“I can’t believe it,” she said slowly.

“It happened.”

“God, I know. I couldn’t have dreamed it. I don’t have such heavenly dreams. I never knew.”

“What you are?”

“And what I was missing. I can’t believe it, it’s a new world. I must be babbling like an idiot.”

“No. Like a girl who just became a woman.”

“Mmmmm.” She took a cigarette, let Megan light it for her. “I feel slightly sinful,” she said. “Is that bad?”

“Does it bother you?”

“No. I have the feeling that it ought to, but it doesn’t. I rather like it, this sinful feeling.”

She ducked ashes in the ashtray on the bedside table, then propped her pillow behind her and sat back against it and drew again on the cigarette. She closed her eyes and bathed in the memory of Megan’s lovemaking. She opened them and looked at Megan’s body concealed by the folds of the green robe. She had a sudden urge to see Megan unclothed, to know the blonde girl’s body. And she looked down at her own breasts, and then at Megan again, and she leaned over and put out her cigarette.

“I have to work tomorrow,” she said.

“On Saturday?”

“Six days a week, nine to five-thirty. Number One employee for Mr. Yamatari-san.”

“Then we’d better get to sleep.”

“But I’m not tired,” she said. And she turned away and said, “I want to see you, I want to hold you. I want to look at you without any clothes on or any robe. I want to touch your body. I want so much to love you, Megan.”

“Baby-”

She turned to face Megan again. “I don’t know anything,” she said miserably. “I have to learn everything.”

“Like what?”

“Like how to make love.”

“You’ll do fine, baby.”

“But I don’t know anything-”

Megan’s hand, cool and soft, on the side of her face. “Don’t worry. And don’t be in such a rush to learn. The first times are so sweet and warm, so new. It’s wonderful to discover yourself. Don’t hurry past those times. Let it come slowly.”