On page 73, a moment of physical and emotional closeness intertwines metaphors of water and nature, reflecting the narrator’s deep connection with Jacqueline. The recurring imagery of water, with its associations of fluidity, transformation, and desire, evokes a sense of immersion in this relationship. Jacqueline is described as ‘refilled each day with fresh tides of longing,’ suggesting the constant, overwhelming nature of the narrator’s desire. This metaphor not only represents desire’s intensity but also casts Jacqueline as familiar territory of the scent of “rock pools” the narrator explored as a child. Thus, symbolizing a space of comfort and desire for the narrator. The metaphor of Jacqueline being ‘refilled each day with fresh tides of longing’ illustrates the cyclical nature of desire, which is both ever-present and transformative. This continual replenishment suggests that the narrator’s feelings for Jacqueline are not static but evolve daily, amplifying the sense of constant yearning and emotional fluidity. The metaphor of tides also implies that this desire is something beyond the narrator’s full control, as tides can often sweep up people and things. In the tides, the narrator discovers Jacqueline’s “starfish” and “salt”. This sense of discovery and immersion highlights the narrator’s psychological state of being consumed by desire. Just like a deep sea diver takes time in exploring the ocean and its habitants, the narrator gives their lover the same level of exploration. Just as the ocean can both embrace and overwhelm, the narrator’s longing for Jacqueline creates an emotional pull that is as irresistible as it is unsettling because the sea contains a plethora, suggesting an internal conflict between yearning for closeness and the fear of losing control. The two began with the music “smooth as a tube lubricating” them across the floor but, they eventually slip deeply into the affair, like being plunged into the sea. Ultimately, the water metaphor serves not only to convey the depth of the narrator’s desire but also to underscore the natural, yet uncontrollable forces of intimacy. It reveals the tension between the allure of emotional connection and the inherent instability and unpredictability of love, which, much like water, is fluid and ever-changing.