The next 24 hours flew by fast, too fast. One minute I was on my way home, the next I was headed back to the pool.  

"Good afternoon Alex! I'm glad to see you back!" The lady at the front desk smiled at me when I came in. I made a mental note to figure out her name. 

"Yeah, I'm teaching Coach Will's daughter to swim." 

"Oh, really? I hope that works out well. She is so cute!" 

"She is? Well, I've never met her. Hopefully I can get her swimming soon!" 

"Well, I better not delay you, good luck!" 

"Thanks!" I left the front desk and headed on deck. A young girl sat against the wall behind Coach Will. She looked about six. She had shoulder length brown hair and held her father's tablet in her hands watching some sort of movie. I remembered when she was born I was just starting out with Coach Will, he had taken off a week and we had to swim for another coach that never seemed very enthusiastic with his job and didn't help much, or even watch us the whole time. Needless to say, that coach never lasted long. He wasn't even there long enough for me to remember his name. 

"Alex, you're here," said Coach Will when he spotted me. He then turned to his daughter, "Janie, is your show almost done?" 

"Nope," she said in a sweet, but reluctant voice. 

"Okay, you can pause it and then you can finish it after you work with Miss Alex." 

"I want to finish it now Daddy!" 

"I know, but your teacher is here so you need to go now." 

"I don't want too," she puffed out her lip. 

"Janie, give me my tablet or there will be no cupcake for you tonight." 

"Fine," she stood up and handed her father his tablet. 

"Thank you Janie. Now take your clothes off and go done to the shallow end with Miss Alex." He turned to me, "The shallow end is all yours until you are done, you can keep her as long as you want. Good luck!" 

"Thanks," I said reaching for the little girl's hand. She kept her hand away from me, but followed me to our end of the pool. When we got to the other end, I sat down on the edge of the water. "Are you ready to swim Janie?" 

"No," she said staying a few feet away her arms crossed and her bottom lip still puffing out. 

"But we are going to have fun!" 

"No." 

"Will you at least sit down with me?" 

She shook her head, standing her ground. "I don't like water." 

"Will you tell me why you don't like water?" 

"No." 

"What if I told you about when I was scared of water?" 

"You were scared of water?" she asked. She seemed to soften up a little bit, but she still stayed in the same position. 

"Yes I was. When I was about four years old, I was told water was dangerous and that you could die in it. That scared me so much I didn't get into the pool for a whole year." 

"But you aren't scared now are you?" 

"Well, I am, but not exactly for the same reason." 

Janie got a little closer, dropping her hands down by her sides, "You are still scared?" 

"Yes." 

"Why?" she looked at me with a look of wonder. 

"For big girl reasons," I said not wanting to think about the accident, or scare her. 

"Oh," she looked down, the wonder gone from her eyes. "So it is okay to be scared?" 

"Of course, it is good to be a little scared of something, but you still need to try it. Learning to swim will actually make it safer to swim." 

"That's what Daddy says, but I don't want to get in." 

"Well, your Daddy is a very smart man. How about you sit down with me and tell me why the water is so scary." 

She stood still for a second, but then slowly sat down beside me. "The water will hurt you." 

"It can, but not if you know how to swim." 

"The water hurt me." 

"What do you mean?" 

"It tried to eat me."  

"Eat you?" 

"Yes." I looked at her puzzled before realizing she must have meant she had drowned. A single second of memory flashed in my head and I shuddered. Janie looked at me funny, "Did the water try to eat you?" 

"No," I said looking out at the middle of the pool, a big group of franticly splashing feet stealing my attention away from Janie, "No, it only ate my friend." 

She looked up at me with wide eyes of horror, but remained silent. I saw as her toes pulled back toward the back end of the grate making her body curl into its self. I wrapped my arm around her and stuck my toes partway in the water, letting the water rush over my toes. In my head all I could hear was a sharp scream and then silence. I looked around franticly before realizing it was only my brain replaying the soundtrack of that day.  

Janie looked up at me still, but when I caught her eye, she looked down, almost seeming ashamed. I wrapped my arm around her, "It will be okay Janie. Would you like to get in now?" 

She shook her head, but stayed quiet.  

"Will you try to get in? All I need you to do today is get wet. We can work on everything else once you are not so afraid anymore." 

She looked up at me with fear in her eyes, "Will you get in with me?" 

I hesitated, "How about I sit here and hold your hands?" 

"No," she said shaking her head and looking down. "I'm not going in alone." 

I sighed; my mind started fighting a battle. Was it really worth it getting in? What would I get for it? I slowly stood up to take off my shorts and t-shirt. I was so glad the voice in the back of my head had forced me to put on my suit before coming. I sat back down beside Janie. I slipped my legs into the pool sitting on the edge of the wall. The water was cold, almost as cold as death itself. A shudder ran up my back as I started to lower myself into the water. Once I got in a bounced a few times and then extended my arms out to Janie. She pulled farther away. "You said you would get in if I did, and I am in." 

She finally scooted forward and I took her into my arms and set her in the water. "Are you going to let go of me?" 

I shook my head, "I will never, ever, let go of you."