“You know,” Marti said as she poured them each a cup of coffee onWednesday morning, “you’ve barely packed anything. I mean, I kind of thoughtyou’d be in by now. Or at least moving some stuff over.” Her tone wasmatter-of-fact, as if she was working very hard to make sure it didn’t seemlike this was a subject that bothered her.
Spencer knew better.
“I know. I’ll get there. Just been really busy with work and thegym and stuff.” It was a lame excuse. Just as lame as it had been the firsttime she’d used it. Marti was right; Spencer had barely packed a thing at herhouse. She wasn’t worried about how quickly it would sell. It was adorable, ina fantastic neighborhood, and had a modern kitchen and a newly remodeledbathroom, thanks to Spencer’s dad. And there was the added bonus that she workedfor a real estate firm. No, selling would be a breeze, so she hadn’t even begunto take the steps necessary to do so.
Most of her day at work was spent replaying the conversation inher head, short as it had been.
Analyzing why was not something Spencer wanted to get into…eventhough part of her knew she should. Marti had wanted her to move in ages ago.It made sense. Marti’s place was much bigger, everything was new so there wasnothing to update or change. Spencer thought of the painting she’d done in herown small house, painstakingly picking out paint chips at Home Depot (or HomoDepot, as Marti called it). Then she taped them up on the walls and looked atthem for days and days before narrowing them down. Once she’d done that, she’dgone back to Home Depot and bought three or four tiny sample cans, brought themhome, painted a swatch of wall, and looked at those for days and days more.Only after all of that did she decide on a color and paint the room. She’d gonethrough that process five times, for five different rooms, and she’d beenthrilled with the results.
That house was all Spencer. And she loved it.
Marti’s house was beautiful, all open concept and big spaces. Itwas also a bit…cool. The walls were all creamy ivory, and Marti liked them thatway. The kitchen, with its dark wood cabinets and deep slate countertops, wasgorgeous, but also a little cold. Spencer often racked her brain to come upwith ways to warm the place up, make it feel more like a home and less like themodel house in a new housing tract.
Try as she might to not think about the subject, to push it away,it hung out in the back of her head like a soccer player waiting to be put in,bouncing around in excitement, its energy too palpable to ignore completely.
Spencer had never looked forward to the bride class at the gymbefore, so realizing she was doing just that helped a bit.I guess there’s a first time foreverything.Seeing Rebecca in her new, friendly and approachablepersona was something she found herself anticipating with an unexpected sliverof optimism. Seeing Rebecca in her workout clothes was another (though shetried not to get distracted by that).
“Hey, how was your day?” Lucy asked when she and Spencer werestanding at what had become their usual lockers. She was in her underwear andcheerful and bouncy as always. Spencer wondered if there was a person on theplanet who wouldn’t like Lucy instantly.
“It wasn’t bad,” Spencer said truthfully, then stopped with herhands on her bag and looked at her friend. “I don’t even know what you do. DoI?”
“I teach kindergarten,” Lucy said, and nothing made more sensethan that.
“Oh, right. I remember now. Only a couple more weeks of summerleft.”
“Don’t remind me.”
Out in the gym, the five of them stretched, moves they now knewhow to do on their own, so they didn’t have to wait for Rebecca to give themthe go-ahead. Bella and Willow were talking about a cake decorating class.Brittany was on the other side of them, obviously listening and looking for aspot to jump in. Which she did.
“What do you think of class so far?” Lucy asked Spencer quietly asthey each did a hamstring stretch. “I’m loving it. I already feel better.”
Spencer furrowed her brow. “You know what? I haven’t reallythought about it, though I can tell you that I couldn’t straighten my arms allthe way yesterday. I felt like a T. rex.”
Lucy’s laugh was musical. “That’s good, though. Don’t you feelaccomplished when that happens?”
“That’s a good way to look at it. I’ve been trying to think likethat.” Spencer had done her best to focus on that. To enjoy the exercise ratherthan dread it.
“Hello, ladies.” Rebecca appeared in front of them dressed in herusual black workout pants. Today’s top was a deep purple T-shirt, the gray andpurple Sauconys on her feet completing the outfit. Her dark hair was sleek,tucked behind her ears, and her gorgeous blue eyes were… Spencer couldn’t tellbecause Rebecca didn’t look at her.
It stayed that way for most of the class. Spencer did catch aglance from Rebecca from across the gym while she was on the lat pull-downmachine, and Rebecca was helping Lucy on the leg press. But that was about it.
They finished up with sixty-second planks.
“Jiminy Cricket, I hate these things,” she muttered, then lastedtwenty-five seconds before having to drop to her belly and rest.
“Nope,” she heard Rebecca say from above her. “Get up. You can dothis.”
There was no poke with her toe, and her tone, though just as firmas last time, didn’t hold the same disdain. Spencer groaned and pushed herselfto her toes and forearms.
“Fifteen more seconds,” Rebecca announced as Lucy dropped.
Spencer had no idea how the other girls were doing, as she was onan end with Lucy to her left. Her arms quaked, her stomach muscles burned likethey were on fire, and she dropped. Rebecca’s timer went off no more than fiveseconds later.
“All right. All right. Not bad.” All five of the women werepanting, a couple groaned. “Planks are notoriously hard because we tend toforget to concentrate on strengthening our core. But core strength is essentialfor good posture, to avoid back problems, stuff like that. So we’re going tokeep working on it, and Friday, I’ll have some new moves for you.”
More groaning, but Rebecca just grinned.
Spencer rolled over onto her back, breath still ragged. Lucyfollowed suit.
