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. I can play.I mdamn good at it. Laughing, Dev caught Leslie s wrist, and when Leslie took anotherplayful swing at her with her free hand, she caught that one too. Andwhat will we do after I beat you in ten minutes? Oh, you think? Leslie gave Dev a teasing shove, and whenDev stumbled back in surprise, still holding Leslie s wrists, Leslielost her balance too and fell into her.They ended up in a tangle, halfsprawled over the wide tank of Dev s motorcycle, Dev on the bottomwith Leslie s stomach and thighs pressed against her, Leslie s hands onDev s shoulders.Their faces were inches apart.Leslie could feel Devbreathing hard under her, as if she d been running for a long time.Devwas only an inch or so shorter than Mike, and her body felt nearly as" 70 " WHEN DREAMS TREMBLEhard, except where her small breasts just grazed Leslie s.Leslie felt thetingling again, like she had the week before when she d ridden on theback of Dev s motorcycle, their bodies pressed close together.Exceptshe wasn t nervous this time.This was Dev, and she had nothing to fear.So close like this, she could see that Dev s eyes were more green today,probably because the sunlight slanted into them, making them glow.Leslie watched, fascinated, as Dev s pupils widened and her lips partedsoundlessly.She felt hands skim her waist. You ought to get up, Les, Dev said unsteadily, before we tipthe bike over. Leslie didn t want to move.Her breathing had speeded up, andher heart seemed to race at the same pace as the pulse that hammeredalong Dev s tanned neck.The May sunshine warmed the backs of herbare legs, but she was warmer still inside.Lazy and liquid and warm,like sugar bubbling on the stove.Beneath her, Dev shivered. Dev.What ? Her voice came out thick and she wondered if she d be able tostand up.Her legs felt so heavy.She began to tremble.Sounding almost panicked, Dev said more sharply, Leslie.Getoff. She grasped Leslie s hips and pushed her away as she leveredherself into a standing position. I gotta go. Leslie stared in an unfamiliar daze as Dev straddled her bike,kicked the engine over, and roared away, leaving Leslie lonely in a wayshe d never experienced. Leslie, Eileen Harris said, giving Leslie a concerned look. Areyou feeling all right? What? Leslie said, looking around the kitchen as if she dnever seen it before.She blinked and the past receded. Sure.Justdaydreaming. Eileen rinsed her hands in the sink and dried them on a dish towel. I guess Devon wasn t exactly the kind of girl who would have fit invery well back then. Leslie s eyes narrowed. What do you mean by that? I didn t mean anything negative by it, Eileen said, clearlysurprised by the heat in Leslie s voice. She s obviously intelligent andvery nice.She just seems& well, I can t picture her as a girl interestedin the things you and your friends " 71 " RADCLYfFE Thanks, Mom, Leslie said, rising quickly.She stalked to the sinkand flung the dregs of her coffee into it before banging the cup down onthe counter. You make the rest of us sound like we were airheads whospent all our time fixing our hair and gossiping. Eileen s eyebrows rose. I wasn t judging you or your friends, Ijust meant that she seems different. Different? Leslie folded her arms over her chest. Differentfrom who? Who you think we were or who we really were? Did youeven have any idea who I was? I thought so, Eileen said quietly. At least as much as you letme know. Me? Leslie wanted to pace.More than that, she wanted toscream.That was the moment she realized she was losing control, andshe very deliberately shut the door on her anger and her hurt.It was as ifa cold wind blew through her, obliterating the emotions that threatenedto cloud her judgment and disturb the balance she prided herself onhaving. This is a ridiculous conversation.Those things are long past,and whatever either of us did or didn t do doesn t matter anymore. Eileen poured herself a cup of coffee.Quietly, she said, Do youreally believe that? Believe what? Leslie said, comfortable now that reason ruled.She and her mother had this kind of conversation every time they werein the same room together for more than an hour.Since the day she dleft for college, something critical in their relationship had changed.They couldn t agree on anything anymore. That things left undone, unresolved, don t haunt us.That wecan just walk away from the past as if it never happened? Eileen svoice was pensive, tinged with sadness.But there was no challenge, noaccusation. I know that people change, everything changes.We are who weare now. What she didn t add was strangers. Well, it might be nice to get acquainted again. Part of Leslie wanted to believe that, and part of her wonderedhow to begin.She wasn t even sure she wanted to try. You shouldfinish making breakfast.All the guests will be clamoring at the door ina minute.Why don t I help. You can get the eggs out of the refrigerator, Eileen said, turning" 72 " WHEN DREAMS TREMBLEback to the stove and sliding a large skillet over the gas burners. Everhear from Mike? Leslie froze with the door to the refrigerator half open. No.Why? He lives in the area and we see him from time to time.He alwaysasks about you. I don t think we d have anything in common any longer. Eileen slit the plastic on a pound of bacon and lay strips in a cast-iron pan
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