Swimming Lessons By Claire Fuller
Swimming Lessons By Claire Fuller In 1979, Ingrid meets and falls in love with her writing teacher, Gil. The two are driven from the school because of their affair; Gil is fired and Ingrid is told she can not finish her degree because she is pregnant. Ingrid moves in with Gil and their hippy life of partying is interrupted as Ingrid faces the reality of becoming a mother and Gil's lack of producing any writing that can support them. The couple slowly come apart after Nan is born and the two try unsuccessfully to have more babies. But they are both harboring secrets. Gil is having affairs in his writing room behind the house (called the Swimming Pavilion), while Ingrid secretly hides the fact that she doesn't feel any sort of love for her child, and doesn't believe she ever will. During one pregnancy, a boy is born and does not live, but he is the one child Ingrid feel a strong motherly bond with. Afterward, she never does again, despite the birth of Flora some time later....