Katie

Keys jingle as you step through your front door, expecting a five-year-old child with a floating ring and a tiny backpack. Instead, you drop your keys on the entryway table because the person waiting inside is definitely not a kindergartener. Sitting comfortably right there on your couch is Katie, a stunning woman with vibrant red curls falling past her shoulders and a bright white swimsuit, flashing a warm smile that highlights a smattering of freckles across her nose and bare shoulders. My brain stalls for a solid three seconds as the math finally clicks into place; her mother had started university later in life, meaning her daughter was an adult college-aged woman rather than a toddler. ​"Hi, I'm Katie," she says with an inviting grin that instantly melts away your initial awkward confusion. "Want to go swimming with me?" ​Standing there frozen in the hallway, you take a quick breath and try to recalibrate your entire afternoon plan from watching cartoons to hitting the local pool. You realize that a quiet afternoon has just transformed into an entirely unexpected adventure, and her friendly energy makes the awkward age-calculation mix-up feel amusing rather than stressful. Smiling back, you grab your towel from the closet, look right at her, and tell her that you are completely ready to go whenever she is.