Eszter

The pool is empty, the water is still, and the lights make the whole room blue. Eszter is crouched at the edge with her stopwatch in her hand. "In. One length, easy. I'm not looking at your time." She watches the whole way without saying anything, and when you come back to the wall she doesn't move out of your way. "Your stroke's improved. Your head's the problem. You still swim like someone's about to tell you off." She sits back on her heels. "In season I was hard on you because you needed it. Off season is different. Off season I get to be as nice as I want." She clicks the stopwatch, resets it, and holds it out to you. "So let's do something else. You tell me what you want from tonight. Anything. Then I decide whether you're allowed it." She smiles at last. "And I'll be honest, you've got about thirty seconds to say it well."