180 Days in Montauk

He brought us to a shallow area a few miles from his house, where he showed me how everything worked. I couldn't be sure, but it looked as if the water was less than ten feet deep. Finn did everything himself for the first half-hour, letting me watch and get an idea of what was going on. I felt a little silly in my get-up, but we worked well together and were soon pulling in a bunch of what I'm sure were the best clams on Long Island.

"Finn, why here? Why did you choose this spot?"

"I don't really know, to be honest. It's going to sound stupid, but sometimes I just sort of get a hunch. I'll remember how I did at another area that had similar water flow or eddies, maybe it'll be the distance to shore. I don't know. I just factor a bunch of stuff in, almost subconsciously, and either pass or give it a shot."

We spent hours in the area pulling up more clams than I had ever seen in my life. We eventually stopped for lunch, and I grabbed the deck of cards I brought. Finn didn't know how to play rummy, which was pretty bizarre, so I was showing him how when I got lost in my thoughts for a moment.

"Jennifer?"

I sort of heard him, but it was on the periphery of my thoughts.

"Jennifer?"

"Oh, sorry. I just... I don't know. I was thinking of the 52 cards, the different suits, the two colors. Did you ever think of how many permutations there are in a deck of cards? It's crazy, right? I don't know why I never saw that before."

"Ahhh, okay. Me neither. Never really thought about it. I'm not much of a gambler."

We played for a while as we ate our sandwiches. Once we finished, I started stripping off my clothes until I was down to my new bikini. It was cut differently than I was used to. Lower in some spots, higher in others.

"I can go for a quick dip, right?"

Like the grinch's heart, Finn's eyes grew three sizes. "Yeah, sure."

I could feel his intense gaze on me as I dove off the side. I swam for a bit and every time I looked back, Finn would turn away, pretending not to stare. Part of me knew that it was cruel to tease him, but the rest of me didn't care.

The sound of the anchor hitting the water turned my attention back towards the boat. Finn stood at the side facing me, peeled off his shirt and kicked off his sneakers. His wide shoulders tapered to a trim waist, tawny hair running from just south of his belly button to beneath his shorts. There was little on him that was spare. He wasn't a Charles Atlas muscle man, but I could see his muscles glide across his arms and chest as he moved. I was looking up at his tall, lean body, wavy hair and smiling face as he dove in. Maybe it was him teasing me.

We splashed around, laughing, before I swam by him. He moved to intercept me and pulled me into his embrace. I molded my body into his and felt his growing arousal. "Finn, I—"

Silencing me with a kiss, I think we both forgot we were in water as we began to sink. We laughed as kicking kept us afloat. He was an odd mix of hesitance and aggression. Where had this Finn been hiding? We swam and kissed for another twenty minutes before we got back in the boat.

We spent a few more hours clamming and headed back. His coolers were full of the clams we had bagged. He seemed happy with the day's work, although it was still pretty early. We had lunch at ten and it was one now. The inadvertent touching and brushing up against each other while we worked was pretty advertant. Is that a word?

"You did great, Jennifer. I told you that you were my selkie good luck charm! We'll get seventeen to twenty cents each for them, and we had a pretty decent haul. I'm not sure how many, but..."

"Three-thousand-seven-hundred and seventy-two."

He smiled at me like we were sharing a joke. "Sure. So about four thousand or so. Sounds about right."

"No, unless you count the ones we threw back or there were some I didn't see, that's the number."

He looked confused and offered a half smile. "Are you being serious?"

"Yeah, I counted them when we put them on the tray."

"You... you counted them?"

"Well, not like one, two, three, four. I saw them on the tray, took in how many there were and kept a running total."

"Ahhh, okay. Well, we'll see, I guess."

What, did he think I was lying? Dink was beyond excited to see us when we got back. I saw what Finn was talking about when he named him. Dink would come running towards us, get within a few feet and run away. We refused to chase after him and rolled the coolers down to Finn's truck. It was a tight fit, even when he put down the back seats.

He called a fish store while we drove over there. The damn phone listened to him and called whoever he wanted. It sent shivers down my spine. We pulled into the parking lot and I noticed that the store was on the water. They had a large door open for us in the back and a man was standing there waiting. He helped unload the coolers and we all pulled them into the building.

"Jennifer, leave the cooler and go inside."

"No, it's fine. It's not too..."

