Long Drop

Convex tummy of a seven-year-old, fuschia pink swimming costume, she walks on the to the diving board with a self-consciously proud air. She knows I'm watching. She is concentrating too hard to wave. She passes the end of the hand-rail and pauses for a heart-beat; continues, just a little more slowly. Her fearless big brother has just jumped, full of strength and without a doubt. She wants to do it too. She stops at the end and my eyes don't leave her. She looks at her feet, remembering what her teacher has told her about pointing her toes, and then jumps. She falls, for three, long metres, and splashes without grace into the water.
She is a fountain of pleasure when I collect her from the pool-side. Did I see? It was so exciting! She dived off the board! Wasn't she brave?
It doesn't seem so long ago that I had to hold her with two hands in the bath. She is growing up.