‘I’ll be right beside you and I’ll grab you if you start to go under.’ Patti’s voice was firm and reassuring. ‘I’m sure you won’t though. You’ve got this.’
Sandra looked at the water and at the steps in front of her.You can swim. Don’t think about how deep it is. Just swim, like you do in the shallower end.
‘Want me to go first?’ Patti asked.
Sandra nodded.
Patti turned around to descend the steps and Sandra followed her. As soon as she was level with the bar she reached out and grabbed it, then turned around so her feet were against the side. Patti was doing the same.
‘Ready?’
‘Ready.’ Sandra pushed her feet against the wall, let go of the bar, shot forward and she was swimming. A couple of splashes and Patti was beside her. Grateful for her friend’s reassuring presence, Sandra swam steadily through the water. Patti kept her pace beside her.
Her arms were aching by the time she reached the other end but she felt elated as she touched the bar and lowered her feet so that she could stand on the bottom of the pool.
‘Well done, Sandra.’ Tess looked delighted.
The others clapped and cheered.
‘If you can do that, I can swim without my float,’ Madge saiddeterminedly. It had been an effort for her to get into the water at first but now she swam happily, holding on to the white float.
‘Start small, Madge,’ Tess told her. ‘Remember “achievable aims”. Wait until you’re a little away from the bar, then let go of your float and swim the rest of the way.’
It took Madge three attempts but finally she did it. The look of sheer delight on her face as, with a final lunge, she grabbed the bar, had them all applauding. To think this was the woman who had been too scared to even go down the steps only a few weeks ago.
‘You did great,’ Patti told her. ‘So did you Sandra. A whole length! I think we all need to celebrate with coffee and cake.’
Everyone laughed. They were all used to Patti’s coffee and cake celebrations now. She celebrated every win. Sid jumping in, Bill doing a few strokes, Beryl letting go of the bar. Every week there had been some reason to celebrate.
‘What will you celebrate when we’ve all finally learnt to swim?’ Sid asked.
‘Life,’ Patti said simply.
22
Laila invited Sandra around for dinner the following evening, so that she could see the children before she went on holiday, Don was away in Cambridge so it was just the four of them. Kali and Rana were full of questions about Spain and what Sandra would be doing there. She showed them the photo of Keith and Mary’s house, that Patti had sent her. The children were wide eyed with wonder as they gazed at the photo on her phone screen.
‘There’s a swimming pool!’ Rana exclaimed.
‘And oranges growing on trees!’ Kali pointed to the oranges hanging from the branches.
‘Yes, and lots of other fruit too. I’ll send Mummy some photos when I’m there, so you can see what I’m doing and where we go. I’ll bring you both a present back,’ she promised, hugging them both. ‘And I want to hear all about your trip to London, and see lots of photos. You are going to have a fabulous time with your Nani and Nana.’ She used the Indian names for maternal grandmother and grandfather, that she had heard Laila use. ‘I’m sure you’ll both have lots of fun.’
‘We will, I hope you do too. It will do you good to get away,give you time to think things over,’ Laila told her. ‘That couple made a formal offer for the house today. I’m talking it over with Don later tonight but am pretty sure we’ll accept it. The house we liked has come back on the market and these are cash buyers, so we should be able to move in a couple of months. You can come and stay with us whenever you want and if you eventually decide that you want to move, we can find you a little bungalow nearby, with a small garden.’
Sandra nodded. ‘I will miss you all but…’
‘But it’s a big move and you’re not sure that you’re ready to make it?’ Laila said softly.
‘I’ve lived here so long. It will be such an upheaval… I’m still giving it serious thought, but I don’t know if I can do it.’ She had to think long and hard about this. Maybe Laila was right, going on holiday to Spain, taking her away from the situation, would give her the perspective that she needed. Patti had suggested the same, she remembered.
Later, when she was back at home, suitcase packed, passport in her handbag, she felt a surge of excitement. Tomorrow, she was going on an adventure.
Don phoned to wish her a safe journey. ‘Keep in touch, Mum. Make sure you message me every day. I’m worried about you travelling by yourself like this.’
‘I’m not by myself, I’m with Patti, and we’re staying with her brother and his wife,’ she said for the umpteenth time.
‘I know but you’re thousands of miles away from home.’