His voice was pitched low, but I could hear his concern. "Jennifer! Leave the damn cooler and go inside!"

Dropping the handle, I looked back at him. He was gazing at the other side of the parking lot at two men who were staring at us. The man from the fish market looked over as well.

"Problem, Finn? Want me to talk to them?"

"It's fine, John. Jennifer please go inside. John and I'll get the rest."

I was confused and a little scared, so I went inside. They brought in the rest of the coolers and counted the clams.

Nervously, I waited inside for Finn. After John wrote him a check, we left in the truck. "What the hell was that?"

"Nothing. Just some idiots that think they own the water and can tell me what I can and can't do. It's okay. How on earth did you count those clams? You were accurate down to the very last one."

"I don't know, it just, you know, sort of was there. You're right, I guess. It was weird but felt natural. Actually, it didn't feel like anything. I just saw them, and my mind told me how many there were." There was no pride there. I knew it was odd to be able to count them like that, but it didn't feel strange. It would be like taking pride in walking or getting in the car.

"Well, we're going to have to take a trip to Atlantic City or Foxwoods."

We spent the rest of the day relaxing, playing cards and tossing a beat-up Frisbee to Dink. I napped for an hour or so. I had been up since two in the morning. My nerves wouldn't let me sleep last night.

Finn cooked us up some of the clams we had caught for dinner and we ate on his boat-yacht. I really needed to figure out which it was. Maybe it was both? It had to be too small to be a ship. The aromas of the garlic and shallots filled the small cooking area, the flavors growing less sharp after melding with the beer, butter and clams. The dish felt like the sea. The briny taste of the clams and their liquor pulled all of the day's experiences together. Whenever he was looking away, I ran my eyes over Finn.

He was cleaning the sides of the boat or scraping the barnacles or something while I was down in the kitchen, washing the dishes. The sun had set, and the ship and dock were in darkness. He had little lights that he said were solar powered that led from the water up to the back door of his house.

I was a little startled to hear the voices filter down to where I was.

Finn sounded disgusted and angry. "Well, if it isn't the Montauk Mafia? Why don't you poseurs get the fuck off my boat and property?"

The man's voice was harsh and phlegmy. "How many times did we try to do this with conversation? Words just don't work with you, do they? You with your rich friends, fancy cabin cruiser and famous chefs just don't get it. We're done talking. There are men out there who work the water trying to earn money for their families. Their kids. You've got your fucking oyster farm and then you're out there grabbing the best clamming spots, taking money off the table from men who need it."

What the fuck was going on? I dropped the large pan and pulled off the gloves. Finn's voice grew louder, and I could hear the anger boiling over. "The two of you are idiots. No one was clamming there until I was. I find the spots and you want me to move off them, so you can take over? Are you out of your mind?"

Mr. Phlegm continued. "You just don't listen. You and that blonde hottie, how much did you take in today? That could have paid for someone's kid's birthday party or gone to a college fund and you wouldn't have missed a penny of it. We're done talking. Maybe we need to talk a little harder."

Stopping and leaning against the wall at the base of the stairs, I paused to take two deep breaths. Pulse racing, I made my way halfway up. I grabbed what I needed from the box latched to the wall and continued up the stairs.

Two large men, the same ones from the parking lot, were facing Finn, their backs to me. Finn looked over one of their shoulders at me and I saw fear in his eyes. For me. Even in the dark, I could see the reddening of his right cheekbone and the small cut leaking blood. He held his left hand low and waived it back furiously, as if trying to tell me to go downstairs.

That wasn't going to happen. For the first time I could remember, I wasn't moving away from a confrontation. I thought of Siobhan and I thought of Cynthia. They were strong unafraid women. I could do this. I could be strong. They hit Finn.

Keep my voice strong. Don't show fear. I've got this. I don't have this. Arrrghhh! I've got this! "Hi. I'm Jennifer. The hottie, if I'm understanding the term correctly. Here's what's going to happen. You're going to back the hell off, get on the dock and get out of here."

They spun around, wide eyed, surprise on their faces. The one to Finn's left glowered.

"Stay out of this. We don't want to do nothing to you."

I took another deep breath. "Oh, you're not going to. Three reasons. First," I raised my hand, hoping that they wouldn't notice how much it was shaking, and pointed the flare gun at the speaker. "if you don't get the heck out of here right now, one of you is going to be on fire in a minute. Two, I'm a witness to anything you do."

