16.

"Men are dirt," said Peg. She was sitting with her legs crossed, on the floor near her bed.
"Seven years is a long time," said Rebecca. She was lying on Peg's waterbed, pressing the mattress with her feet, one then the other.
"That's all there is to it," said Peg. "Men are dirt."
"Yeah, but we need them."
"We do?"
"We gotta blame things on someone."
Peg laughed. "Paul and I had a dog, a black labrador, and Paul used to do this thing where he'd say Wha joo do? in a dog voice, and Slinky's ears used to go up and he'd get this guilty look, then Paul'd say Its'all right and Slinky's ears'd go back down and he'd pant all happy. Paul kept repeating it again and again, the dog's ears went up and down, up and down. That dog was a confused animal."
"A girl I knew at school got raped and then strangled with a slinky."
"Great." Peg picked up the jug of wine and drank, tipping it back with both hands. "Ain't it a wonderful world."
"Yeah," said Rebecca. She pressed down hard with both heels making a large swell spread around her. "Yeah."
"I never feel safe on this island. I felt safe in Manhatten, but I get the creeps here."
"Bette told me the crime is pretty bad here."
"Yes it is. Per capita it's the same as Manhatten. They're also the same size in area also, Manhatten Island and this one, which is kind of strange."
"Violent crimes?" asked Rebecca.
"I don't really know. I saw someone get killed the other day in a car wreck. That was pretty violent."
"That's sad," said Rebecca.
Peg looked at her. "Sad is the word," she said. She took another drink.
"My dad got killed in a car wreck. On this very island."
"That's terrible."
"Terrible is not the word. I hadn't seen him for years. As bad as this sounds, I got this house because he died."
"Well I'm sorry about it anyway."
"Me too," said Peg. She got up and walked to the terrace, bringing the jug with her. Bette was laughing below her. She looked down and saw Kelly jump into the center of her jacuzzi, completely naked. "Hey Rebecca. C'mere." She pointed down.
Rebecca walked to the wall and looked down. Kelly was floating face up with his privates plainly visable. "Nice view you got Peg," she said. She brought her hand to her mouth and yelled, "Hey Bette."
Bette was sitting next to Jammer with her arm around him. She tilted her head back and hollered, "Hey there. Come on down. The water's a dream."
"There's two lines down here for you two," shouted Jammer.
Suddenly Sam slapped their shoulders. "Hi there." Both women jumped.
"God," said Peg. "You scared the shit out of me."
Sam looked down at the jacuzzi. "Seems like Jammer and Bette are getting along." They were clearly stroking each other beneath the bubbles. "So what's going on up here?"
"We were just agreeing how men are all dirt," said Peg.
"Thanks a lot."
"No I don't mean you," said Peg. "You're not a man."
"Thanks a lot."
"No. I . . . you're not a man man."
"Not better. Try again."
"I mean you're nice. You're not a fool," she said.
"You don't treat women like second rate citizens."
"Could I get that in writing?" asked Sam. "It'd make interesting reading for my fiance."
"I don't know why it is," said Peg. "How at ease I feel with you."
"I don't think it's that I'm such a nice guy." He pulled open his shirt pocket and looked down into it. He fished out a small joint with his fingertip.
"You're right," said Peg. "It's cause you've always got pot." Smiling,Sam lit the roach and passed it to Peg.
"No, I mean, you and I," he said. "We're two sides of something. I could tell when I read that stuff in your journal."
"You write too?" asked Rebecca. Peg nodded. She walked inside and brought out her journal.
"Just this, and sometimes some poems."
"Do you mind if I read some of it?"
"No," she said looking at Sam. Rebecca took the journal and sat down on the waterbed near the light.
"Two sides of what?" she asked Sam.
"An approach to something."
"Which is what?"
"Finding things out. Following the breadth of extremities."
"Or sticking to some straighter line," she said.
Sam smiled. "Joni."
"Great song."
"Yeah, and that's it. That's what I'm talking about: Hejira. A spiritual journey. A personal quest."
"And you and I are on a journey." She looked down and saw that Dex and Kelly had gone inside. "Oh shit. They need towels. My couch'll get soaked." She went in and downstairs.
Sam came into the bedroom and sat on the white leather rail around the bed. "You look tempting," he said to Rebecca. She was lying back, holding the journal in the air.
"I'm so glad I met you and Peg." She pointed at the journal. "She's really cool." She put the book down. "You like Peg, don't you."
"No, no." He launched himself out onto the bed, causing a flurry of waves. "I mean yes, but as friends."
"Your voice changed when you were talking to her outside."
"She, I, no. No. It's different. It's not a sexual thing. There's a kind of chemistry, but not the sexual kind." He moved to within inches of
her face.
"I'm going away in a week."
"Me too."
She looked at his eyes, first one, then the other. "Bette says I oughta pounce on some guy, to get over Scottie."
"Sounds like good advice."
"Maybe I. . ."
Sam put his forefinger to her lips, then brought her face close to his and kissed her. She began kissing him back.
"Oh. *Sorry*," said Peg, embarrassed and amused. Rebecca twisted free and got off the bed. Sam floated up and down on the waves she'd set off, apparently unaffected.
"It's cool," said Peg. "Don't worry."
"No, I mean it's your bedroom. I... I..." Rebecca looked down. There was a long silence.
"What's going on downstairs?" asked Sam.
"Bette was asking for you Rebecca. She said to tell you the party's moving. I think she wants to go somewhere with Jammer." She looked at Sam. "Rhin left with Alec."
"Really?" said Sam.
"Yeah."
"Off to snort the rest of his eight-ball by themselves."
"No doubt. Kelly said he said you pissed him off."
"Too bad. Well what's next? The night is young."
"I'm pretty tired," said Rebecca. Her face was bright red.
"So am I," said Peg.
"Oh yeah, you two weren't partaking all night. I couldn't sleep now if I had electrotherapy."
"Sam," said Peg. "Why don't you take Rebecca home so she can sleep. You can meet up with those maniacs later."
"What about you?" he asked.
"Sleep for me."
"Where will I sleep?" He looked at Rebecca.
"Here on the couch," said Peg. "I'll give you a key."