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"Thanks," I said and followed them out, thinking that after everything that had happened so far at Jade's house, swimming will be easy.
Except for a gardener working in the far corner of the property, I was grateful to see that there was no one else around. When I put my foot in the water, I realized the pool was heated. It was almost as warm as a bath.
"My mother keeps the water warmer than necessary,"
49
V. C. ANDREWS
Jade explained. "I think she always did it to drive my father crazy. He was always complaining about how expensive it is. And she hardly ever goes swimming anymore."
She dove right in. Misty waded down the steps and Star followed behind her. Moments later they were splashing each other and laughing. I stood in the shallow end, my arms folded across my bosom, watching.
"Okay," Jade said, holding up her hand. "Let's help Cat."
She swam over to me and instructed me to get into deeper water and hold her hands. "Start kicking," she said. "Faster, harder. Kick! Make believe you're kicking your mother!"
Jade led me around the pool, walking backwards as I kicked.
"You cup your hands like this," Star showed me. Misty explained how to take a breath and turn your head and then take another breath.
"It's the way I was taught in physical
education," she explained.
"Keep kicking," Jade cried. "Practice the breathing. Good."
She brought me into deeper water and then suddenly, she let go of my hands. I panicked and went under. When my head came up, they were all yelling for me to kick and move my arms. I gagged. In seconds Star's hands were around my waist. She held me above water for a moment.
"Let her go. She'll swim or drown," Jade said.
"Is that the way you learned?" Star countered. "Practically," Jade said.
"We'll take it slower with her," Star insisted, and went back to leading me around, letting me go, taking hold of my hands and leading me around. Remarkably, she turned
50 INTO T.: E GARDEN
out to be the one with the most patience. Jade and Misty left the pool and sprawled out on lounges, watching Star teach me how to swim.
I did manage to swim a half dozen feet before we stopped to rest.
"You're learning," Star assured me, and we left the pool to join Jade and Misty at the lounges. Picking up the telephone beside her lounge chair, Jade called the maid and asked her to bring out lemonade and fruit for us.
"This is the best hotel I've ever been at," Star muttered as she lay back on a lounge.
I was so out of breath, I just sprawled on my back and looked up at the blue sky. I closed my eyes and drifted with the music Jade had turned on while Star and I were still in the pool. Their banter and laughter was like a lullaby putting me into a relaxed state. I didn't even hear them offer me some lemonade. The excitement, the swimming, all of it had left me more exhausted than I had imagined.
Almost a half hour later, Jade nudged me.
"We're breaking it up," she said. "Star's got to get back to help her granny and Misty promised to go to the movies with her mother tonight?'
I sat up quickly. My face felt so stiff I thought it might crack.
"Ow," I said grimacing.
"Didn't you put on any sunblock?" Jade asked.
"No," I said.