There was a loud thump as one-hundred and forty pounds of pissed-off dog leapt from the dock onto the boat. Dink's hackles were raised, full rictus showing, and his butt and chest were lowered towards the floor. Deck? Who cares. A growl came from deep, deep within his belly and I was legitimately frightened.

"Hey! There he is. Here's number three. That dog loves Finn like there's no tomorrow. I think he'd kill you both and put his head on Finn's lap for some scratchings. Wouldn't you, Dink? Who's a good boy? Who wants scratchings?" I wanted to pretend to be nonchalant, stroll over to Finn's protector and pet him, but I could barely reconcile the goofy, smelly dog of a few hours ago with this engine of destruction.

The spokesperson for the two spoke up again. This time he sounded conciliatory. Eyes on Dink, he seemed more afraid of the dog than the flare gun. "Ah, listen, this has gotten a little out of hand. We're all a little frustrated and angry, but nothing physical has to happen here. We can just talk this out. Another time. We'll call you."

Nothing physical? They already hit Finn!

They both moved back towards the dock, trying to keep as much distance between themselves and Dink as possible. Making the leap to what they hoped was safety, they beat a hasty path to the grass, then the side of the house and to the gravel driveway.

Dink kept himself between the retreating figures and Finn. He then ambled over to his friend and pushed into his legs until Finn sat down and hugged him. The flare gun fell from my shaking fingers.

Finn looked up at me and paused, seemingly trying to find the right words. "Jennifer, that... that was the bravest thing I've ever seen."

Adrenaline coursed through me and I struggled to keep the quaver from my voice. "Yeah, sure. I saw you trying to signal me to go back down. What were you going to do, let them beat you up so they wouldn't know I was there? That's a heck of a lot braver than I was. I'm still shaking." I couldn't take my eyes off his cheek.

Seeing how shook-up I was, he stepped in and hugged me. I leaned in and kissed him, pulling back slowly. He almost looked angry. "I'm not going to argue about it. That was amazing. You... I don't know." He took my hand and led me to the bench. "Maybe I should hire you as my bodyguard and keep you around all the time."

Now that had some possibilities. I looked over the water, his beautiful yacht, the spacious backyard and his comfortable home. I smiled back at him. "No, please Brer Finn, don't throw me in the briar patch, don't make me stay overnight!" Thinking about what almost happened, I grew serious. "Do you think they'll come back?"

"No, they're cowards. They won't be coming back, tonight, at least."

My voice pitched a little deeper, husky. "Well, maybe I should stay here, just in case you need protection."

I went down to the galley and grabbed the big box of dog treats. Dink certainly deserved them. As I passed the little bedroom, I decided that we would stay there tonight. It was his boat, but my decision. Finn wouldn't drive me back to the clinic, and we wouldn't stay in his house.

After rewarding Dink and lavishing some attention on him, Finn went downstairs and came back with an ice pack, a couple of beers, a bag of North Fork Potato Chips and a device some of the doctors had used. He called it an eye pad and couldn't suppress his smile. He was like a kid with a secret he was bursting to share.

"Okay, Mr. Clammer, out with it."

"Madam, you are about to watch the greatest movie ever made."

"The Dink movie?"

"It's calledThe Princess Bride, and yes, it's the Dink movie."

Maybe I wasn't as enthralled as he was, but it was a great movie. We laughed, and I grabbed onto him when the ROUS made their appearance. I didn't let go until the end of the film.

If he didn't make his move soon I was going to hit him over the head with an anchor or something and drag him to the berth. I was tired of his waiting. "Finn, take me to your bed."

It was more than a little corny when he picked me up and walked towards the stairs, but I wouldn't have changed it for anything.

I melted as he looked into my eyes, his need for me lurking in his gaze. "As you wish."

His steps were sure as he moved down to the small cabin, arms never slipping as they carried my weight. His feet knew the way, thankfully, as his eyes never left mine. Not saying a word, he carried me. I felt an urge to fill the silence but couldn't find the words.

He lay me on the bed and stripped his clothes from his lean, fit body. Guilt rolled over me as I felt my pulse quicken when I saw his bruised cheek. He was willing to take the beating to protect me, keep me safe. I longed to kiss it, kiss him, remove any lingering pain. I sat up and quickly peeled off my shirt and pulled off my jeans.

