Ladyfish by Andrea Bramhall

want to think about all that today. I’m sure I bored you with it more than enough last night. Tell me more about how this is all going to work.”
    “The training?” Oz let the change of topic go as she held a pen out for Finn to sign her credit card slip before ringing it through the register. The last thing she wanted to do was make Finn uncomfortable. “Would you like some coffee? I’ll go over it for you while we have a drink, then I can leave you to your studying.”
    “Sure.”
    Oz got them drinks and when they were both seated, she explained the program. “The first few qualifications you have to get are fairly straightforward. The open water and advanced open water we should have you through within two weeks. Then we spend the next week getting in a few dives because you have to have twenty logged dives plus your first aid course to take the rescue diver course. The first aid certificate you have is absolutely fine, so it’s just about getting the number of dives in. Have you had a look at the specialty dives list yet?”
    “Briefly.”
    “Anything stand out to you?”
    “Photography. I was going to ask you about underwater cameras and housings.”
    “I’ll get Juanita to come talk to you about that. She’s the photographer that goes down with the tourists and sells them pictures afterward. She’s definitely better to advise you, as long as you aren’t planning on trying for the same gig. Is photography a hobby already?”
    “Yeah, I spent a lot of time walking when I wasn’t at the pool, anything to keep out of my father’s way. Taking pictures gave me a good excuse. Then I found I was actually quite good. Pete would come with me sometimes. I made him go camping one time. He actually asked where to plug in his hairdryer.”
    “You’re joking, right?”
    “Nope.”
    “Oh my God, what a girl!”
    “I know.”
    “So you’re good?”
    Finn shrugged noncommittally.
    “Understood. You’re brilliant. It’ll be good if you take to that. We don’t have a diver on staff who specializes in the underwater photography that isn’t just for the tourists. If you do, and you decide to stay, that could work really well for the dive center.” Oz liked the thought of Finn diving with them all the time, taking pictures, that wet suit hugging her as she swam in front of Oz. She pulled the seam of her shorts away from her suddenly oversensitive crotch. She went on to tell Finn about the certificates they would be working on, watching Finn closely to make sure she understood.
    “All clear?”
    “Yes, boss.”
    “And don’t you forget it. Do you have any questions?”
    “Just one.”
    “What’s that?”
    “Ever had anyone fail this course?”
    “Nope. I have had a couple of people who quit. But not fail. This isn’t for everyone. It sounds idyllic in many ways, and the experiences you can have, well, they can be magical. But this is also a job, and like any job, there are good days and bad days. There will be customers you can’t stand and others you’ll miss when they leave. There will be days when you feel like crap, but you’ve got a boatload of tourists and you have to dive anyway. When the reality of that sets in during the internship, not everyone likes it. And a few people quit.”
    “Thank you.”
    “For what?”
    “For being honest with me. I won’t quit on you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some studying to do.” She picked up her book and headed into the shop.

    *

    It was four thirty when Oz popped into the training room. Finn had her chin on her fist as she scribbled notes and flipped pages. Oz’s stomach flipped again and she ignored it.
    “How’s it going?”
    Finn looked up, startled, and placed her hand dramatically against her chest. “You made me jump.” She took a deep breath before she continued. “It’s going fine actually. It seems fairly simple so far.”
    “Well, you are a brainiac scientist.”
    “Yeah, yeah. What time is it?” She leaned back in