After eating and cleaning up, they sat at the table quietly.  Suddenly, Jenny broke the silence by looking up and exclaiming, “Let’s go swimming!”

“We just ate.  You’re not supposed to swim after you eat,” Shane pointed out, drumming her fingers on the table.

Jenny giggled.  “That just an old wive’s tale.  Nobody believes that.  Come on, it could be fun.  You do remember how to have fun, right?”

Shane glanced over in the direction of Bette’s house.  “Well, she’s not home, but I know she wouldn’t care if we went over for a dip.”

Jenny clapped her hands together gleefully.  “Good!  Let’s go!”  She pulled Shane’s arm, forcing her out of her chair and leading her outside by the hand.

When they reached the pool, Jenny quickly stripped off her clothes and dove in gracefully.  Shane took the time to sit by the side of the pool and light a cigarette.

Jenny surfaced, shaking her wet head back and forth before dog paddling over to the side of the pool to peer at Shane.  “Aren’t you coming in?”

“In a minute,” Shane said, exhaling a plume of smoke and watching the way the water glistened on Jenny’s long eyelashes.

Jenny splashed a little water on Shane’s leg.  “Better hurry, or I’ll go ahead and get you all wet now.”  She then pushed off the side of the pool and began floating on her back, staring at the clear, star-lit sky.  Moments later, she heard a splash as Shane slid into the water beside her.  Closing her eyes and floating, Jenny felt herself totally relaxing.  There was something about floating in the water that had always had a particularly calming effect on her.

Jenny jumped when she felt cold water trickling onto her bare stomach.  Opening one eye, she saw Shane standing over her and grinning, her nipples hard from the water.  Jenny stuck her tongue out in return and went back to floating with her eyes closed.

Shane watched her float for a moment, examining her delicate features while thinking to herself.  Taking a deep breath and leaning back against the wall of the pool, Shane said, “I grew up in foster care.”