"God, Martha! He was practically a priest and he seduced you?"
"Hell, no! I practically forced him to screw! And he wasn't a priest, yet. It was the weekend before he left for the seminary."
"So you gave him a send-off present?"
She laughed. It didn't sound sincere. "I guess you could say that. To tell the truth, I did it because I was pissed off at him over my losing Annie. I was sure he was making a mistake about the priesthood and I thought I was proving it. I'd drench him in sin and guilt." I didn't respond. "Okay, I was a bitch. I admit it."
"He's your cousin. That's like incest."
"If he'd knocked me up I'd have got an abortion. Look, I was only fooling around. I was seventeen and stupid. I was sowing wild oats at that age and not thinking clearly. Besides, I think I was on the pill by then."
"You were the instigator?"
Martha laughed. "The adults were off someplace and we got a little drunk, I guess. We talked about celibacy and all the stuff he'd miss. I flirted like a hooker and goaded him into discussing all those sordid confessions he'd be hearing. Then I busted his chops how he wouldn't be able to, I don't know, relate."
"So you gave him a good fuck so he could relate to all the sinners whose confessions he'd be listening to?"
"Don't talk dirty, Ben. That sounds so sordid but, I guess, something like that." I could hear her take a deep breath. "God, it was a hundred years ago. I did lots of stupid stuff like that back then. Thank heaven Howie doesn't remember. I can imagine how he'd react."
"How old was Howie?"
She thought for a moment. "In his twenties. He's four years older than I am."
"That's statuary rape!"
"Come on, Ben! How many seventeen year old virgins do you know?"
"You never sowed any wild oats in my field, damn it! Please tell me Quinn doesn't know."
"No, and I've never really cheated on Quinn, so don't bother to ask."
"A damned good thing Howie doesn't remember."
"A great screwing wasted." That was Martha. She added, "I was worried sick when Howie came out here, like maybe he'd get a flashback of us together and be in love with me or something stupid."
"You were hopping in bed with everyone back then and you never gave me a second look."
"God, Ben! You were so anal-retentive if I'd screwed you, you'd wanted to marry me or something! I'm sure you were in love with me; all the boys were. It was as annoying as dog shit on new shoes. It would have messed up everything. I was just having fun with them; I love you."