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“I’ve been meaning to ask…”Molly tried to sound casual as she sipped her latte on the balcony Friday morning. “Do either of you have snorkeling gear I can borrow?”
“When are you going snorkeling?” Ellyn asked.
“Tomorrow, I guess.” She blew on her coffee as she tried to dampen the hesitation building up in her. “You know, as long as the weather stays clear.”
“I’m guessing this is part of your Turtle Rehab excursion-payment?” Hadley asked.
“Uh-huh.” Molly stared out at the ocean that stretched out in front of them. The clear, green-blue water that sparkled under the morning sun was stunning. But even as beautiful as it was, the thought of swimming in the middle of it, far from any sort of land, still caused her stomach to tie into knots. “Although, I gotta be honest, in my head, this kind of stuff was supposed to get easier.”
Hadley reached across the balcony and squeezed her hand. “Change takes time. Be easy on yourself.”
“Agreed.” Ellyn nodded. “So where are you going?””
Molly shrugged, trying to recall the details Grant and Claire had given her. “Some artificial reef that’s not too far from here and close to shore.” At least, she was pretty sure that’s what they’d said. She had to admit the details had started to get a little fuzzy when they’d mentioned the open-water swimming portion of the trip.
“I bet you’re going to Starfish Reef.” There was a sunny element to Ellyn’s voice that made it evident she was more than fond of the reef in question. “It’s great for beginners. It’s only about twenty feet deep and so close, you can see the beach. Some people even paddle out there in kayaks.”
“After jumping in the literal middle of the Gulf to rescue a turtle, you’ll be fine. You’ve got this,” Hadley added.
“I hope so.” The sound of the distant waves drifted past her as she let her friends’ encouragement build her confidence. “I’ve become someone who sails and snorkels on the weekend. Who am I?”
“We’re turning you into a true Floridian.” Ellyn beamed. “It’s part of our diabolical plan to keep you here so you can pass the coffee.”
“Ahhh, it’s your caffeine addiction that’s fueling all this,” Molly joked.
“Don’t judge.” Ellyn took a sip from the mug she had clutched between her hands. “But back to the snorkeling trip. I have a mask and fin set you’re welcome to borrow.”
“And today’s Friday. Don’t we all get off work early?” Hadley said. “Why don’t we meet on our beach after work for a quick snorkeling lesson? You can practice in the shallow water before you brave the deep water tomorrow.”
Ellyn brightened, sitting straight up on the edge of her chair. “That’s a perfect idea! I’ve been wanting a girls’ night!”
“You two don’t have to do that.” Molly glanced at her friends sitting on either side of her. “But I have to admit, a girls’ night sounds amazing.”
“Then it’s a date,” Hadley said.
“Absolutely.” Ellyn gave an animated nod. “I’ll grab sandwiches on my way home from work.”
“And I’ll whip up my herby avocado hummus. It’s perfect for the beach,” Hadley offered.
“I can bring something sweet. The café next to the vet clinic makes these amazing key lime tartlets.” Molly would have to place her order early, because they tended to sell out by lunchtime on a normal day. A beautiful Friday with the promise of a gorgeous weekend threatened to bring more tourists than normal.
Ellyn beamed. “Should we say five o’clock?”
“Perfect.” Hadley nodded once.
“Seriously, you two are the best.” Molly felt the warmth of true friendship flow through her, causing another tiny crack in her heart to mend. “I’ll be there.”
The rest of the day seemed to speed by in anticipation of the beachy girls’ night. Molly even finished up all her paperwork early for the first time ever and left work on time for a change.
It didn’t take her long to change into her swimsuit and toss a few things into her beach bag, and she managed to make it out the door at exactly five o’clock. She trudged across the sand with her towel rolled under one arm, a folding beach chair she’d found in the closet hanging from the other shoulder, and the box of key lime tartlets balanced on her hand.
The closer she got to the water, the more she started to question if this was a good idea. Not the tartlets. She felt quite confident in her choice of desserts. In fact, it’d taken all her willpower to not sneak one before now. No, what was giving her pause was the snorkeling bit. When had she become a person who swam with the fishes? She was pretty sure, according to some iconic movies, that phrase had a pretty unpleasant ending.
Hadley was already chilling in her chair when Molly walked up, sipping some fruity drink that probably should’ve had an umbrella sticking out of it.
“Let the girls’ night festivities commence.” Molly propped her chair open and sank down next to Hadley, wiggling her toes in the soft, powdery sand.
“After the day I’ve had, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.” She pulled a Thermos and a stack of reusable plastic cups from her bag. “Can I pour you a Mango Passion?”
