“These are the only shoes that fit me, too. I don’t know how I’m going to teach any classes today. Richard had to help me bathe and get dressed this morning, and I almost called to cancel all of my classes. I have never, in my life, been so uncomfortable.”
“Well, maybe your pregnancy yoga will help with your joints today. That always helps, doesn’t it?”
Annie dug into her purse and pulled out a bag of pita chips. “Yeah, maybe. I’m just worried the students will see me in pain and wonder if pregnancy yoga even works. If I can’t walk without moaning and groaning, who knows what sound I’ll make while doing yoga poses.” She held the bag of pita chips up to her nose and grimaced. “I don’t even want to eat because I know I’ll puke, but I have to eat.”
“I’m so sorry. Thank God you weren’t here earlier, though. Some of the students ate before class, and the entire studio stunk.”
Annie started sniffing the air. “God, what is that smell? It’s like hot garbage on bread.”
I looked out the window and nodded to the current class. “One of the older women ate a crab salad sandwich, then told everyone about how it was loaded with onions.”
Annie’s face turned even paler. “I would have puked all over the floor.”
“There’s a big sign out there that clearly says ‘no food allowed,’ but that never stops people from sneaking it in. Maybe a ginger ale or soda water would help you, Annie.”
She shook her head at me while slowly eating the pita chips. “Nothing can help me right now, Crystal. Anyway, what have you been working on?”
“Well, I got the payoff amount for my student loans. Once the funds hit my account, I won’t owe anybody a single dime!”
“That’s fantastic! You must be so excited. Having a large amount of debt is an awful feeling, isn’t it?”
Even though she was my best friend, I had always been slightly jealous of her marrying into the Truman family. “Tell me about it. And with the amount of money that I’m getting, I don’t foresee being in debt anytime soon.”
“Stress does so much physical damage to your body, too. When you’re constantly worrying about something, it releases all of these toxins. People don’t want to believe it, though, so they never take time to decompress and relax. Thank God you and I are health nuts, huh?”
I wanted to tell her that I had been stressed ever since picking up her extra classes, but I kept that to myself. It would break her heart if she knew how tired and overworked I had been.
I grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. “Speaking of which, Gavin suggested that we visit India sometime. He wants me to try authentic Indian cuisine, but I’m going to try and train with a yogi just like he did.”
Annie looked so happy for me. “That would be amazing, Crystal! Maybe Richard and I could go too, and we could make it a couple’s vacation someday. After the baby is older, of course.”
Before Gavin and I had gone on vacation together, the thought of going away with another couple might have stressed me out. My emotional wall used to be impenetrable, but not anymore.
I watched her lean forward to massage her feet. “That would be so much fun, Annie. Are you sure you should be bending down right now? Here, let me help you.”
Annie took my hand, and instead of leaning forward, she stood straight up. “This isn’t going to work. Let me stand up for a second. God knows my back needs to be stretched.”
As Annie stood up, she let out the loudest cry of pain that I had ever heard.
She squeezed my hand so hard that I thought it was going to break. “Annie, oh my God! What’s wrong? Are you going into labor?”
Annie sat back down in her chair and burst out crying. “Something is wrong, Crystal! Take me to the hospital.”
I took Annie’s hand and walked her out to my car as fast as she could go. It took her nearly five minutes for what would generally be less than a two-minute walk. Every step she took made the pain radiate throughout her body, but she had yet to tell me what was hurting specifically.
After she got into my car, I sent a text message to Richard.
“Annie is in pain. Not sure what it is, but it’s bad. Driving her to the hospital now.”
I had never had much of a lead foot, but I took full advantage of having a Lamborghini and was glad Gavin had dropped it off for me to drive today. We sped to the hospital, and Annie was crying out in pain the entire time. It broke my heart to see her that way, but there was nothing else I could do. By the time we pulled up to the hospital, I had expected to see a baby in my car.
As soon as I told the nurse what was happening, they brought out a wheelchair and ushered her in to see a doctor. I sat in the waiting room and met Richard a few minutes later, who immediately ran back to see what was happening with Annie.
After what seemed to be an eternity, Richard came out to give me an update. “She’s not going into labor, which was our first concern. Annie pulled a muscle.”
“Oh God, no wonder she was in so much pain!”
Richard nodded while getting himself a cup of coffee. “It happens when your muscles are too stiff, and even though she’s a yoga instructor, she has developed bursitis with this pregnancy.”
