She turned from the window. Megan was looking at her, infinite pity in her eyes.
“What’s wrong with me?”
“Don’t you know?”
“I know.” A sigh. “I’m frigid.”
“No.”
“Of course I am. An iceberg. A female zombie.”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Megan looked at her. “You really don’t know, do you? You really don’t know what you are.”
“I don’t understand.”
“No, you don’t. You poor kid, you poor sweet kid, you don’t understand, do you?”
And Megan kissed her.
CHAPTER THREE
Megan’s hands upon her shoulders, Megan’s lips against her own. She stood, stunned, and was kissed. And Megan ended the kiss and took a short step backward. Rhoda stared at her wide-eyed. She did not know what was happening.
“Do you see?”
“See what?”
“Oh God,” Megan said. “God in heaven.”
“Why did you kiss me?”
“Because I wanted to. Very much.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re beautiful. Sometimes you move as though you don’t know that. You are beautiful, Rhoda.”
“Why did you kiss me?”
“Because I’m in love with you.”
Her heart was pounding. She didn’t understand, did not even want to understand. She said, “That doesn’t make any sense.”
“Why not?”
“Because…because we’re both-”
“Yes?”
“Both girls.”
“So what?”
“But Megan touched her shoulder. The contact was electric, slightly frightening. “You’d better sit down,” she said softly. “There are some things you have to hear.”
They were sitting on the couch. Rhoda wanted a cigarette very badly. She took one from Megan’s pack and lit it and wondered why her hand was shaking. She seemed to be afraid but did not know what she was afraid of. Megan loved her, Megan had kissed her. She did not understand anything.