Floating together, they saw the moon and the stars. Then, they swam in sync together and watched the waves they created. “I feel like one of the women in your paintings who merged with the cosmos; nothing is visible but the starry night. We’re swimming in the firmament together,” Ruth said. “This is the way to live!” “To love, too. Merging happens all the time.” “I suppose it does. I’ve more often experienced it alone, camping out in Patagonia.” But that day making love with Sylvie in the rain in Doñana, Ruth thought, that was merging with the world. Actually, it almost always happened with Sylvie . . . I hope everything is resolved with her . . . Ruth looked at Monserrat, who was floating and glowing in the moonlight, and she suddenly felt overwhelming desire. She drew her body into shallower water, parted her legs and made love to her orally while holding her above the water. She had no sense of time passing and could not have said how long they made love. She heard Monserrat crying out.
