Swimming class

Smith stepped into the indoor pool area with unsteady feet. He was 28, thin and slightly hunched, as if trying to make himself smaller. His fear of water had been with him since childhood; even looking at the deep end made his heart race and his breath catch. Today, though, he had forced himself to come. His doctor had insisted he confront the fear, and a friend had given him the number for private lessons.

Melina stood by the edge of the pool. She was 26, fairly tall, her brown hair pulled back, wearing a dark blue athletic swimsuit. When she saw Smith, she gave him a warm smile.

“Smith? Welcome. I’m Melina, your instructor.”

Smith only nodded and quickly looked away. He was shy, and speaking felt difficult.

Melina noticed his tension. She approached calmly and said, “Don’t worry. Today we’re just getting familiar with the water. There’s no one else here.”

At first they just sat by the edge. Melina put her hand in the water and showed him how to breathe. But when it came time to actually enter the pool, Smith’s body locked up. His feet felt glued to the tiles.

Melina moved closer without rushing. “May I help you?”

Smith answered in a tight voice, “Yes… please.”

Melina slipped her arms around his narrow waist and, with one smooth motion, lifted him off the ground. Surprised, Smith instinctively wrapped his arms around her neck. She held him securely against her and walked step by step into the shallow water. The cold touched his legs and he clung to her more tightly.

“It’s okay,” Melina said softly. “I’ve got you.”

She lifted him a little higher so his body stayed clear of the water, then settled him carefully onto her lap. Smith was now sitting across her thighs, his back resting against her chest, his thin legs dangling in the water. One of Melina’s arms stayed firmly around his waist to keep him balanced; with the other she gently scooped water over his shoulders.

Smith’s face was flushed—partly from embarrassment, partly from the unexpected closeness. His heart was pounding, but this time it wasn’t only from fear of the water. He could feel Melina’s warm breath near his ear as she murmured, “See? You’re in the water… even if I’m the one holding you.”

They stayed like that for several minutes. Every so often Melina would lift him slightly and settle him back onto her lap, as if reminding him he was safe in her arms. Gradually the tension left Smith’s body. His hands, which had been locked tightly around her neck, loosened and rested more easily on her shoulders.

Melina smiled and said quietly, “That’s enough for today. We’ll come back tomorrow. Maybe then you’ll swim a little on your own… or maybe I’ll still need to carry you.”

Smith said nothing at first. Then, very softly, he murmured, “Okay… thank you.”

Melina carried him back out of the water, still holding him until his feet were firmly on the dry tiles. When she set him down, her hand lingered for a moment on his slim waist.

“Tomorrow at four,” she said. “And if you’re scared again… you know what I’ll do.”

Smith only nodded, but this time a small smile touched the corner of his mouth.