Читать книгу Sex In The Sanctuary - Lutishia Lovely - Страница 12

“Missed ya at church Sunday.” Mama Max’s stare was speculative and penetrating as she gazed at her daughter-in-law over a cup of coffee. “Feeling better?”

“Not really,” Tai replied, leaning forward to refill her cup from the carafe on the living room table. Mama Max remained silent. So did Tai. They both sipped their coffee, each deep in thought. Finally, Mama Max drained her cup, cleared her throat, placed the cup down on the table, leaned back and folded her hands across her stomach. She turned to eye Tai with compassion.

Tai felt her stare. “I can’t go on like this, Mama Max. Before, the babies were small, I was younger; things were different. I was different.”

“Different how?”

“Stronger, more positive. Before, I felt like each woman was one of the devil’s little flies and I was the fly swatter. I don’t feel like swattin’ anymore. I’m tired. So the flies are just buzzing around and around, getting on my last nerve.”

“You know I talked to King,” Mama Max replied, again filling her cup, adding two teaspoons of sugar and a generous helping of cream before continuing. “And he tells me there’s nothing going on between him and that Hope girl.”

“Famous last words…”

“Maybe, but do you think it’s possible that there isn’t anything happening, that you’re imagining things because of how active the girl is in the church, how enthusiastic she is about the ministry? Now, I admit she’s a bit feisty and she could let out the hem of those skirts an inch or two, but, baby, she’s never given me a reason to believe that something was actually going on with her and my son. And you know Mama can usually smell that kind of thing coming.”

“Well, something’s going on,” Tai replied, then walked over to the big picture window that almost covered the entire front wall. She watched the neighborhood children playing with abandon, unable to remember how such innocence felt. She turned back to Mama Max and crossed her arms. “King is different, and he’s been this way for a while. It’s nothing major; it’s the small things, things that only someone who’s been with him as long as I have and loved him as much as I do would recognize. “And,” Tai added, smiling at Mama Max, “I can smell pretty good myself.”

“Look, I’m not one to doubt a wife’s intuition. I’ve been right about something with only a feeling to go on too many times. I was just thinking that…” Mama Max’s voice trailed off, and she took another small sip of coffee.

“Thinking what?” Tai quizzed.

“Well, I know with the twins in school you’ve had more time on your hands, feeling a bit, less involved. Trying to find your place again. In the meantime, this Hope girl has come in like gang busters, and it seems like every time you look up at the church, there she is. And she is a pretty girl.”

“One of many with stars in their eyes every time they look at King.”

“Maybe it’s just admiration.”

“Maybe it’s just infatuation.”

Mama chuckled. “Tai, I’m gonna give you some advice that you haven’t asked for. Don’t fear something into happening. King is your husband, and in the name of Jesus, it’s gonna stay that way. You, in the meantime, need to get with God and find out what you’re supposed to be doing for Him.”

Mama Max shifted in her chair. “I also know you’ve been feeling down on yourself for gaining weight. And I’m one to talk with my big butt spread all over your love seat here, but you could drop a pound or two.”

“Now, look,” Tai began, walking over to the love seat and plopping down beside Mama. Mama reached out her hand and placed it on Tai’s arm to stop her response.

“Darling, I love you no matter what size you are, and I know King does, too. It just might make you feel better, more confident, that’s all. You know Mama Max loves you. I’m only trying to help. And I’m not thinking you should do this alone.”

“And just who do you suggest should do this with me?” Tai asked, grinning broadly.

Mama Max just pointed to herself, and smiled.

The Full Workout Fitness Center was one of the newest exercise facilities that the suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, had to offer. Not only did it have every type of equipment known to man, but there was also a full line of workout classes including regular aerobics, step aerobics and water aerobics in their Olympic-sized swimming pool. There was kickboxing and Tae-bo. There was yoga, jujitsu, karate and tai chi. On the other side of the building was a full-line spa complete with a variety of massages and body treatments, a hair and nail salon and juice bar. The center was relatively quiet but still busy for a weekday, with a group of twenty or so women milling about, waiting for some type of aerobics class to begin, and others spread out on the various fitness equipment. A way-too-cheery employee with a perfect smile, size four body and flawless face literally sang out her greeting as Tai approached the counter.

“Welcome to the Full Workout Fitness Center. My name is Daphne. How may we help you become the best body you can be?”

Tai suppressed a wide range of sarcastic responses to say politely, “I’m interested in starting an exercise program to lose weight.”

“Well, you’ve come to the right place!” Daphne continued in her singsong voice that in another time and place may have been nice but was presently grating Tai’s next-to-last nerve. “We’ve got a variety of programs available to fit just about any need one wanting to become physically fit could have. In addition, we have a nutritionist and full-time psychologist on staff to balance your exercise program with healthy eating habits and a positive mental focus.”

Tai stifled a laugh as she remembered who this woman reminded her of, one of the robotic Stepford wives.

“What I’d like to do,” the robot named Daphne continued, “is give you a tour of the facility, explain our programs to you and when we’re finished, have you answer a questionnaire that will help us place you in a regimen that will best suit your needs and goals.” Daphne-robot bounced from behind the counter, grabbed a clipboard, then turned and with a dazzling smile back at Tai said, “Right this way, please.” Another employee behind the counter nodded encouragement as Tai turned to begin the tour.

An hour, a smoothie and a manicure/pedicure later, Tai left the land of physical fitness behind, actually feeling better having joined. She’d decided on a beginner’s program since it had been a while since she’d exercised, and also with Mama Max in mind, that included water aerobics and calenetics, a series of stretching and toning exercises. She also scheduled a session with the nutritionist but passed on the psychologist. She was going to work on some of the machinery for abdomen toning and, if she really got into it, hire a personal trainer. Thank you, Mama Max, Tai thought as she returned to her car, turned on the radio and bobbed her naturally auburn curls to the sounds of 91.5, the Oldies Station. Tai felt a little better, but even as she sang “I Can See Clearly Now” with Johnny Nash, that sixth sense feeling in her stomach would not go away.