“Back to the scene of the crime, huh?”
“This time you’ll crush it,” Vivs assures me. Everyone nods in agreement.
I’m suddenly overwhelmed by the events of the night. I can’t help it. I start to cry yet again.
Laura and Vivs get out of their chairs and rush over to awkwardly hug me. How did they know that’s just what I needed?
*
On my way to bed that night, I tiptoe into Max’s room to kiss him good night and find him still awake.
“Can’t you sleep, buddy?” I sit down on his bed and brush the hair from his eyes.
“No. I think I ate too much bunny,” he mumbles.
I suppress a smile.
“I’m surprised Chyna let you eat it.”
“She didn’t really know,” he whispers. “She thinks I just ate the ears.”
“Well, that’s not cool. Just because I’m not home doesn’t mean you can break the rules.”
“I know.” He yawns. “I’m sorry. Will you lie down with me?”
I know I should go into the bedroom and try to talk to Ron, but I really don’t feel like being iced again. After everyone left, he went upstairs without a word. And anyway, who could refuse such an offer? I cram myself into the race-car bed and Max snuggles into me.
21
* * *
To: Ms. Ward’s Class
From: JDixon
Date: 4/8
Subject: Ye Olde Parent/Teacher Conferences
Good morrow, good friends!
I was going to do the whole email in olden speak but I’m already bored with it, so I’m switching to acerbic.
Can you believe it’s conference time again? I feel like we just went through this whole rigmarole. I mean, my God, how much more can we talk about our kids?
Apparently Miss Ward has a lot to say, so we will be squeezing our butts back into those little chairs come April 27 and 28.
My plan is to use the same schedule as I did in September. I have attached it below. If you have a problem, keep it to yourself or tell Asami. She has a much more sympathetic ear.
Conference Schedule:
Thursday, April 27
12:30 Lewicki
1:00 Fancy
1:30 Aikens
2:00 Zalis
2:30 Alexander
3:00 Kaplan
Friday, April 28
8:00 Cobb
8:30 Dixon
9:00 Westman
9:30 Baton
10:30 Tucci
11:00 Elder
11:30 Wolffe
1:00 Gordon/Burgess
1:30 Chang
2:00 Brown
By the way, on April 29 there will be a mini mud run at my husband’s store (the Fitting Room, on Drummond St.) to help raise awareness for the governor’s “Get Fit” campaign. If anyone would like to participate, email me and let me know. I can bring five people.
That’s it. Move along. Nothing to see here.
Jen (and Asami in spirit)
* * *
*
I can tell Garth is taking it a bit easy on me, and frankly, I’m glad. How sad is it that it takes six months to get into shape and basically six days to fall out of shape?
He’s keeping away from anything that might tax my groin area, which unfortunately doesn’t exclude burpees. After five, I cry uncle and he gives me a breather. We have already done push-ups and sit-ups and a bit of jump rope cardio, but I had to stop because the blood was pumping a little too enthusiastically through my downtown area. We’re only twenty minutes into the workout and I’m already done.
“Looking good, Jen.”
“Oh, please, Garth! I’m like a newbie. When was the last time I quit after five burpees?”
“Give yourself a break. We have two and a half weeks to get you back in fighting shape, and it’s not going to happen in one day. I want to work your cardio a little more, so why don’t we fast-walk on the treadmill? I’ll give you a bit of an angle so it feels like a hill.”
I sigh and hoist myself off the floor of Ron’s Gym and Tan. I haven’t been down here in a few weeks and I forgot all the little changes I made to the décor over the winter. The is now a red Nike poster with black letters that says, “If no one thinks you can, then you have to.” It was a Christmas gift from Peetsa and I love it. I also put in a decorative basket of towels for when I sweat, and a pitcher of water, which sometimes has lemons in it and sometimes cucumbers. I usually light a Bay Breeze Yankee Candle, too. All in all, it’s a nice place to work out.
“What are you doing for your birthday?” Garth asks as he pushes the buttons on our treadmill.
“I’m not sure.” I’m fast-walking but I sneak a look at Garth. “Why? Is Ron planning something?”
I sound a bit desperate. Things at home have been pretty tense for the past week. I hope Max isn’t picking up on it. I mean, we still eat dinner together and hang out, but Ron has a force field around him when it comes to me. We talked the morning after the weird intervention thing, when he found me sleeping in Max’s bed. Ron said he just needed time and space and would I just please give it to him, which I have, but it’s been really hard. I just want to say over and over how sorry I am and how much I love him, but he won’t give me the chance.
“Not that I know of,” Garth says in answer to my birthday plans question, and I’m sure he’s right. He slows down the treadmill and looks at me thoughtfully.
“Are you okay with just doing the store’s mini mudder?”
“Totally okay.” I huff and puff. “I’m so out of shape, I’ll be lucky to get through it.”
“I’m going to make sure you are more than ready.”
*
After Garth leaves, I sit down at the kitchen-counter office with ice on my groin to check my emails.
I have a lot of responses, so I don’t even bother opening Sasha Lewicki’s. I don’t really need to know when she will be out of the office until.
* * *
To: JDixon
From: AChang
Date: 4/8
Subject: Ye Olde Parent/Teacher Conference
Jennifer,
I have not seen you in a while. I assume you have recovered from your accident.
Thank you for taking care of the conference schedule. Can you meet me for tea before pickup tomorrow? I have a new theory about you-know-who.
Asami
* * *
Oh, for the love of God, woman, give it up. I’m going to have to shut her down. I email that I will meet her at Starbucks tomorrow at two. She needs a reality check.
* * *
To: JDixon
From: KFancy
Date: 4/8
Subject: Ye Olde Parent/Teacher Conference
Hi, Jen,
Well, it’s lucky I didn’t plan a trip back to Manhattan, or I would have been in trouble again. My conference time is fine.
By the way, I would love to participate in the mud run at your husband’s store. What a cute idea. It will be nice and easy after I do the real KC mud run the week before. Will you be doing it too?
Thanks,
Kim
* * *
I figured she would take the bait. Kim Fancy is just the incentive I need to truly rock the store’s mud run.
* * *
To: JDixon
From MJBaton
Date: 4/8
Subject: Ye Olde Parent/Teacher Conference
Dear Jen,
Our conference time is great and Jean-Luc would like to participate in the mud run at your husband’s store. Would that be okay?
Thanks,
Mary Jo
* * *
Jean-Luc Baton wearing shorts and working out? Uh, yes, please. Then I open Shirleen Cobb’s response and it gives me the only good laugh I’ve had in days.