Barely Above Water

by Pallotta, Gail;

  She sauntered onto the pool deck, and a bee on the end of a chaise lounge flew past her face. The scent of chlorine brought back memories of chattering, squealing swimmers on her first team. It’d been lots of fun. She’d been strong, healthy, and filled with the competitive spirit to win events and meets. The enthusiastic parents showered her with gifts and appreciation. Were those kinds of mothers coming today?

  A large white bus rumbled into the parking lot and stopped. A woman with long dark hair stepped off and headed toward Suzie. “Hi, you must be the coach. I brought the team over from the center. I’ll be back at noon.”

  “Yes, I’m Suzie Morris. You’re Ellie, right?”

  A wide smile lit up the woman’s face. “I am. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Petite girls and boys of all ages, a few chubby kids, and tall lanky guys clomped off the vehicle, their heads turning every which way as though they checked out the territory.

  “Gotta go. I gotta make a gymnastics run.” Ellie waved then climbed back on the bus and shut the door. She pulled off, and exhaust belched smoke into the day.

  Suzie scanned the crowd moving toward the pool, searching for the swim team coordinators. They’d know all the children’s and parents’ names and would supply volunteers to work the meets.

  “Quiet. Everybody sit on the bleachers.” A loud voice boomed behind her.

  Matt.

  He caught up to Suzie and handed her a piece of paper. “Here’s the sign-up sheet by age.”

  The sun reflecting off the bleachers created a glare that made the note hard to read. Suzie tried to decipher it, but the youngsters racing onto the grassy playground next to the pool distracted her.

  “Quiet, right now, or you’ll do push-ups,” Matt called out to them but directed his gaze in Suzie’s direction. He waved toward a blue poolside table. “Have a seat over there. I have the forms for you to sign. Then, I’ll help organize the team before I leave.”

  Shock charged through Suzie as she bolted to a chair and put her signature on the papers. Imagining forty swimmers practicing in the pool at one time made her dizzy without any help from her mysterious malady.

  Determined to right this wrong, she handed Matt the documents. “On most summer league teams, the members report by age, beginning with the six-and-under group at eight o’clock. The ten-and-unders arrive at nine o’clock, then the eleven through fourteen-year olds, and last, the seniors.”

  Matt scratched his head. “All right. With Pat out I’m in charge, but again, I’ve never dealt with any summer league team. Not only that, this one’s different from those in our neighborhoods. Pat left no guidelines. It’s a learning experience.” A nervous edge lined his voice. “I’ve been busy with my regular duties and haven’t had time to read the swim team coaches’ handbook. The subdivisions have experienced adult coordinators, so I didn’t see a need…” His shoulders slumped as though his mistake weighted them down. He looked Suzie in the eyes. “We’ll work it out. Why don’t you start with the six-and-under group? I’ll lead the rest of them in games.”

  They’d better work it out. An Olympic swimmer couldn’t practice in this chaos. “Thanks.”

  “On the bleachers, now!” Matt called out in a demanding tone.

  The children stopped running and headed over, some of them taking friendly jabs at each other’s biceps. Others sucked in ragged breaths and wiped their sweaty foreheads as they plopped down.

  “Hi, I’m Suzie Morris, your coach.” She’d tried to sound friendly and upbeat, but detected tension in her tone. Had the children noticed it? Would her stress make them ill at ease? “Everyone six years old and under, stand by me.”

  No one moved until several of the older kids nudged eight youngsters forward. They scurried off the bleachers.

  Matt waved his arm. “The rest of you, follow me.” He headed toward the playground then peered over his shoulder. “We’ll be back at nine o’clock.”

  The six-and-unders jumped up and down.

  Suzie pulled her stopwatch out of her pocket and held it up. “First, I’m going to time you. Line up behind each other.”

  The children stood as still as statues.

  “Our time together is short, but I want to know each of you. When it’s your turn, tell me your name and where you attend school. Then, the instant I say ‘Go,’ dive or jump into the pool and swim as fast as you can.”