My hands were grasped in his as I went to remove my bra. He leaned in and kissed me, our mouths meeting and then his lips made their way down my neck and clavicle. Pausing, he reached around me and with sure hands, unhooked the bra. Replacing the fabric with his tongue, teeth and lips, he teased my nipples as they strained even further forward, crinkling, lengthening.

My head rolled back, lost in the sensations. Finn switched from one breast to the other, a hand always on each. Finally, he lifted me again and placed me further onto the bed and made his way down to my panties. Kissing my navel, he slowly pulled down the last vestige of my modesty. I heard an almost animalistic growl as my damp pussy came into view before his eyes. He harshly pulled the panties down and over my feet.

Looking up at me, he smiled. It wasn't the endearing lop-sided grin I grew to love. It was a hard, unyielding smile of determination. This wasn't the Finn I usually saw. It was the smile of a man who was going to take his woman. I felt the shiver run down my spine.

He pried my legs apart, stared for a moment and moved in, tongue delving here and there on and in my wet channel. "Oh, yes. Finn. Yes. YES! FINN!" I'd only had this done to me once and it was nothing like this. My hips shifted forward of their own volition, and I pulled his head further into me. Sensations grew more intense as his mouth worked between my legs. A climax began to build inside me, swelling warmly outwards from deep inside, setting my senses quivering in anticipation. Time lost meaning and I came like never before, screaming his name.

Collapsing, I didn't notice him slowly moving forward. He lifted me, turned me over, set me on my knees with my head on the mattress. Finn took me from behind. Strong, forceful, claiming me as his. He slammed into me again and again as I cried out. "Take me. Take me! Harder!" I was losing control and rapidly rose to those heights again. Electricity rolled through my body in waves as I came. Our sweat mingled as he leaned over my back, reaching to nip at my neck.

As waves of ecstasy rolled through me, he continued, searching for his own release. I could hear his guttural growl as it came upon him. He fell to the bed next to me, closed his eyes for a moment and lay there. I could taste myself as he roused and kissed me.

As much as possible, I kept my legs closed as I rushed to the bathroom, ridding myself of our residue. An hour later, we were one again. A more languorous, loving coupling. Above me, I gazed into his eyes as we rocked back and forth in time with the motion of the boat.

Before he had made me his, now he displayed his love. I couldn't tear myself away from his grey-green eyes as he pushed so deeply into me. It was as close to merging with another person as I'd ever experienced.

At the end of the night, we were different. It went unstated that I wouldn't be returning to stay overnight at the clinic. I slept wrapped in his arms, sounds of the waves slapping against the boat lulling me to sleep.

CYNTHIA

They hit him. Someone struck Finn.

I was leaning too far in, pushing myself into Jennifer's personal space. I'm sure that those damned wrinkles popped up on my forehead as my eyes narrowed. Jennifer didn't appear frightened, but I wasn't doing myself any good. Forcing myself to let go of her hands, I leaned back. Time to start over.

I took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm sorry, I'm having some difficulty understanding this. I would have never thought that Finn would keep something like this from me. You were saying that you saw them earlier that day?"

Hands clutching and then releasing each other, Jennifer was clearly concerned about Finn's wellbeing. "Yeah, at the fish market. And I guess Finn had problems with them before. A bunch of times, maybe."

"That stupid, pig-headed, stubborn..." Grabbing my phone from my purse, I knew what I was going to do. "Call George."

I leaned forward, head down as the phone rang. Heart pounding, my breathing grew rapid and all I could think of was something horrible happening to Finn. Fifty years and I had never conceived of anything happening to Finn. Me? Sure. Jennifer? Maybe. We were the strange ones. We were the ones chosen to be fate's playthings, but Finn? Never. He was always the rock. My mind and heart clung to him, holding tight whenever I lost hope. Fifty long years. "If those sons of..."

George's strong voice radiated calm. "Hey, Cynthia. What can I do for you?"

The rich and powerful came to me, hat in hand. I kept politicians in my pocket and pulled them out when needed. I was The Spider, sitting at the center of the web of power. I'd pushed back the unnatural for decades. I wasn't going to cry. I'd loved the man he is now for five decades. He was finally at the age he was when we met and fell in love, and some pissant punks... I needed to get a hold of myself.