It was a rainy Tuesday morning. Joe was on the computer, writing an email to a swim instructor at the pool. He was interested in signing Katrina up for swimming lessons, and wanted to get all of the details beforehand.
From: Joseph Beaufort, 3MIC
To: Stephanie J. Harris
Subject: Les leçons de nager
Bonjour Stephanie,
J'ai des questions à propos de tes leçons de natation. (I have questions about your swimming lessons.)
Premièrement, est-ce que le nom "Mommy and Me" se dit que seulement les mères peuvent joindre, ou est-ce que c'est ouvert aux pères aussi? Je demande parce que je suis un père seul. (First, does the name "Mommy and Me" mean that only mothers can join, or is it open to fathers too? I ask because I am a single father.)
En plus, qu'est-ce qui se passe s'il y a le mauvais temps? (Furthermore, what happens if there is bad weather?)
Merci,
Joseph
Sent at 10:04 am, August 4th, 2009
. . .
From: Stephanie J. Harris
To: Joseph Beaufort, 3MIC
Subject: Re: Les leçons de nager
Hi Joseph,
Our Mommy and Me swim classes are available to parents and children under 4 of all genders. In fact, we've been talking about changing the name to Baby and Me.
If the weather turns sour, we move our lessons to the indoor pool.
We're happy to have you and your child join us.
Thanks,
Stephanie
Sent at 10:30 am, August 4th, 2009
Alright. Everything was settled. Joe made sure everything in the registry was clear, then put the computer down. He picked up Katrina, who had been sitting on the floor playing with a pair of socks she had taken from the laundry basket. "Tu vas apprendre a comment nagé le mercredi prochain, ma belle." (You're going to learn how to swim next Wednesday, darling.)
Katrina looked at him. "Ya," she said.
The next week, on Wednesday at eleven o'clock, Joe and Katrina arrived at the pool for the first lesson. Joe has signed up for a six-class course, with one class every two weeks.
"Good morning everyone," said Stephanie, a fresh-faced eighteen-year-old girl with a long blonde ponytail and a small black heart tattooed on her wrist. "Welcome to the Baby and Me swim class. We're gonna start with getting your baby used to the water."
Stephanie and the four parents all entered the water. The four babies all loved the water; one in particular instantly reached out to splash his hands in it.
"Alright," said Stephanie once all the babies were used to the water, "now lie your baby on their back and walk around with them."
Katrina grinned at Joe as he walked her around. He could tell she was loving swimming lessons already.
"Are you a first timer?"
Joe turned. Another mom was approached with her own daughter.
"Oui," said Joe. "Je veux enseigner à ma fille de nager tôt dans sa vie." (Yes. I want to teach my daughter to swim early in her life.)
"That's what we're doing for our girls," said the mom. "I do the baby class with Janet, and then afterwards, my husband takes our older daughter to the toddler class."
Baby Janet reached a hand out to Katrina. They grinned at each other. The mom, unable to shake hands, instead offered a kind nod. "Valeria Bernard."
"Joseph Beaufort," said Joe.
Once they were done, they sat the babies on the ledge of the pool for the grownups to show them to dip underwater. "This is something that always freaked me out," said Stephanie, while often peeking over her shoulder to make sure the babies wouldn't try to get back into the water or wander off. "I was always scared that I would drown the second my head went under. Then one day, my mom brought me to the pool and told me 'Stephanie Jade Harris, your body is a powerful machine and you can swim underwater'. She brought me in, and you know what? I did it! And now I teach kids to do it."
Each parent was instructed to take a stride underwater to show their children. Joe took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes shut before going under. Then, each picked up their baby to have them do it.
"One, two, three." Each parent counted before they took another stride with their baby. Katrina copied her daddy by taking a breath and squeezing her eyes shut, and came back up squeal-giggling. She thought it was funny.
Once every parent and baby completed their strides, Stephanie corralled them all together. "Alright, great progress today. I'll see you all again in two weeks!" She hopped out of the water to resume lifeguard duty as the pool opened up for family swim. Joe decided to stick around and play with Katrina in the water until it was time to go home for lunch.
