Chapter 6 #2
For the next three-quarters of an hour, Layne led him through a set of what she called the Twenty-Four Form, telling him this was her standard training routine.
She emphasized that he wouldn’t pick up everything this first time.
That tai chi was an art form you continued to grow in as you practiced.
They did poses with crazy names such as Cloud Hands, White Crane Spreads its Wings, and Parting the Horse’s Mane.
He thought at first that the movements were incredibly simple, but that proved deceptive.
As Keaton mimicked her moves, he saw the discipline required to perform the ancient art successfully.
By the time the session ended, he had trembling muscles, yet a calm had descended upon him, unlike anything he’d ever known.
Turning to face him, she asked, “How do you feel?”
“This sounds crazy, but I pushed myself almost as much as I do during a run. I didn’t move within a foot in any direction, yet I feel as if I’ve pounded the pavement for a few miles.”
He took a deep breath. “Even better, I feel cleansed. As if I’m floating. Fresh. Alert. Ready to take on a new day.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it so much. It’s something you can do anywhere.
Believe me, I like to get outside and walk.
Do Pilates. I even lift a few weights every now and then.
But tai chi always centers me. I find the essence of me in doing it.
It helps me to roll with my day more easily.
An added bonus? I guarantee you’ll sleep better tonight. At least, I do.”
“You’re preaching to the choir now, babe. I’m a tai chi convert. I’ll have to get online and see if there are some YouTube videos I can watch.”
“Oh, I have a great app for practicing the movements. I’ll share it with you if you’re truly interested and not just blowing smoke up my ass.”
He stepped toward her, his hands reaching around to cradle her rounded bottom. “I would never do that to you, Layne. The foundation of our friendship is built on honesty.” He squeezed her buttocks. “But you do have an incredible ass from doing tai chi.”
She laughed, and Keaton leaned down and kissed her lightly.
He stepped away, wanting to linger but knowing he needed to respect her boundaries.
He didn’t know if they would ever repeat the intimacies of last night.
If they didn’t, he would be disappointed, but he would understand.
Right now, Layne needed the friendship he offered more than sex.
But he certainly could daydream about her hot body.
“Let’s go inside,” she said. “I need a water break. And I’m starved.”
They hydrated again, and she rummaged through the fridge.
“You’re right. There’s not anything here.” Opening the freezer, she said, “Bingo.” Pulling out a loaf of frozen bread, she said, “Mom would always buy bread from Seaside Sweets, the local bakery, and freeze loaves. We can at least munch on some toast.”
She defrosted several slices of bread in the microwave and then popped all four into the toaster. “Light, medium, or dark?”
“Medium light for me,” he responded.
“Ah, we have that in common,” she said, setting the controls on the toaster.
Layne retrieved two jars of jam from the fridge, one strawberry and one orange marmalade. For his part, Keaton fetched two plates and knives and refilled their glasses with water again.
She brought the toast to the table, and he smeared the strawberry on both his pieces, being partial to it. Biting into the toast, the deep, sweet rich flavor of strawberry exploded in his mouth.
“Wow, this is really good.”
Smiling sadly, Layne said, “Mom made her own jams each year. Strawberry was always my favorite. I’m hoping there’ll at least be a few more jars in the cupboard from the final batch she made. That’ll be a nice reminder of her.”
Keaton reached and took her hand. “Sadness is going to hit you every now and then. Out of the blue, someone will say something to trigger you. Or you might hear a song, causing a memory to arise. The hurt will be fresh at first. Painful. Jarring. Then it’ll lessen with time.
At least that’s how it was after I lost Miss Peggy.
It’s been a four years now since she’s been gone, and I can actually think of her now without choking up. ”
He raked a hand through his hair. “That woman loved her books. Sometimes, I pick up one of her favorite books she shared with me. I’ll re-read a few chapters—even the entire book itself. I feel the essence of her still inside me. Guiding my choices. Inspiring me.”
“I’m glad you had Miss Peggy in your life,” Layne said quietly.
“I realize now how I took my parents for granted all these years. They always loved me like crazy. If I had it to do over again, I would have come back to the Bay more often.” She frowned.
“I also would have cut ties with Jeremy a whole lot sooner. Yes, he was nice eye candy. He actually could be a lot of fun, but he had a lousy work ethic. No, no work ethic at all, which was too bad because I paid to put him through a master’s program at SMU, and that wasn’t cheap. ”
“You paid for that?”
She nodded. “I even told him not to work so he could concentrate on school. I’d completed my master’s while working full-time, and I knew what a pain it was, being pulled in different directions.
Jeremy quit job after job. Let met pay for just about everything.
By then, I got so caught up in work that I really didn’t notice he was bleeding me dry and how far apart we’d drifted.
How often he went out with his friends and not me.
I thought I was building a nest egg for our future—when we had no future. ”
Layne shook her head. “I let work blind me, Keaton. Possess me. I’m never going to let that happen again.
While work will always be something I prioritize, I now understand that family and friends are what life is all about.
It’s an expensive lesson that I had to learn.
I’m sorry Mom and Dad aren’t around now so I could show them how much I really loved them.
But I swear from this moment going forward, I will treasure those I keep close to me. I’ll also take care of myself better.”
She smiled at him. “And I will appreciate new friends, such as you and Carson.”
“You know some of my story now. How I haven’t had many friends. The Bay is changing me, Layne. Like you, I’m discovering that there’s more to life than work.”
A thought struck him. “I need to get to the grocery store!”
“Wow, that was random,” she teased.
“No, I’m supposed to bring a potato casserole to Christmas dinner tomorrow. It’s being held at the Perrys’ house. With this being Christmas Eve day, the stores will close early.”
He smiled at her. “You’ll be invited to the Perrys’ for Christmas dinner since you’re in town.”
Her mouth trembled. “I’m not sure if I’m up to being around a lot of people and faking being happy.”
“Being alone and wallowing in self-pity is not going to make you feel any better, my friend. You need to go with me tomorrow. Period.”
“But what if I bring everyone down with me?”
“If the need for a pity party strikes you, just excuse yourself. Go have a little cry in the powder room. Splash water on your face and then rejoin everyone.” He looked at her sternly. “But you are coming to Christmas dinner tomorrow.” He softened his tone. “I want you there, Layne.”
Their gazes met. Something passed between them.
Then she gave him a faint smile. “I want that, too, Keaton.”