“The main gym is to the right. The other side is meeting rooms. They do classes over there sometimes. We’ve had floral arranging, how to care for your luxury handbags, and at least once a year, there’s a weeklong wellness seminar that includes appointments for Botox and fillers.”
“This is the most bougie place I’ve ever been.”
Prisha smiled. “It’s sort of expected.”
“I suppose it is. I don’t think classes on cooking on a budget or couponing would go over so well.”
Prisha laughed. “Not with this crowd.”
She led Frankie to a room down the hall. It had pale, gleaming hardwood floors and deep, marine blue walls for a very serene coastal vibe. They toed their shoes off by the door. There were no mirrors, something Frankie was grateful for. Mats were spaced out evenly in three long rows.
Only four of the mats were occupied so far and none of them by Suzanne, Sugarlynn, or Azumi.
At the front of the room, standing in front of a large, gold lotus flower painted on the wall, was a thirty-something young man with his hair in a top knot and stubble that was probably supposed to be a beard. He wore loose-fitting pants with a crotch that hung to his knees, a tank top, and a long strand of wooden beads with a tassel at the end. He was barefoot and standing on a mat.
He put his hands to his chest like he was praying and bowed toward them. “Welcome, Prisha. I see you’ve brought a friend. How wonderful. Welcome, friend. I’m Raiden and I’ll be your movement guide today.”
Frankie almost laughed, then she realized he was dead serious. She cleared her throat. Movement guide. That was a new one. “Nice to meet you, Raiden. I’m Frankie.”
Others filtered in. Three more women and two men. The women were all in matching exercise gear. The men were in shorts and T-shirts. Men had it so easy.
Suzanne arrived with Sugarlynn in tow. She immediately spotted Prisha. And Frankie. She claimed one of the front-row mats with her water bottle before leaving Sugarlynn to approach them. “Hello, there.”
She leaned in and air-kissed Prisha. She just smiled at Frankie. “Nice to see you again, Fanny.”
“It’s Frankie. Nice to see you and Sugarlynn again, too.” Frankie didn’t let the name thing bother her, but she wasn’t going to bow at the altar of Suzanne, either.
“Do you do a lot of yoga?” Suzanne asked.
“Never tried it before but Prisha was sweet enough to ask, so why not?” Frankie had dealt with students’ parents like this before. Full of themselves. Thought their money made them superior and, worse, right about everything.
Suzanne looked around. “Your sister didn’t make it, I see.”
“Busy with a very important client,” Frankie answered. “You know how it is. Wait. Maybe you don’t. Do you work?”
“No,” Suzanne said. “I don’t have to.”
Raiden tapped the gong near the door and the soft peal filled the room.
“For Harper, it’s really a calling. Anyway, nice seeing you. Looks like class is about to start.” Frankie gave Suzanne a tight-lipped smile and took her place on her mat.
Suzanne and Sugarlynn, who waved goodbye with a wiggle of her fingers, went to their mats. No Azumi, which was a shame. Frankie had really liked her.
Prisha leaned in. “Nicely done,” she whispered.
“Fire with fire,” Frankie whispered back.
Fifteen minutes into the class and Frankie knew she was going to be sore the next day. The people in the front row had no problem holding the various poses and positions. Frankie, however, struggled not to fall over. And failed. Twice. At least she’d caught herself before landing on the floor.
Yoga was hard. Way harder than she’d imagined.
By the end of the class, which was mercifully only forty-five minutes long, she was laying on her mat thankful to have survived. The last bit, the relaxation part, was amazing. She could have gone to sleep.
She didn’t think that was the intended outcome, however.
Once again, the gong sounded, this time to announce the end of the session. Raiden stood before the class, hands in prayer position, and bowed, his voice soft and peaceful. “Namaste to all of you and may the rest of your day be filled with light.”
“Namaste,” they all said back to him.
