She nervously adjusted her headscarf and looked at the water. The lake seemed dark and cold.

— Yes, I did. But I’m afraid of water. Very afraid. Don’t joke like that.

— Stop being dramatic, — the nineteen-year-old grandson laughed. — You’re just working yourself up.

She took a step back, but he was faster. A light push to her back — and her body lost balance. She fell, hit the water, and for a second disappeared beneath the surface.

When she came up, there was real fear in her eyes.

— Help… I can’t… — her voice broke.

She tried to grab the boards of the pier, but her hands slipped on the wet wood. Her clothes pulled her down, her breathing faltered. She flailed, swallowed water, and went under again.

They were laughing on the pier.