“That would be really nice.” Amanda whipped up a lovely morning juice with pineapple and orange and spinach and celery and ginger for everyone.
“I’m going to get used to this,” Ellie said, licking her lips after finishing the juice. “We need a juice bar in Castleton. That delivers.”
“Linley told me that the bakery might start delivering for a few hours a week,” Hollis said. “I miss delivery food so much.”
I knew what she meant. Castleton was a great town, but it did lack delivery food options. Although, did I really need delivery food when Amanda would make me anything I asked for?
My breakfast sat heavy in my stomach as I drove over to Piper’s house a while later. I’d been trying to busy myself with emails to distract my brain, but it hadn’t worked. My inbox was flooded with messages from people who had come to the sunset yoga, and a few who were wondering about private classes for themselves, or for a friend or family member. If this thing with Piper went south, I would have other options of making up that income in Castleton, so that was a relief.
Natalie let me in, and I tried to chat with her as we walked to the gym. “I just have to run out and grab some things, so you two have fun,” Natalie said as I walked into the gym to find Piper setting out her mat.
“You’ve got the list?” Piper said to Natalie.
“I’ve got the list,” Natalie reassured her. “See you later.”
Natalie left and I almost flinched when she closed the front door.
It was just me and Piper.
“How are you?” she asked first.
“Good, good,” I said, lying. “How are you?”
“I’m good as well,” she said. I was trying to behave like a normal human, but every breath felt like a challenge.
“I’m still really sorry for being late on Sunday,” she said, and we both took a seat on the floor. I tried not to watch myself react to her in the mirrors.
“Oh, it’s fine. Not a big deal. You don’t know how many people have literally wandered into the middle of a class and have thrown their mat in the front and given dirty looks to anyone else who looked at them as if it was rude,” I said. “And at the beach, there are always rogue dogs and seagulls and random people yelling ‘what are you doing?’” I said, babbling.
Get it together.
“Okay, that makes me feel better,” she said, chuckling. “Should we start?”
“Of course,” I said, standing.
“Can we work on some hip opening today? I feel like mine have been really tight.”
Oh. Okay.
I forced myself not to react and nodded.
“Absolutely,” I said. I had her grab her yoga strap and we started on her back, using the yoga strap around the ball of one foot to help start to open her hips up.
By now I knew that Piper was a relatively flexible person, and she showed it by pulling the strap toward her and almost being in a split position on her back.
“Good. Now anchor down through your right hip and press up through the strap with the ball of your foot.” So much with yoga was about both grounding and expanding at the same time. Moving your body in unexpected ways.
Piper switched to her left leg, which was a little bit tighter than her right.
“Congratulations, you’re normal,” I said. “Nearly everyone has one side that’s better than the other.”
She laughed and then I had her hold the pose for one more breath before getting into a Child’s Pose to start the regular flow.
I didn’t have a need to touch her until we got near the end, after she’d done her splits on both sides, and then Fire Log Pose. Pigeon was last, and it could be tricky. I’d noticed that she was tipping to one side a little, and I’d had her use a block to prop herself up before, but she’d not placed it right. I’d just let it go at the time, figuring she was close enough.
“Okay, so prop the block under your hip,” I said, and she did, but her back leg was still wonky, so I reached for her ankle and gently turned her so she was correctly aligned. I moved over to where the block was and turned it while it was under her just a little.
“There. And now you can put your forehead on your second block,” I said, helping her place it. Just one more adjustment to her front leg and she had it.
“Oh, this feels really good,” she said, her voice muffled due to her head being down.
“Sink into this pose. If you have any tight spots, send your breath to those places,” I said.
She made a soft noise of contentment and I saw her spine relax.
I ran both hands gently down her back, helping her lengthen out.
“Mmm,” she said. I lifted my hands slowly, so I didn’t startle her.
“Now gently push yourself up, removing the block,” I said, and she came up with slightly glazed eyes. I had her push back into Downward Dog and then raise her left leg so we could do the other side.
We worked together to get her set up with the blocks and her legs in the right place and I did the same back touch again, and she made the same sound again.
I closed my eyes and tried not to think about that sound.
By the time I got her into Savasana, I so ready for the class to be over, but I wasn’t going to rush things and make Piper suspicious. I had her lay for the same amount of time for all her other classes and then kept my voice even as we bowed to each other.
“I feel so much better, thank you,” Piper said, standing up and shifting her hips around. “My body hasn’t really felt the same since I had Preston. There are some days when I feel like the Tin Man.”
“I get it,” I said. “I mean, I don’t, since I haven’t had a child, but I’m certified in pre- and post-natal yoga.” I hated the way my voice sounded.
Piper wiped her face and sighed. “Time for tea?”
“Sure,” I said. We both walked toward the door and I realized that Natalie still wasn’t back, so it was just us.
Piper brewed the water, humming softly to herself. She seemed good today.
“So, what do you do with yourself when you’re not teaching yoga?” Piper asked.
“Oh,” I said, taken aback by the question. “I spend a lot of time with the family I’m staying with, the Carrs?”
“Oh, yes, I know Amanda Carr,” Piper said. “And I know her daughter, Hollis, through your sister Julia.”
That was Castleton. So many different connections like layers upon layers of overlapping webs.
“And then I see my family every Sunday,” I said.
“You have a bunch of siblings, right?” She probably knew that because of Julia.
“Yes, there are seven of us kids,” I said, and braced myself for a reaction. There was always a reaction.
“Your mother must be an incredible woman,” she said. “I have one and he’s the light of my life, but sometimes, I don’t even know who I am anymore,” she said, and then looked at me as if she’d said too much.
“I’m sorry. You don’t need to hear me whining about my mommy problems.” She poured hot water into two mugs and I added the bag of tea I’d started to love. I’d have to order some for myself to bring with me when I left.