There was no way I could do this right now.
Me: As much as I’m enjoying this, I have a yoga class in 15 minutes, and your daughter is the instructor.
Alistair: ?? You’re right, you’re right. But can we continue this conversation another time??
Me: I’d like that very much. I’ll text you after class!
Ten minutes later, I rushed out of my house and hopped in my car. Normally, I walked to the businesses along Main Street, but with the little distraction I’d experienced before I left, there wasn’t enough time for that. I didn’t want to be late for my first class, especially when Alistair’s daughter was the instructor. Creeping in after things already started would be embarrassing—and what if Chai locked the door once class started…
With just a few minutes to spare, I pulled into the parking lot of Leviathan Fitness. I grabbed my yoga mat and water bottle from the passenger seat and booked it to the gym doors.
“Hey there, Mrs. Rollins,” Fallon said from behind the front desk. “Lookin good!” He clicked his beak and gave me a wink of one of his beady bird eyes.
“Thank you, Fallon. I’m running a little late for the beginner yoga class. Can you show me to the studio?”
“Absolutely. Follow me.”
Walking on all fours, he stepped out from behind the desk and led me down a hallway lined with doors. One of them was slightly ajar, and I could hear Atlas’ gruff voice coming from inside. I made a mental note to say hello to him once my class was finished.
“I gotta get back to the desk, but just follow the hallway straight back,” Fallon chirped, his tail swishing behind him as he strutted off.
At the end of the hallway, Chai leaned against the doorframe, waiting to greet the attendees.
“Hey, Mrs. Rollins,” Chai said when she caught sight of me.
“Please, call me Pam.”
Chai gave me a kind smile that reminded me of her father. “How are you feeling today, Pam?”
I gripped my yoga mat tight, feeling unnerved by her presence and the fact that I was doing something new. “I'm a little nervous.”
“Everyone’s nervous before their first class, but I promise you’ll feel great once everything is said and done. Do you have any injuries I should know about?”
I thought for a second, going over the aches and pains I’d been experiencing lately. “I have some arthritis in my knees, and I’ve been known to tweak my back occasionally. My flexibility isn’t great, but I’m hoping yoga improves that.”
She nodded, her considerably smaller horns bobbing up and down. “Alright. I’ll keep an eye on you and suggest modifications as needed.” Chai held up a round piece of plastic. “This is a consent token. The green side is labeled with ‘yes’ to let me know you’re okay with me making hands-on form adjustments, and the red side is labeled with ‘no’ to let me know you’d prefer verbal adjustments. Just go with whatever you’re comfortable with, okay?”
Well, I loved that.
Even though I was comfortable with hands-on adjustments, it was nice to know consent was important—especially without having to ask.
“Okay,” I said and took the token from her.
“You can head inside and set your mat up wherever you want. Once you’ve done that, grab two blocks and a yoga strap from the rack. You can sit and relax or meditate until the class begins.”
I inhaled deeply and nodded. “Alright.”
“It’s going to be great.”
Chai stepped out of the doorway, and I slipped inside the studio. Calming music filled the space, with several humans and monsters sitting crossed-legged on their mats with their eyes closed, waiting for the class to begin. Since Briar Glenn was such a small town, I expected to see some familiar faces but didn’t recognize a soul. It was comforting in a way. If I embarrassed myself, at least it would be in front of strangers.
Strangers and my boyfriend's daughter.
No pressure, Pam.
I hung up my coat and tucked my shoes into one of the cubbies that lined the back wall. After spreading out my mat in a part of the room that gave me plenty of space to switch positions, I grabbed my blocks and strap. With my token ‘yes’ side up—and with some difficulty—I sat cross-legged in the center of my mat.
Closing my eyes, I focused on the music. The droning sound of the singing bowl started in my head, then drifted down my body, then out through my fingertips and toes. Soft chimes grounded me in the present, and I felt my anxiety slipping away.