  They peered at her with big eyes, but no one moved. Why weren’t they doing as she asked?

  “Okay, who’s going first?”

  No one said a word.

  “Come on, guys. We don’t have all day.”

  A little blond-haired girl crept to Suzie and pulled on the bottom of her shorts.

  A tinge of irritation ran through Suzie, but she’d never be unkind to a child. “What is it? What’s your name?”

  “I’m Melissa. I made all excellent on my report card last year.”

  “Yeah. She was the teacher’s pet, but I did better in P.E.” A stocky little girl paraded up to Melissa.

  Melissa stuck out her bottom lip. “I was not. I like to do my homework. My dad says I inherited my momma’s stud-stud-stud-ee-ous ways. She was a lawyer in Bosnia.”

  “Okay, no fussing allowed at swim practice. What did you want?”

  Melissa gazed up at Suzie, her blue eyes so big they seemed to take over her small face. “We don’t know how to swim.”

  A fire alarm blared in Suzie’s head. Who in their right mind put kids who didn’t know how to swim on a team? Was she expected to teach them before she coached them? “None of you?”

  They lowered their heads and shook them no. Some of their lips quivered.

  Their pitiful faces calmed the hot steam spewing through Suzie’s veins. “All right. Everybody hop in here.” She pointed to the shallow end of the pool.

  Seven children plodded in at a snail’s pace. The little girl who challenged Melissa cried. “No. No. Don’t make me.”

  Suzie knelt beside her. “What’s your name?”

  “Anna.”

  She didn’t want to teach the little girl to swim any more than she wanted to jump in the pool. “I won’t make you, but you can’t learn to swim if you aren’t in the water. If you want, sit on a bleacher and watch. Anytime you’re ready, join your friends.”

  Anna’s lips turned down. “They’re not my friends.”

  Okay, she wasn’t paid to be a counselor, but psychology was a big part of getting the most out of a swimmer. “Maybe they will be by the time the season ends. Go over there and have a seat.”

  A blood-curdling yell pierced Suzie’s ears. “What is it?”

  A little boy trembled. “I don’t want water in my nose.”

  These six-and-unders needed a babysitter, not a coach. “Walk over to the wall. See the raised edge. That’s called the scum rail, because it catches suntan lotions, shampoo, and oils to keep them out of the pool. Take hold of it.”

  A child tall for his age with defined muscles, dark piercing eyes, and short black hair squeezed the railing with his small hands. “Like this?”

  Finally, someone who showed a touch of enthusiasm. “Yes. What’s your name?”

  “Rico.”

  “You can demonstrate. Everyone look at Rico.”

  Rico pulled back his shoulders and wiggled them as if he were trying to stand taller. “Yeah.” He raised a fist in the victory sign.

  “Take hold again then stretch your arms out as far as they’ll go and kick. Don’t bend your knees too much, only slightly.”

  Rico did exactly as Suzie said.

  “This is the only time Rico’s ever done anything first. His mama always wants his sister to show off spelling big words or singing.” Melissa flipped water toward him.

  Suzie patted Rico on the head. “Well, he’s going to shine now.”

  Rico kicked.

  “That’s what I want you all to do.” Suzie waved her hand toward him.

  Rico turned his head sideways, a big smile tugging at the
corners of his full lips.

  The remaining youngsters duplicated his actions.

  Suzie jumped back as droplets from the clear water splattered on the deck and her. The end of the pool where the kids practiced looked like a fountain gone awry. “Good. Rest when you need to, but work those legs as hard as you can.”

  Anna climbed down and tiptoed to Suzie. “I wanna do it.”

  “Sure. Hop in there. It’s almost time to stop for today.”

  Anna joined the other youngsters. She kicked with power. No wonder she was good in P. E. Someday she might make an excellent swimmer.

  Suzie shielded her eyes with her hand and gazed toward the playground. “Time for you six-and-unders to get out now. The next group is coming.”

  Matt marched across the plush grass bringing over the seven through ten-year-old children. “Okay, stay here with Miss Morris.”

