“No, I was just asking.”

“Whatever did you shove my hairbrush down my bed for?”

I tried to explain but she was still talking and said, “I’ll get you back for that, you feebleminded child.” Now I wasn’t so nervous because Jennifer was acting rude like she always did.

“How come you came out in your nightgown instead of getting dressed?”

Then I got nervous again because Jennifer turned all around but fast like a ballet dancer. As she spun around on her toes she said, “Why? Don’t you like my nightie?”

“Yes, I do.”

And then she made it worse and said, “Do you think I’m beautiful?”

I seemed to be swallowing my throat. Something was stuck in my chest, sort of blocking it up. I was trying to think what to say when Jennifer stepped up to me and kissed me for the second time that day, only this time it was on the lips. I could smell her breath and it smelled like the hay did when it was fresh-cut up in the mountains where we lived. I just about died, but then came to enough to know that if I didn’t kiss her back I’d never forgive myself as long as I lived. So I kissed her back a lot.

Then Jennifer pushed me away and said, “There. I suppose that’s what you wanted.”

And before I could stop myself I said out loud what I was thinking, which was, “Jennifer, I love you.”

For the first time since we were three years old Jennifer didn’t say anything back at all. She only smiled and I felt like I had just won a prize because her smile was a real smile not a cute or sarcastic or funny smile but just plain and sweet.

So we stood there and she kept smiling at me in a slow sort of way and took my hand in hers and still didn’t say anything but led me back toward Paraggi. We walked for a while holding hands and I could hear the blood in my ears as if I was underwater and I prayed my hand would not get all sweaty the way it does when you’re waiting to get strapped.

When we got to the Pensione Biea Jennifer said, “I’m going to my room now, you silly boy. But if you swim out to the rocks under the castle tomorrow morning at about ten I’ll be there.”

Then she gave me another kiss but only on the cheek this time. I said good night, but she was already gone though I could still smell the scent of fresh-cut hay.

Chapter 24