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t their own natural child。
〃Would you mind very much if I came into town with you tonight？〃 she asked softly。 〃It would be nice to stay in a hotel for one evening。〃
He pressed her hand。 〃I think it would be very nice。〃
〃Molly could look after the children；〃 she said。 〃And I'd have time to do a little shopping tomorrow before we return。〃
He looked at her and grinned。 〃I agree with you；〃 he said in a mock…solemn voice。 〃The cottage down here is a little crowded。 I'll call the hotel and make sure they have a shakerful of Martinis waiting for us the moment we arrive。〃
She dropped his hand。 〃You lecher！〃 she exclaimed； laughing。
Rina swam with easy； purposeful strokes； her eyes fixed on the diving raft out past the rolling surf。 Laddie should be out there with his friend Tommy Randall。 She came up out of the water almost at their feet。 The boys were stretched out on their backs； faces up to the sun； and they sat up as Rina began to climb the ladder。
Laddie's face showed his annoyance at her invasion of their sanctum。 〃Why don't you stay back there with the girls？〃
〃I've got as much right out here as you have；〃 she retorted； after catching her breath； straightening the shoulder straps of her too…small bathing suit。
〃Aw； go on；〃 Tommy said； looking up。 〃Let her stay。〃
Rina glanced at him swiftly from the corners of her eyes and saw his gaze fixed on her partly revealed breasts。 It was at that exact moment that she began to turn into a woman。
Now even Laddie was staring at her with a curious look she had never before noticed in his eyes。 Instinctively she let her hands fall to her sides。 If that was all it took to make them accept her； let them look。 She sat down opposite them； still feeling their gaze on her。
A dull ache began to throb in her breasts and she looked down at herself。 Her nipples were clearly limned against the black jersey of her bathing suit。 She looked up again at the boys。 They were staring at her quite openly now。
〃What are you looking at？〃
The two boys exchanged quick； embarrassed glances and immediately looked away。 Tommy fixed his eyes out over the water and Laddie looked down at the raft。
She stared at Laddie。 〃Well？〃
The red flush crept up from Laddie's throat。
〃I saw you。 You both were looking at my chest！〃 she said accusingly。
The boys again exchanged quick glances。 Laddie got to his feet。 〃e on； Tommy；〃 he said。 〃It's getting too crowded out here！〃
He dove from the raft and a moment later； his friend followed。 Rina watched them swimming toward the shore for a moment； then stretched back on the raft and stared up into the bright sky。 Boys were strange creatures； she thought。
The tight bathing suit cut into her breasts。 She shrugged her shoulders and her breasts leaped free of the encumbering suit。 She looked down at herself。
They were white against the dark tan of her arms and throat and the nipples were flushed and pink and fuller than she had ever seen them before。 Tentatively she touched them with her fingertips。 They were hard as tiny pebbles and a warm； pleasant kind of pain flashed through them。
The warmth of the sun began to fill them with a sweet； gentle ache。 Slowly she began to massage the ache away and gradually the warmth spilled from her breasts down into her body。 She felt herself go hazy with a contentment she had never known before。
5
RINA STOOD IN FRONT OF THE MIRROR AND ADJUSTED the straps on the brassière。 She took a deep breath。 She turned to her mother； sitting on the bed behind her。
〃There； Mother；〃 she said proudly。 〃How does it look？〃
Geraldine looked at her daughter doubtfully。 〃Perhaps if you moved it to the last hook；〃 she said hesitantly and delicately。
〃I tried； Mother；〃 Rina answered。 〃But I can't wear it like that。 It cuts into me。〃
Geraldine nodded。 Next time； she would get a larger size but who ever would have thought a thirty…four would be so tight on such a slender frame？
Rina turned back to the mirror and looked at herself with satisfaction。 Now she was beginning to look outside more like she felt inside。 She noticed her mother watching her in the mirror。
〃Do you think I could get some new bathing suits too； Mother？〃 she asked。 〃The ones I have are too small for me。〃
〃I was just thinking that；〃 her mother answered。 〃And some new dresses； too。 Maybe Daddy will drive us down to Hyannis Port after breakfast。〃
Rina flashed a happy grin and ran to her mother。 She threw her arms around her。 〃Oh； thank you； Mother！〃 she cried happily。
Geraldine drew Rina's head down to her breast。 She kissed the top of the white…blond head and turned the child's tanned face up to hers。 She looked down into Rina's eyes； her fingers lightly stroking her daughter's cheek。 〃What is happening to my little girl？〃 she asked almost sadly。
Rina caught her mother's hand and kissed her open palm。 〃Nothing； Mother；〃 she said with the sureness and confidence that was to bee an integral part of her。 〃Nothing but what you told me。 I'm growing up。〃
Geraldine looked down into her daughter's face。 A sudden mist came into her eyes。
〃Don't be in too much of a hurry； my baby；〃 she said； pressing Rina's head closely to her bosom。 〃We have too few years for childhood。〃
But Rina scarcely heard her。 And if she had； it was doubtful that the words would carry any meaning。 For they were only words and words were as futile against the strong forces awakening inside her as the waves breaking fruitlessly against the shore outside the window。
Laddie turned and swiftly threw the ball to first base。 The runner spun and slid back toward safety； his heels kicking up a fine spray of dust。 When the dust cleared； they could hear the umpire call； 〃Yer out！〃 and the game was over。
The boys clustered about him； pounding his back happily。 〃Swell game； Laddie！〃 〃Good pitching！〃 Then they dispersed and he and Tommy were alone； threading their way back to the beach。
〃What yuh doin' this afternoon？〃 Tommy asked。