  “They can call me Suzie.” She smiled at the youngsters. “How many of you know how to swim?”

  Half of them raised their hands.

  Suzie’s heart sank, but she had taken this summer job. She was an award-winning swimmer and an experienced coach. She’d make winners out of these kids once all of them learned their strokes. “I’m going to begin time trials with those of you who can swim. The rest of you take hold of the scum rail in the shallow end of the pool.”

  She repeated the process for the next group.

  Finally, the seniors showed up. She checked off their names, Bob Barowski, Jay Ward, and Mindy Clouds.

  She wanted to shout, “Hallelujah,” when all three of them said they knew how to swim. Then her spirits fell. Two boys couldn’t cover the guys’ events and form relays, and one girl certainly couldn’t handle the girls’ swimming categories. How would she piece together this ragtag team? “All right, line up for time trials.”

  Bob ran his hand through his sandy blond hair. “Okay, I’ll go.”

  Her leader.

  The corners of Jay’s thin lips curled as he swung his hand toward Mindy. “Ladies first.”

  Mindy’s smile lit up her face as though the sound of Jay’s voice made her happy. “No, you go ahead.” She pushed long, brown hair underneath a Fort Walton Beach High School swim cap as Jay lined up behind Bob.

  They dove in one by one, and Suzie timed each. She observed their strokes weren’t too bad for swimmers who didn’t compete year-around. She could make them faster, but they had a lot to learn. She swiped her forehead as she checked the clock.

  Bob, Jay, and Mindy pulled themselves out of the water and stood quietly, gazing at her on the deck.

  “Just swim at will for the next ten minutes.”

  They jumped in and swam back and forth. The noon sun beamed hot on Suzie’s throbbing head. She raised her clipboard and put check marks beside the names of the twenty-five team members who could swim or execute a good imitation. She grew limp. The sooner she could see Dr. Granger, the better.

  Matt walked her way as Ellie pulled up in the big white bus and parked. She called the children. Some of the kids ran around the trunks of oak trees behind the picnic tables then obeyed. Others raced toward the vehicle, wiping their sweaty faces with the tails of their shirts.

  Suzie turned to leave, but Matt motioned to a table with an umbrella. “Let’s sit for a minute.”

  Yearning to go home and lie down, Suzie forced her weak legs to move, pushing one foot in front of the other.

  They spoke at the same time. “Ah…”

  Suzie gestured toward Matt with her palm up. “You first.”

  “I was going to say, I see the problem with having all the children here at the same time. While you were practicing with them, I phoned our accountant as well as Ellie. Ellie’s willing to run the route more than once, but I’m afraid we can’t pay for the gas. Either I’ll come and entertain the youngsters who aren’t swimming, or I’ll send someone. I’m sorry we aren’t better organized. I hope this won’t be too hard on you.”

  The last thing she wanted was to appear too weak to handle her responsibilities. Coaching the kids didn’t need to be fun, just financially sound. But surely it wasn’t asking too much to have swimmers to work with. The difficulty range of turning this disorganized group of children into a competitive team was as high as a thermometer in the middle of summer. “Fifteen of them can’t swim. They need to sign up for private lessons and learn before they come back.”

  Matt set his jaw firm. “Isn’t teaching them your job?”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Suzie stepped back onto the pool deck, and heat as hot as the noonday sun ripped up her spine. She couldn’t believe Matt’s question, but she’d hold her tongue, think through her answer. She peered down, and her small sunglasses slipped on her nose. She tapped the toe of her flip-flop in a puddle on the pool deck where several dripping wet kids had stood.

  Had Matt, someone over him, or a committee found a group of kids who needed something to do this summer and declared them a swim team? Did he not care that these girls and boys couldn’t swim and they’d soon compete at a meet? Did he expect her to wave a magic wand over them and turn them into competitors? She gazed up and adjusted her glasses.

