She said, “I was just gonna go for a little walk. I couldn’t sleep.”

He said, “Me either.”

“What’s got you wide awake at three o’clock in the morning?”

Ryan took another puff on the joint and said, “You’d never believe me if I told you.”

“Told me what?” Lisa said.

Ryan half laughed and said, “Huh.” Then he said, “I swear you’re gonna think I’m crazy. But.” He slapped at a bug on his thigh. “You know that dead crab I brought in a couple days ago? Had it sitting in a glass of solution in my bedroom?”

“Yeah.”

“It came back to life.”

Next to his head, he felt Lisa move to partially face him. “What?” she said.

Ryan said, “Thing’s been dead and floating in there for days. But tonight I happen to glance over, and I am not kidding you, it’s swimming around, looking up at me, looking as healthy, as alive, as can be.”

Lisa stared at him saucer-eyed for a moment, then shook with silent laughter. She moved to prop her head up on her elbow, facing him fully. She giggled some more, wiped away a tear, her eyes sweet and full.

Ryan laughed. “Crazy, right? I’m serious, though. I’ll go get it if you want to see it.”

Lisa said, “Oh, hon, oh, hon,” and she waved the air between them. Through snorting laughter, she explained, “Earlier, when we were on the beach, I overheard Kimmy and Alex hatching a plan while they were trying to catch a crab. I only overheard bits and pieces, didn’t bother to listen closely at the time. They were whispering about Take it inside, and I’ll sneak it into his room, and When do you think he’ll notice? And they were giggling up a storm. I think those little stinkers caught a crab and stuck it in there. I think they pulled one over on you.”

Ryan’s mouth dropped open. “Those little shits,” he whispered. Then he felt a bubble of joy work its way up and out of him, and he collapsed onto the towel in laughter, incredulous at the success of the girls’ trick. He and Lisa lay there on the towel, laughing as softly as they could, sniffing and wiping at tears. The joint was still lit and a thin string of smoke rose from the tip. Ryan had wasted a few good hits. Didn’t care. Lisa reached for it and took a pull, released smoke from her nostrils. She drew the rubber band from her hair so that it fell in thick auburn waves to her shoulders. She scratched and gently massaged her part.

Ryan said, “So what’s got you up at three o’clock in the morning?”

Lisa rubbed her eyes. Her face was still flushed and lively from laughter. “I’ve got stuff on my mind.”

“Mm.” Ryan was quiet for a bit. He knew he oughtn’t say anything, but the pot and the night air and the euphoria of sharing such a good, long, hard, genuine laugh with Lisa had him feeling warm and brave and open. He said, “I shouldn’t say anything.”