scuba scare

Jeff and I were in the airport
about to get on an airplane
our only vacation of the summer

off to Carmel
California
here is where we disagree
I like warm ocean water
he likes cold
or he just like California
and northern California is very cold

however
we are about to leave the hot state of texas
and go to this cool cool place
when my cell phone rings
a phone number I don't know

it is Karen's counselor
from her Road Less Traveled trip
Karen got upset that day
she was not allowed to scuba
only snorkel
and she was only one of 3
I could sense it before he told me
she got antsy
she felt picked on

he said she got teary at one point
and said he could tell by her body language
that something was wrong
he wanted to know more about
her seizure disorder
he said she wanted to talk to us
was that okay?
of course

we hung up
I told Jeff the story
if you know him
you can imagine how he was acting
all antsy himself
worried our trip was already over
before it would begin
worried for himself
for us
and for her
she called us

yes
she was sad
she did feel picked on
she didn't know that she wasn't going to scuba that day
until they were already on the boat
and I know her
she was afraid she would never get to scuba
ever
on the whole trip
both of us talked to her
listened to her
told her we believed in her
knew she could do it
she just need help
learning to clear her mask
we got her calm
we both asked her
if she wanted to come home
tell us now
we said
and we won't get on our plane

but
she is stronger than she thinks
she said
she wanted to stay
because if she didn't
she would never know
and if she stayed
she would try
really hard
to succeed

i kept the counselor's cell phone number
and continued to text him throughout the weekend
telling him she could call us anytime
we would talk to her at anytime
but he kept texting me back
that all was good
she made it
and she got to scuba on sunday
we were relived

she got to call us back again
this week
and told us all about some of her trips
under water
she loved it
she enjoyed it
she was having fun
she was proud of herself
and
that made all the difference