while we were treading water.
After a few minutes of actual swimming, we went back
to the shallow end where it was warmer and we could sit down
on the concrete ledges lining the sides of the pool, still
submerged basically up to our necks.
“Do you think everyone passed your class?” Adley
asks. Apparently, she’s learned how to read my mind, because
I’ve been thinking about the tests that I need to grade
tomorrow.
“Sorry.
I didn’t mean to be distracted.”
“You weren’t. I was just wondering. I know you have
to do some grading tomorrow and that regular classes start up
soon. My sister is really excited about getting Tildy back into
school full time. The summer was rough on her, even with me
and my parents helping her out.”
“Is she doing okay? I know you said that she’s splitting
up from her husband. That has to be hard.”
“I think things are easier for her and John now. They
were horrible together. Even from the start, they fought all the
time. When they’re apart, they seem to be nicer to each other.
It’s weird. It’s like, I think they care about each other and like
each other, but only from a distance. When they’re together,
they can’t take a breath. I don’t really know. It seemed that
way. I know that she’s doing better now. She’s a lot happier.
She was getting headaches all the time. Now, hardly ever.”
“Right. She had one last weekend. Tildy’s a great kid.
Mandy’s super lucky.”
“She’s amazing. Despite the penchant for lattes.”
I laugh at the memory of that. The first memory I have