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Owen caught his breath and held it for what felt like the longest time。
He could hold his breath under water for a few minutes； and holding it now while he watched Jimmy press himself into her； like a hummingbird jabbing at a flower； but not as pretty； just dark and murky； Jimmy's body rising and falling as he plunged into her； not gently the way she would want it； but like he was a jackal tearing apart some carcass。
Chapter Three
The morning swim
1
〃The Salty Dog；〃 Owen said； lifting himself from the swimming pool。
〃Waiting tables。 Since Memorial Day weekend。 Lifting weights； too。〃
〃That must be delightful；〃 Mrs。 M said。 She stood near the changing rooms； swathed in a red bathrobe； dark glasses covering her eyes。 She looked like a movie star。 She had a cigarette in her hand； which she waved dramatically。 〃I imagine you meet lots of girls and boys your age at that dive。〃
〃Some。〃
〃You're still very young for your age；〃 she said； and then caught her breath for a moment。 〃I'm sorry。 I didn't mean that in a negative way。 I meant it as。。。as。。。you're so innocent pared to the boys at that school she goes to。
They've already begun those patterns they'll have for life。〃 She exhaled a lungful of smoke。 She was like a beautiful dragon； he thought。 A jade dragon with sparkling eyes。
Owen drew himself up the rest of the way over the pool's edge。 He exhaled deeply； coughing。
〃My smoking bother you？〃
〃No；〃 he said； swiveling to sit down more fortably； his legs still in the water。 〃Just holding my breath。 Trying； anyway。〃
〃Trying to reach some goal？ Underwater？〃 She took her sunglasses off； and dropped them carelessly on the tile。
He nodded。 〃To beat the Guinness Book of World Records。 This guy； he held his breath。 Thirteen minutes。〃
〃That's impossible。〃 She walked casually over to him。 He could see her sapphire bathing suit top； and her sparrowish breasts cupped within it as her robe fell open。 She stepped out of her sandals。 For a moment； he thought of what she would look like with her suit ripped from chin to thigh； with him pressing into her … no； not him； Jimmy； the way he had torn into Jenna。 Mrs。
M； a smile on her face； could not read his thoughts； he hoped。 〃No one can hold his breath that long；〃 she said。 〃It must've been a cheat。〃
〃If you believe in something； maybe you can do impossible stuff； Mrs。
M。〃
〃That's magical thinking； sweetie。 And Mrs。 M； good lord。〃 She laughed； dropping her robe pletely。 She shimmered。 〃You're a man now。
You'll have to start calling people by their first names； Owen。 I feel like a schoolmarm when you call me that。 Is that what you want me to feel like？ A haggish old schoolmarm？ I'm forty； not seventy。 Catherine。 Or Cathy。〃
〃Oh； yeah； okay；〃 he said； grinning。 〃Cathy。〃
As she walked along the edge of the pool to the far end； she pulled her hair back and tucked it into her white bathing cap。 She lifted her arm in a certain way to him； like a salute。 Then； Jenna's mother dove into the pool； graceful as a mermaid。 He watched her do laps while he caught his breath。
2
When he went to shower off； Owen saw the other boy's towel hanging from the bathroom stall。 Steam began to fill the changing room。 He pulled his wet trunks down； and tossed them on a chair。 He grabbed one of the long white towels that the Montgomery's' maid kept neatly rolled in the cabinet over the toilet。 Then； he walked the narrow hallway to the large shower。 All three shower heads were running； and the boy stood there rubbing soap along his arms； his face frothy with white soap foam。 Owen ignored him； stepping beneath the furthest shower head； and grabbed a bar of Ivory from the holder。
〃Mooncalf；〃 Jimmy said； as the foam rinsed from his face。 His hair stuck up high on his head。 The smell of Ivory soap was overpowering。 〃Haven't seen you in awhile。〃
〃I know；〃 Owen said； his voice husky。 He didn't feel the way he did in school with the other boys； not with this Jimmy； this eighteen…year…old who he had watched deflower Jenna。 He felt disgusted。 〃Been busy。〃 He turned his back on Jimmy for the rest of the shower； hoping the other boy would leave to go swim in the pool。 But Jimmy toweled off； and began dressing just as Owen turned off the water。 He slipped his shorts on； and reached for his t…shirt。
〃You've been working out a lot。 Me； too。 I run every morning。 I play tennis。〃
〃Swim；〃 Owen said。 He walked back to the toilet to take a leak。
〃Swim？〃
〃I swim。〃
〃Ah； a plete sentence out of the Mooncalf；〃 Jimmy chuckled。
〃That's the first thing I noticed about you； you know。〃
Owen said nothing； flushed the toilet。 Sat down on one of the chairs； and reached for his shirt。
〃You talk in bits of sentences。 Well； that and your hair。〃
Owen twisted back to look at him； his t…shirt shirt half over his head。
〃My hair？ What's your problem？〃
〃You've got pretty hair。 It's soft； too。 Most guys' hair is like bristles。〃
〃Weirdo；〃 Owen said； then； 〃Sleep in the guest room much？〃 He pulled the shirt down； and then went to grab his socks。 Jimmy followed him； sitting down on a short bench。
〃No。 That bother you？〃
〃No。 It's weird that her parents don't care。〃
〃They don't。 Well； her mother doesn't。 Her father's still down in the city。 And I thought you were hot for Jenna。 That's the third thing I noticed about you。〃
〃We're friends。 That's all。〃
〃Boys can't just be friends with girls。〃
〃Okay；〃 Owen said。 He laughed； but it was a fake。 It echoed off the turquoise tile and sounded less genuine as it went。 He looked at Jimmy； who was watching him with a sort of paternal take … the way Owen's father would look at him when he didn't understand him。
〃You know； Mooncalf； you b your hair to the left a little more … make the part slightly higher； and you'd look top drawer。 You really would。
Your chin's strong； your body's in excellent shape。 You need to get rid of these；〃 Jimmy pointed at Owen's red t…shirt； 〃and start wearing some oxford cloths； button…downs。 With sleeves。 Short sleeves are for kids。 It would show your best side。 And maybe some khakis。 When you grin； don't show all your teeth。〃
〃Bite me。〃
Jimmy laughed； and reached out； pressing his hand against Owen's shoulder in what could only be a casual and friendly … even brotherly … gesture。 〃Good。 Some spirit。 I'm just trying to help。 You look good； but you look too island。 You need a little charm。 All guys do。 Swimming only goes so far； after all。〃 Jimmy； ever…annoying； kept up the jabber。 〃I'm not much of a swimmer。 I sail； but the idea of water； well； let's just say I do a passable dog paddle。 But you've got those biceps。 Amazing shoulders for such a Mooncalf runt。 Pretty good。 How much you bench？〃
〃Who cares？〃
A brief silence。
Then； 〃I do。〃
〃Well； not all that much；〃 Owen said。 〃I just stack the weights on and push。 I don't notice how much。〃
〃Don't notice？ My god； sport； you mean to say your goal isn't the weights？〃
Owen shrugged。 〃I never think about it。 I just want to be powerful。 I mean strong。〃
〃You said powerful。〃
〃Same thing。〃
Another brief silence。
〃You ever up for tennis？〃 Jimmy asked。
〃Not really。〃
〃I can teach you if you li