Katie's Honeymoon and Julie's First Swim

The reception at Hillview ended in a bit of a blur for Katie. Maybe it was the champagne and the wine. It was more likely the excitement of soaking her wedding dress. Katie had never worn anything that enveloped her in such sodden, heavy, clingy wetness before. The wedding dress weighed so much when she climbed out of the water! It dragged at her, sucking her and pulling back down the steps, like a child reluctant to come out of the water. It felt just magnificent. She continued the struggle to hold up the front, and to preserve her dignity, while she stumbled up the steps and out of the pool.

Katie was thankful to allow the dress to collapse at her feet once she was safely inside the privacy of a changing cubicle. There was nothing else for it then but to change into the dry things she had in her locker. So Katie left the reception in her black one-piece swimsuit, yellow lifeguard's t-shirt, red skirt and plimsolls! Kevin was glad to see his new wife back looking as he liked to see her best of all. The wedding dress was unceremoniously draped over a pipe in the boiler room and left to dry.

Their wedding night was spent in the unglamorous surroundings of a Hillview chalet, which Geoff had arranged for them. It was, in fact, the very same one that Roy had stayed in with his father the previous year, but it looked to Katie so different now. They didn't have sex that night. They slept, most of the time cuddled together. Katie slipped out of her top and skirt but kept her swimsuit on. Kevin's fingers brushed over the smooth, silky fabric and he imagined that it was wet and clinging to Katie's skin.

The next morning they both packed up and set off for another holiday park, some two hours by bus out of the city. This was to be a honeymoon on a budget. Still, it was great to have a chalet and to be all by themselves for a while! The holiday chalet was basic, but to Katie and Kevin, it seemed luxurious. There was so much more space than in Katie's tiny flat. They quickly dropped all their clothes and belongings into the drawers and collapsed onto the bed together. After all the ups and downs of the last year or so, Katie knew that at last, she was just where she really wanted to be.

Back at Hillview, meanwhile, everyone was pulling together to cover for the absence, for a week, of both Katie and Kevin. George was in charge, and all three remaining attendants worked extra shifts. Geoff spent a lot of time in the pool area, often manning reception, and came to appreciate more firsthand the good work that his new young manager was doing.

Julie woke up the next morning feeling strangely happy. The reception had given her a fleeting glimpse of what a better way of life might look like. A world where she could sense that wonderful feeling of freedom and where she could actually enjoy herself once in a while. A world where she could make choices, make new friends and not be restrained by fear and guilt the whole time. She was so glad that her brother had got married! Would she ever meet anyone who could become so special to her? Julie's father questioned her sternly about what had gone on after he'd left the reception, but Julie said little and kept her thoughts to herself. She began to regret that she had not jumped into the pool with the others at the end! They had been having so much fun, and it was as if they were living in a world that she could only see from the outside. And there had been so many good-looking young men there!

Julie had never learned to swim, and her parents had never encouraged her. Her father had withdrawn her from swimming classes at school because he did not approve of young ladies wearing bathing suits. "This is the work of the Devil!" he would say, "Do not put temptation into the way of others!" His daughter should be modest, and her body should not be paraded in the view of others! But Julie thought more and more about that amazing evening, and the more she thought about it the more she wanted to return to Hillview.

Julie had no money of her own. Her father did not believe that his daughter should and that only he should provide for all her needs. She was given dinner money every day, and that was all the cash she ever had. Julie would sometimes skip dinner at her tertiary college, where she was in her final term, and put a few dollars by. So she skipped dinner every day for the next week, taking a few pieces of bread and salad instead from the kitchen at home, secreted away with her books. Julie was devising a plan. On Saturday, she was going to visit Hillview. But first, she needed a swimsuit!
Julie had not possessed a swimsuit since she was about ten. Back then, on the rare occasions she allowed to wear it, her father insisted that she should also be covered up with a t-shirt or dress. She had been paddling, but rarely in a swimming pool. Julie was now determined to go into that lovely pool at Hillview!

The cheapest swimsuits were available at supermarkets, and it being summer, there was a good choice on display. Whilst food shopping with her mother, Julie diverted the trolley down the clothes aisle, and discreetly checked out the prices! Yes, she had enough! A basic plain one-piece swimsuit was on sale for under ten dollars! They had it in blue, black or red! It was made of a synthetic fabric and had simply cut lines, modest enough for everyone , it seemed, except for her father!

The plan was hatched. Julie told her mum that she had an extra class on Friday; exam preparation. After college she walked home, making a diversion via the supermarket. She had decided on the red suit, but no, there was not one in her size, or the size above! Blue or black? They had the blue one in size 16 and 18! She settled on an 18! Better a little too large than too small! Julie paid for the item and tucked the package carefully between her books!

She couldn't wait to go to bed that night! Safely in the privacy of her bedroom, an excited Julie carefully extracted her new swimsuit from its package and tried it on! She felt fantastic! It was so liberating to be wearing something that she had chosen and bought for herself! And it felt so nice, tucked closely against her breasts and her bum. Temptation indeed! What nonsense! Julie got up twice more, trying it on again and again and feeling more thrilled each time.

A trip to Hillview the following day required more planning and subterfuge. Julie told her mum that she was going to the public library in the City, to read two books there related to her course. She took a bus into the centre, and then walked all the way to Hillview, to ensure that she had enough cash to pay for her entry. It felt so good to arrive, to sense the warm aroma of chlorine and to hear the excited sounds of splashing and laughter.

Julie changed and entered the pool area. She felt incredible, appearing in public like this! The pool was busy with several family groups and a few adults, but no one seemed to pay any attention to her. She took a firm grip on the handrail and carefully descended the few steps into the shallow end of the pool. The warm water felt lovely! Julie paused as it crept up her legs and washed over her tummy, greeting her with a cosy welcome and inviting her lovely new swimsuit to join in with the wetness! She went down another step. A gentle wave splashed against her breasts. This was fun!
Julie sank her shoulders into the pool, holding against the side all the time. Her swimsuit gripped her, and as she stood up she felt the shoulder straps tighten slightly.

She waded across the shallow end, from one side to the other. She felt the back of her hair wet against her neck. She ran her wet hand over her fringe, gently brushing her dampening hair. What should she do now? She waded across again, plunging her shoulders in lower this time, so the water ran over her chin and her ears.

"Would you like a float?" It was George, peering down at Julie from the side, and after over a year of working with Katie, learning how to be more customer friendly.

"Oh, Yes please!" Julie smiled.

George bent down and passed her a large polystyrene float with two handles, and a three-foot-long narrow cylinder. "Try putting that under your shoulders!" he suggested, slightly gruffly but not in an unfriendly manner. Julie felt slightly disappointed that George did not seem to recognise her from the wedding, but then we do all look a bit different in our swimsuits and with wet hair. By now Julie's hair was quite splashed, and she had repeatedly wiped her wet hands over it.

She did as George had suggested, and spent the next forty minutes propelling herself across the shallow end, with both hands on the float and the long tube supporting her body. Then Julie thought that she'd better be going. It was a long walk home, and she needed to walk if she was to have enough funds to come back here again.

First, Julie spent a long time under the hot shower. She soaped herself thoroughly, from head to foot. She rubbed shampoo all over her swimsuit. She knew that she had to remove the smell of chlorine. She wondered how she was going to let her swimsuit dry at home. The best option seemed to be for her to hang it at the back of her wardrobe, behind her other clothes, and just hope that her mum did not take a close look. When it was dry, she could hide her new swimsuit away.

Julie hoped that her plan would work. And she was looking forward already to coming back to Hillview next week.