Pawsitively Improvised

Chapter 1               She officially hated people.  Well, maybe not all people.  Kids were okay.  She wouldn’t have become a daycare worker if she didn’t like them.  Crystal and Casey were some of her favorite people.  Their friends weren’t too bad either.  So, perhaps she didn’t hate everyone then.             Flirtatious giggles echoed off the walls of the pool room grating across her nerves.  Taking her eyes away from the kids in the water for a second, she glared at her fellow employees.  Turning her attention back to the children she smiled while watching them play.  She couldn’t understand why the other two women that were supposed to be keeping a watchful eye chose to instead let their libidos run amuck.  She wouldn’t say the swim instructor wasn’t good looking.  Because honestly, he was gorgeous.  He hadn’t seemed to like the attention the other two were giving him either.  That was a change from the guys back home.  The ones that knew they were hot and acted like all women should fall at their feet.  Well, she made it a point to never be one of those girls.  Ever.             “Miss Williams, Miss Williams.  Look!”  Nathaniel had screamed to get her attention.  He was pointing at Kevin who had crossed the line that separated the shallow end of the pool from the deeper parts.  He had already made it to the five-foot marker.             “Kevin, you need to turn around and go back.”  She scolded while following beside him from the safety of the deck.  Swimming had never been one of the things she had ever learned.  If one of the kids ran into trouble in the three-foot end, she could simply walk out to them.  Four feet made her a little more antsy, but since she was 5’2” it was still plausible.  Unfortunately, Kevin had refused to listen and had knowingly gone under the barrier rope to deeper waters.  Those were the depths that she couldn’t safely negotiate.  The other two women that were working with her had assured her they could both swim and would handle any stray kids.  Where were they now?  Being flirtatiously obnoxious to the only other adult equipped to retrieve the errant boy.             “Kevin, I said turn around now or you’re coming out of the pool for the rest of the hour.”  She didn’t know if he couldn’t hear her or if he was simply ignoring her.  To her horror though the little boy kept paddling away heading straight into the six-foot area.  She was about to call out to one of the other two women who could bring him back when his water wings began to deflate.             “Kevin!”  He began to flounder as there was now nothing keeping him afloat.  With little thought she jumped in to save him.  Keeping one hand on the edge of the pool she grabbed him where she could and pulled him over to her.  Maneuvering him to the ledge she tried to get him to grab it, but he was still in full panic mode.  She could barely keep a hold of him as he flailed about.  Knowing it was a bad idea but seeing no other option, she let go of the deck.  Getting both hands on him she shoved him up to safety before she went under.  When she came to work today, she didn’t figure her first day would end with her drowning.             As she sank to the bottom an arm came around her middle in an iron hold.  Weightlessly she was pulled towards the water’s surface.  She was lucky she was good at holding her breath or she would have sucked in the water by now.  Once they broke free, she took a large gasp of air.  Chlorinated water burned her eyes as it ran down her face.  She could see her two coworkers and the other children huddled around a crying Kevin.  Reaching the side, it didn’t dawn on her who her savior was until she looked into the eyes of the two other women.  At the same time a rather big strong hand planted itself firmly on her posterior pushing her up onto the deck.             She finished pulling herself out rolling over onto her back.  She lay there trying to catch her breath when a scowling male face moved into view above her.  Bright blue eyes frowned down into her dull green orbs.  Water dripped from the locks of his hair once a dirty blonde now made darker by the water.              “Can’t you swim?”  He growled at her setting her temper off.  Turning her head to the side slightly so that her narrowed gaze met the mirrored hateful glares of the other two she bit out her response.             “No.  No, I can’t which is why I wasn’t supposed to be the one herding any kids out of the deep end.”  Neither of the women looked contrite at all which only made her anger burn.  The man’s hand came into view as he held it out to help her up.  Instead of taking it she knocked it aside out of her way.  Getting herself up she stormed over to the group of kids all watching her with wide eyes.              “Let’s go kids.  Back to the daycare.”             “Miss Williams.”  Came a chorus of whines as none of the children wanted to leave.             “I can’t watch you guys properly when you leave the safety of the shallow end.  Get your stuff and let’s go.  I’d rather have unhappy children than furious parents.”  Instead of listening to her all their pleading faces turned towards the swim instructor.             “Please Jude!  Help.”  Rolling her eyes, she tried to stomp away over to their things.  It would have been more intimidatingly dignified if every step she took wasn’t punctuated by the wet slapping of the hem of her pants and the squelching of her soggy shoes.  She turned deaf ears to their constant begging determined to leave and never look back.  Clenching her fists by her sides as hard as she could to hide the shaking of her hands.  She had never experienced something like that before in her life.  It was not an experience she ever wanted to repeat.  The pool was now officially her least favorite place at work.  She’d rather be on potty training duty then come back there again.