The dive itself was pretty cool, even if half of it was spent just getting used to the equipment, trying out various safety procedures, and practicing. Finally, we took the boat out a bit near a line of corals and we all dove down and spent time just swimming over them, exploring them and all the sea life they held.
After about half an hour, we returned to the marina and when it came time to get the suit off, it proved just as hard to get off as on. I struggled alone with the zipper for a while in the change room, not saying anything. Finally, my father called to me.
"Sweetie? Do you need some help?"
"Yes," I said. "Its just as hard to unzip."
Drake came in and took hold of the zipper and gave it a few good yanks, but to no avail. We tried every imaginable way to make the zipper budge but nothing. The instructor came in with some oil and drizzled it over the zipper, but that did nothing to help matters, just made my hands and Drake's hands all slippery.
Drake was in his board shorts and sandals, his chest bare. Dad and Elaine were back in their street clothes, and there I was, in that old worn suit that was too small in the bust, and I was starting to get really hot.
"Phew," I said and waved my face with a hand. "I'm getting hot."
"We need to get you out of this," Drake said, his brow furrowed.
"Is everything all right in there?" my father called out.
Drake went out, leaving me in the change room.
"There's a problem with the zipper. It'll take a bit but we may have to cut her out of the suit. Why don’t you two go back to the hotel and we'll meet you back there for a drink before dinner?"
My father agreed. "I'll send the limo back. Are you sure everything's all right?"
> "No problem," I heard Drake say.
Meanwhile, I was starting to seriously sweat, a trickle of moisture running down the back of my neck and forehead.
Drake and the instructor came in and both took turns yanking on the zipper, but to no avail. Then just when the instructor was going to get a pair of scissors to start cutting me out of the suit, Drake was able to get the zipper down about six inches, right below my bust.
"Maybe you should take the top off so you can cool off," Drake said. I tried to pull the arms off but it was too tight, the zipper not down far enough.
"Goddammit," he said, frustration in his voice. I held the top of the suit and he pulled and jerked it but nothing.
"I'm feeling a bit faint," I said, the sweat now running down my neck and face.
"Christ," he said, his voice low. "We have to cut you out of this – now."
The instructor brought the pair of scissors but they weren't up to the job and so they had to find a box cutter. The instructor went out to his truck for a tool box, searching through his tools for one. Luckily, Drake was a surgeon and was as good with box cutter as he was a scalpel. He was able to cut around the zipper and down to my crotch, peeling the suit off me. I wobbled a bit from dizziness, and just about fainted. Once the suit was off, they had to lay me on a bench in the equipment room. The instructor brought in a fan and Drake poured water over me, and in a few minutes, my heart stopped beating so fast and my hearing started to recover. But I lay there in my lacy bra and underwear, soaked through to the skin, my pubic hair and nipples visible through the sheer wet lace.
I was too sick to be very mortified, and the instructor just kept his eyes averted as Drake fanned me and held a cool cloth to my forehead.
When I was finally cool enough, I sat up and just rested for a moment, to make sure I didn’t faint when I stood up. The instructor brought me a bottle of fruit juice and some ice cold water and soon, I was feeling better. I put my sundress on over my wet bra and panties and Drake and I left the marina as another group of hopeful trainees entered the building.
We took the limo back to the hotel, and Drake pulled me into his embrace while we drove back.
"You scared me," he said, running his fingers through my hair, which was starting to dry. "You were overheating and could have developed hyperthermia if we hadn’t gotten you out of the suit. Plus, you have quite a sunburn."
"I'm just glad it's over. I thought I was going to faint."
"You almost did."
He tilted my head up and kissed me, softly, and I felt completely protected and cared for.
"I feel really tired," I said once we were back at the hotel. We went up to my room and my father and Elaine came right into the room through the adjoining door.
"What took you so long?" my father said.
"We had trouble with the suit and had to cut Kate out of it. She overheated a bit."