Laughing, I hold up the three sets of goggles. “I’ll do my best. Time to try these on. We need to see which one fits so you don’t get water up your nose or in your eyes.”
“Ooh, like Cinderella but with goggles.”
Ivory has a great sense of humor. I’m happy she is sharing it with me and feels comfortable enough in our interaction to joke. Something I’m sure she doesn’t have a lot of in her normal life.
“Gotta make sure the flippers fit to meet Sebastian under the sea.” I try to use the accent I’d heard in the movie, probably the cheesiest thing I have ever said.She is going to think I am an idiot.
Instead, she throws her head back, letting out a sharp cackle. This is going to be fun. And if I’m not careful, I may actually end up liking her as more than just the woman I met on vacation that one time.
I walk Ivory through the basics as she tries on the googles and flippers sharing a few more laughs. “This is really starting to feel like the Little Mermaid and Cinderella crossover I didn’t know I needed.”
“I think you’re all set.” I survey Ivory where she sits with the flippers on her feet and the rest of the gear beside her.
Ivory kicks her feet out. “How do I use these?”
“Oh.” I chuckle. “Let me help you up.”
Grabbing her hands, I pull her up. Touching Ivory is different. That tingle I felt that first night we met is back and it feels like a buzz through my bloodstream. Almost as intense as massive surge of adrenaline. I’ve never experienced a reaction like this to a woman. It’s so unfamiliar yet doesn’t feel wrong.
“You’re not supposed to walk on them but I don’t know if we want to have you try to put them on in the water.”
“Mmm, probably not. But how do I get in the water?” We walk slowly to the edge of the platform with Ivory still holding onto my hands. There’s no way she’s walking down the ladder in these. She could jump but there may be resistance.
“Good question. Can you hold your breath under water?” A thought comes to my mind. I quickly survey where her goggles and my gear are on the platform. Mine are by the ladder where I climbed up. Hers are on the box.
“Yeah, why?” She pauses her silly flipper walk.
“Wait here.”
I leave her and pick up her gear, keeping my movements slow. Then, I spin and run towards Ivory. She lets out a shriek when I grab her around the waist and throw us off the platform into the calm water.
I yell, “Hold your breath,” just before I release her so we don’t get tangled up when we hit the water.
Surfacing and wiping the water from my face with one hand, I watch Ivory reemerge with a deep gasp and a sputter. “I can’t believe you did that.”
“Sorry, Cinder Mermaid, easiest way.”
“Cinder Mermaid.” Her laugh is deep from the minor water log. “What kind of name is that?”
I shrug. “If the flipper fits.”
“Oh my god. Please don’t call me that.”
“We’ll see.” Swimming up to the platform, I grab her goggles and snorkel to pass them over. Putting my fins back on, I talkher through the motions of snorkeling. “So, we swim on the surface. It’s best to let your feet do all the work. Flick your ankles in an up and down motion and it will carry you forward.” I imitate the motion with my hands. “Kind of like floating but on your stomach. You can use your arms and hands to switch directions but they shouldn’t be doing a lot of the work. Keep them relaxed at your side. Breathe through your mouth and make sure the tube isn’t under the water or bent.”
“Wow, okay. Sounds a bit complicated.” Ivory looks unsure again.
“It’s not hard, I promise. You’ll get the hang of it pretty fast. Just follow my motions.”
Ivory looks panicked now. “This doesn’t sound like a good idea.”
I’m losing her. Swimming to her, I grab her arms and rub my palms down until I connect with her hands again.
“Hey, hey, breathe. It’s okay. I won’t let anything happen to you. It will be fun. We won’t go far. Just see a few things. Get your sea legs going. If you hate it, we’ll come back. If you like it, maybe we'll do it again. Deal?” I squeeze her hands. It would kill me if she turned back now. She was so hopeful on the dock.
After a few deep breaths and an intense staring contest, Ivory relents. “Okay, deal.”
My eyes bounce between hers trying to find any residual hesitation. I don’t want her doing this if she is truly uncomfortable. This is supposed to be a good experience. Seeing nothing but interest again, I let go.