Laddie shrugged his shoulders。 〃Nothin'。〃 He was still thinking about that wild pitch that Mahoney hit for a home run。 He should never have let the ball get away from him like that。 He had to do better if he wanted to make the varsity team at Barrington the next spring。 He made up his mind to spend an hour every afternoon pitching into a barrel。 They said that was how Walter Johnson had developed his control。
〃The Bijou's got a new Hoot Gibson picture；〃 Tommy said。
〃I saw it back in Boston。〃 Laddie looked at his friend。 〃When's Joan ing down again？〃
〃My cousin？〃 Tommy asked。
〃Yuh know anyone else by that name？〃 Laddie asked sarcastically。
〃Maybe this weekend；〃 Tommy answered。
〃Then maybe we'll take her to the movies。〃 Laddie said。
〃Big deal！〃 Tommy snorted。 〃It's O。K。 for you but what about me？ It's no fun sitting next to you and watching you cop feels。 Who'm I goin' to take？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Laddie answered。
Tommy walked along for a moment； then snapped his fingers。 〃I got it！〃 he said excitedly。
〃Who？〃
〃Your sister。 Rina。〃
〃Rina？〃 Laddie said。 〃She's just a kid。〃
Tommy laughed。 〃She ain't such a kid。 They're really poppin' out on her。 They look even bigger lately than when we seen 'em on the raft a couple weeks ago。〃
〃But she's only thirteen；〃 Laddie said。
〃My cousin Joan's only fourteen now。 She was thirteen last summer when you were nuzzlin' her on the back porch。〃
Laddie looked at him。 Maybe Tommy was right。 Rina was growing up。 He shrugged his shoulders。 〃O。K。；〃 he said finally。 〃You ask her。 It won't do any good； though。 I don't think my mother will let her go。〃
〃She will if you ask her；〃 Tommy said surely。
〃I'm goin' in to shower an' put on my suit；〃 Laddie said。 〃I'll meet yuh on the beach。〃
〃O。K。；〃 Tommy answered。 〃See yuh。〃
The cottage was cool and silent after the heat and noise at the game。 Slowly Laddie walked through to the kitchen。 〃Molly？〃 he called。
There was no answer and he remembered it was Thursday； Molly's day off。 He heard a noise upstairs and walked over to the staircase。 〃Mother？〃
Rina's voice came down to him。 〃They drove down to Hyannis Port to have dinner with some people。〃
〃Oh；〃 he said。 He went back into the kitchen and opened the icebox。 He took out a bottle of milk and a piece of chocolate cake and put them on the table。 He drank the milk from the bottle and ate the cake with his fingers。 It wasn't until after he had finished that he remembered he'd promised himself he wouldn't touch any sweets in hopes that his skin would clear up。
He sat there in a kind of lethargy。 He heard the bathroom door slam and footsteps leading back to Rina's room。 Idly he wondered what she was doing home at this time of the afternoon。 Usually she was down at the beach already with her giggling bunch of silly girl friends。
Maybe Tommy was right。 She was growing up。 Certainly the way she brazenly sat there on the raft with her boobs half hanging out and letting them goggle at her didn't make her seem like a kid。 Tommy was right about one thing； though。 They were bigger than his cousin's。
A picture of Rina sitting on the raft flashed through his mind： the way she looked at them while they looked at her； her hair falling wet and straight to her shoulders； her lower lip pouting and kind of heavy。
He felt a familiar heat surge through him。 He half groaned aloud。 Oh； no； not again。 He'd promised himself after the last time； he'd stop。 He got to his feet abruptly。 He wouldn't do it this time。 He picked up the empty plate and put it in the sink； then walked out of the kitchen and started up the stairs。 He'd grab a cold shower and then beat it out to the beach。
Rina's room was opposite the head of the staircase and the door was partly open。 He was almost halfway up when the light spilling from her room caught his eye。 There was a movement inside the room and he stopped on the staircase； his heart pounding。 Slowly he sank to his knees so that only his eyes were above the top of the landing。
Rina had just crossed the room and was standing in front of the mirror； her back to the door； clad only in a brassière and a pair of bloomers。 While he watched； she reached behind her and unfastened the brassière； then； half turning； stepped out of the bloomers。 Holding them in her hand； she crossed the room and came back in a moment； carrying a bathing suit。 She paused again in front of the mirror and stepped into the suit。 Slowly she pulled it up over her breasts and straightened the shoulder straps。
He felt faint beads of perspiration across his forehead。 This was the first time he had ever seen a grown…up girl pletely naked。 He had never thought they could be so beautiful and exciting。
Walking quietly； he passed her room and went into his own。 He closed the door and sank； still trembling； to the bed。 For a long moment； he sat there； the pain of the heat surging inside him bending him almost double。
Slowly he reasoned with himself。 No。 He mustn't。 Not again。 If he gave in to it now； he would always give in to it。 At last； he began to feel better。 He wiped his forehead with his arm and got to his feet。
All you needed was a little self…control and determination。 He began to feel proud of himself。 What he had to do was remove himself from all kinds of temptation。 That meant everything。 Even the French pictures he had bought from the candy store down in Lobstertown。
Quickly he opened a dresser drawer and burrowing underneath a broken slat； came out with the pictures。 He placed them on the dresser drawer face down。 He wouldn't even look at them one last time。 He'd flush them down the toilet when he went in to take his shower。
He undressed rapidly and put on his bathrobe。 He walked back to the dresser and caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror。 It was filled with a noble resolve。 It was amazing how quickly resolution could reflect itself。 He turned and left the room； forgetting the pictures that lay on the dresser。
He was drying himself in front of the mirror when he heard her footsteps turn down the hall to his room。 Suddenly； he froze as he remembered。 The pictures were still on the dresser。 He grabbed for the bathrobe on the door behind him。
It was too late。 When he got to his room； she was standing near the dres