  “I’m a coach, not a swim instructor.” She inhaled deeply and relaxed her posture. Tension made her hands shake, and she couldn’t afford to let anything happen that might jeopardize her job. “I have an instructor’s license as well as a lifesaving certificate. I believe lifesaving was a requirement for the position, but to my understanding, I wasn’t hired as a teacher or a lifeguard.”

  Matt squirmed in his seat. “As the head of the rec department, this is my responsibility. I’m trying to make the team work. Pat’s always taken care of everything about summer league swimming. Until her mother fell ill, there was no reason for me to think she would leave. One day Pat was here. The next she was gone.” Wrinkles creased Matt’s forehead as he gestured with his palms out. “In a way of speaking, I inherited this with no training. I’ve made a horrible mess of things. What do you want me to do?”

  Word of Pat’s mom’s illness softened Suzie’s heart, but that didn’t mean she wanted to give swim lessons and coach. One job was enough. “Teach them to swim.”

  Matt sat up as though someone stuck him with a pin.

  “It’s the same as trying to coach a football team with players who can’t run.” Suzie’s harsh tone surprised even her. Her patience seemed to slip away with the energy that seeped from her a little more every second. She didn’t need to work overtime or get unduly stressed.

  Matt’s eyes widened as though a light clicked on in his head. “I see what you’re saying. What if I can’t find anyone to teach them?” He frowned and a pitiful look shadowed his eyes.

  He had nobody to work with them. Great. Suzie sighed and folded her hands in her lap. She accepted the job coaching so she could afford to stay in Destin and pay for treatments with Dr. Granger. “I guess I’ll do the best I can.”

  Matt smiled big. “That’s all we can ask.” The public relations side of Matt who seemed to finagle what he wanted emerged again. “Here, let me help with your notebook and papers.” He picked them up. “I only have an allotment to pay for one job for you, but I’ll take you to lunch.”

  Suzie grasped the papers. Charity seemed a bit drastic. “That’s not necessary. I have an appointment at one o’clock, so I’m going to my apartment and freshen up.”

  “Dinner then?”

  “Honestly, you don’t need to feed me. I’ll work with the level swimmers I have.”

  “I want to take you out to eat.” His dark eyes pleaded.

  The voice of reason thundered in her head. The last thing she needed was a poor relationship at work. If that meant dinner, so be it. Apparently, he wanted to reassure himself she could handle the extra responsibilities he’d pushed off on her. She’d have to find the energy for dining out with him. On the bright side, having someone to talk to might take the edge off her forlorn existence. “All right. Where should I meet you?”
/>   “How about the Open Window tonight at seven o’clock?”

  “That sounds good. Oh, by the way, when’s the first swim meet?”

  “I believe it’s Monday, June fourth.”

  That soon, huh? Now she had a real reason to shake. “Just wondering. I’m not sure they’ll all know how to swim by then, but I’ll enter the ones who can.”

  “Don’t worry. We’re fortunate to have you. I’ll see you later tonight.” Matt sauntered to his sporty coupe.

  She replayed his words in her mind. We’re fortunate to have you. She raised her arms. “Yes!” But the job only lasted through the end of July at most. What would she do then?

  * * *

  No wind stirred in the parking lot on this quiet, lazy summer day. Matt scooted in his sports car and squinted at the sun streaming through the windshield. He slid on his sunglasses, tapped the steering wheel, and jerked back his hand. Too hot to touch. He started the engine and turned on the air conditioner, waited a few minutes, then gripped the wheel and backed out. Just what he needed, a babysitting job. Heat crawled over his skin without any help from the sun. They barely had funding for the team. Paying someone to assist Suzie was out of the question.

  Maybe he could send Harold occasionally. He’d probably like to abandon his ledger for a while. There. Once he put his head to it, solving that problem was easy. He cooled off, dialed his radio to the country station, and turned it up. By the time the song finished, he pulled up in front of his office and parked. Whistling, he hopped out and marched inside straight to Harold’s black metal desk.

  Harold’s thin shoulders hunched over the books.

  “How’s it going, buddy?”