for Owen； actually。 We grew up together practically。 My island boy。 My father laughs whenever I call Owen Leech behind his back； but my mother； well； she doesn't understand that kind of humor。 That ironic kind of humor。 I mean it as an affectionate term。 Sort of like the way Jimmy calls him Mooncalf。 It's a name。
I guess it distances me from him or something。 But it does get annoying when someone is always borrowing things or using your things or assuming things just because his father works in the garden。 I like them。 They're like family。 I feel a lot for Owen； but really； he should've gotten over that Leech thing years ago。
I can hear my mother's voice in my head： that's cruel； Jenna。 I know。 I know。
I get accused of cruelty all the time。 Not physical cruelty。 My mother means it's cruel to fault poor people with using our things。
My mother has this thing for him。 Well； for all young men。 She won't acknowledge it； and she thinks Daddy's the bad one； but I know she likes the boys who hang around me。 And no； I'm not jealous of her。 Why should I be？
She's old。 Her time has e and gone。 My time is only just beginning。
Anyway； eighteen year old boys do not want forty year old women。 It's embarrassing； really。
Even at the party； Mom is sauntering around in that green getup she has that looks too glitzy for the island。 We all go casual here； so she looked like too much like Ginger on Gilligan's Island … too done up。 Too too； as Missy Capshaw says。 She's too too。
Missy came down from the Vineyard； and Shottsy had his cousin Alec with him； and pretty much the whole gang was there； except for the Faulkners who all went to Maine for the summer。 I guess about sixteen of my friends came； and then six or seven of Jimmy's； and then Owen with his shirt that was so new it still had the wrinkles from the cardboa