She looked at me with those big brown eyes, and I waited. “Don’t distract me with your sexy fingers,” she said, pushing my hand down but not away.
I chuckled, making circles with my thumb on the outside of her knee. Her body was pressed to mine, and I’d already forgotten what we’d been talking about. “But you like my sexy fingers.”
“You’re the CEO. Why doesn’t he report to you?”
Trailing my hands from her knee up the outside of her thigh, I toyed with the belt holding the robe together before meeting her gaze. “I stepped down.”
“What?” Britta jerked up, her face almost colliding with my head. “You own the company. You quit? Is that because of me? Because of . . . us and the scandal?”
“I still am a part owner, but do you know the thing I was most upset about after everything happened, second only to losing you? That mentoring program with the high school—they canceled it.”
“Wes, I’m so sorry,” she said, running her fingers over my hairline.
“I loved working on it. Doing that, playing football with your nephew, teaching Aaron’s daughter how to play basketball . . . I was happier doing any of those things than running the company. And, honestly, I wasn’t good at being an executive. So, I stepped down, effective next week.”
She bit her lip again.
I paused my intended journey under the robe and instead cupped her face. “I thought about what makes me happy. My mom is doing okay, and Libby is talking to me again.” We’d spoken a few times, and I’d already shown Britta the photos of my niece. It was harder than I’d thought, but I’d even started going to a few Al-Anon meetings and researched potential counselors—Mom was right, and I had a lot in my head to sort out. “I think it’s the right time to do what makes me happy.”
“I like you happy,” she said, cupping my face the same way. “I—”
“Hate me?” I dipped my forehead to hers, and she puffed out a breathy little laugh.
“I was going to say I love you, but yes, that, too.”
“I love you.” Holding her playful gaze, I drank in the warmth of her mahogany irises. “Coaching you—being with you—helped me realize I needed to make a change.”
“What will you do?”
“I’m going back to school to be a teacher. Working with the school and the kids on this peer education thing, it reminded me. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my high school coach and all he did for me. I want to be that kind of teacher, you know? It’s a big jump, but I think I can do it.”
Britta trailed her fingertips over my biceps, and my body lit up with her touch. “You’ll be a great teacher.”
I brushed my lips to hers, unable to hold back from kissing her any longer. “So, will you take the job?”
She toyed with a lock of my hair, and a grin played across her lips. “Try the sexy fingers again. See if you can convince me.”
I tugged on the belt of the robe and moved over her. “I’ll try my level best.”
Epilogue
THE FITMI FITNESS FORUM
The Curvy Girl’s Corner
PREVIOUS POST: SAVE CHEATING FOR MONOPOLY: WHY I NO LONGER BELIEVE IN CHEAT DAYS
The First Boy to Push Me Out of a Plane
Britta Colby, FitMi Fitness
APRIL 12
Longtime readers will remember that one of my goals when I first signed up for FitMi was to jump out of a plane. That was well before I came to work with this tremendous online community. It was before I discovered a love of running. It was before I lost some weight, then gained some back, then lost some again before I finally listened to my coach and stopped counting. Just like so many of you, I listed a goal when I was just starting out, not convinced I’d ever reach it.
I could write for days about my first skydiving experience, but I’ll distill it down to nine main points.
Do you know how many ways there are to injure oneself or die when jumping out of a plane? I do. After signing that waiver, I knew I could do anything.
I did what’s called a tandem jump, where an experienced and highly trained (I checked!) professional straps you to themself like a newborn and jumps with you. Here’s a picture of Jerry and me. I wrote his name on the back of my left hand to make sure I remembered it. Readers know I have an amazing boyfriend, but Wes didn’t control the parachute from the ground, so I committed myself to Jerry.
It’s cold that high in the air. Freezing. When the door opened, I forgot it was spring. I was so focused on the cold and the wind and, you know, being 15,000 feet in the air, that when I heard Jerry yell something, by the time I asked “What?” we were airborne.
I thought it would go in slow motion. It didn’t. Here’s a photo of me screaming obscenities right after we started free-falling.
I was certain I would die, but then I didn’t. Here’s a photo of my dopey grin right after Jerry yanked the cord to open our parachute.
Did I mention that I love Jerry? I do. The man gave me a THRILL. Don’t tell Wes.
I could see for miles beneath me, and it was incredible. Our state is beautiful, and I can’t wait to try this again with mountains or the ocean in the distance. See the photo of me dumbfounded by the view.
Landing was basically sitting on Jerry’s lap as we cruised to a stop—again, don’t tell Wes. Or do. I guess he needs to know he’s sharing me from now on. It all happened too fast! Soon I was getting untangled from the chute and unstrapped.
I did it! A year and some change after deciding to join FitMi, going through a ton of ups and downs, starting a new career, and learning so much about myself—but not what I thought I’d learn—I reached one of my goals. I jumped out of a plane.
See the photos below of me landing and celebrating. You all know what it feels like to reach your goals, or you soon will. I couldn’t do this before because I was heavier than they allowed, but more importantly, I was weighed down by all this negative stuff I didn’t even realize I carried with me. I’m glad I waited until now to do this, because I feel good about my body and I know what it can do. I jumped out of a damn plane today.
One more thing happened this morning . . . see the photos below.
I didn’t know how much of a dork I’d look like in all my gear with my hair going in every direction after I removed the helmet. In sharp contrast, Wes was wearing a suit when he met me in the middle of the field. Turns out, he wasn’t planning on me having another man’s name written on my hand when he asked me to marry him. See my expression go from confused to surprised to tearful when he dropped to one knee, said beautiful things I’m going to keep private, and put a ring on my finger.
We (and Jerry) will be very happy together.
NEXT POST: THE CURVY GIRL GOES WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING
BRITTA AND WES finally found their paths. If their story has raised concerns or questions for you about your path or the path of someone you love, the resources below may be helpful.
NATIONAL EATING DISORDERS ASSOCIATION | nationaleatingdisorders.org
AL-ANON/ALATEEN | al-anon.org
NAR-ANON | nar-anon.org
Acknowledgments
The idea for this book came to me when I sat in a room full of strong, caring, purposeful people of color where I felt safe to be vulnerable and brave enough to tell this personal story. First and foremost, thank you to people who give others the strength to feel that way. I count myself lucky to have so many of them in my life.