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Swimming

"A lemonade pool?" I questioned Willy, a smile crossing my face for the fifth time that late morning.

"'Fizzy Lemonade Swimming Pools' to be exact. There are different kinds of lemonade pools!" Willy responded. "Pink, yellow, even a green lime pool!"

"Why lemonade of all liquid choices?" I asked, looking up at him as we traveled up in the elevator.

"Well, this isn't your sugar-ridden lemonade that you can purchase from a grocery store. This is pure concentrated lemon juice mixed with clean, filtered water. I had made sure that it was safe for the skin. Because believe it or not, lemon juice is very good for your skin! In small amounts of course," Willy informed me, a proud smile gracing his features. I giggled at his pride for this idea, and admittedly it's a fantastic idea.

"So is 'fizzy' just part of the name or is it also a trait of this lemonade pool?"

"Both!" he answered. The elevator dinged and I finally looked from Willy to the room before us. A brightly lit hallway extended to two double doors, reminding me of what could be a school's hallway—but much cleaner.

"The 'fizz' is actually some carbonation that never goes away. It helps cleans your skin of any dead cells, grime, and gives you a good glow and shine." We strode down the hallway and took a right, entering a sort of walk-in closet with a theme of a classic locker room. Swimsuits of all colors, patterns, styles and sizes hung along a rack up high, with swim trunks down below on a lower rod.

"It feels like I walked into a different decade..." I noted aloud, taking in the retro theme of the colors. "Why the style?"

"I just don't care for the taste modern day pool decoration. The 80's had a splendid taste in interior design for the activity," Willy responded, leaning his cane against the wall and striding over to the racks of swimsuits.

"What are you doing?" I wondered, twiddling my thumbs in curiosity. He shot me a smile.

"Looking for a swimsuit for you! That is, if you'd like to go swimming." He paused, awaiting an answer before continuing with his search.

I laughed nervously and said, "Oh, I'd love to. I just... I never learned how to swim."

In that instant he gave me the most jaw-dropping expression, that I laughed out of my own ridiculous confession. "I know, I know! It's silly."

"It's not silly. I guess I just assumed you did!" Willy stated, returning to the racks of swimsuits. He fingered through the different hangers until finally pulling off one. It was a cute white two-piece with thin pink and blue stripes coating it.

"I think you'll like this one very much," Willy said, walking over to me and presenting it like a fragile tapestry.

"Why do you have so many swimsuits available?" I asked, taking the swimsuit and folding it in my arms.

"Well, I guess when I used to plan to open this specific room to the public for use, I wanted to have some swimsuits for those who can't afford a swimsuit to still enjoy the pools. Shouldn't let financial costs keep people from enjoying the world's only lemonade pool!" Willy explained, a happy smile crossing his features. My own smile mirrored his, my heart fluttering at his very kindness.

"That's really sweet of you to think of that, Willy," I responded.

"Just call for me when you're done. I'll be right outside," Willy told me. I nodded, and with that, he left me in the room alone to get switched into my swimsuit.

Sighing, my nerves boiled in my stomach at the thought of swimming. I've never, ever, been swimming before. And I didn't think I'd begin swimming this soon. And not even in a regular pool!