Chapter 1 - Yoga Class
“AND I WANT EVERYONE TO JUST QUIETLY STRETCH and let go of all the stress of the morning,” said Jane, a beautifully tall African American woman with big brown eyes and a perfect body. Jane was one of the senior secretaries at the law firm of Emerst, Snieder and Sniltz, and where she held her yoga class. She walked out of the class and hung a sign that read:
“Hourly Yoga Class 12-1. Please come in and join us!”
Alex, a shapely Caucasian woman with pretty long brown hair stretched out on her mat. Alex was a newer secretary to the firm and had only been there a year. She watched Jane reenter and set up her iPhone on a tripod.
Gabby, the Asian office millennial and youngest of the secretaries at the firm, with short black hair, big blue eyes and the brightest personality known to man, sat next to Alex with her short legs spread out in front of her. Gabby looked over at Brian and paused at the sight. “God, that man is amazing.”
Brian, a handsome, tall, lean Caucasian man with brown hair was in the back completely focused in his downward dog, which is and will always be the envy of all.
Concerned about being recorded, Alex leaned over to Gabby who was still focused on Brian. “Did you know Jane was taping this session?”
Gabby shrugged her shoulders and glanced over to Jane who now appeared to be recording the group. “I’ve never seen her do it. This shouldn’t be a thing.”
“Oh, God, she better not video me, I am so not ready to see my awful posture. And these awful baby bags,” Alex said a bit panicked. “That’s all I need is to be put in one of her books on God knows what.”
“Oh, please. You look great. She’s probably just going to video herself anyway,” Gabby said, almost a bit unsure. She took in a deep breath and reached her arms out in front of her. One of her very heavy curls fell loose from her ponytail making her even cuter than she already was. “Not everything is about you, us, I mean, the Universe,” she said, waiving her hands in the air and looking up. “You know what I mean? Don’t bring negativity into this room. It’s a safe space to stretch and let go of stress.”
A couple of deep breaths later, Alex sat up with her feet inwards in an Indian pose. “The secretaries luncheon will be nice tomorrow, right? I’m looking forward to that.”
Gabby smiled. “I’m grateful for whatever they give us this year.”
Alex dropped her smile, cleared her throat and conjured her inside voice. “Yeah, I’m hoping for a little something extra, like gift card or cash.”
Gabby smiled back. “I’m secretly hoping for some wine. I need a drink girl. This baby dynamic is getting to me.”
“You mean the fatigue?”
Gabby dropped her smile almost as quickly as she caught it. “No, my husband is an ass and doesn’t do anything. I need a drink at that luncheon tomorrow so bad…then I’m going to go home and tell him….Get your ass up in the morning and change a diaper. I mean come on. I’m tired too.”
“Why don’t you just tell him to get his ass up and help you?”
Gabby’s jaw dropped. “I don’t want him to think he’s unappreciated. I mean, he does a lot around the house and he’s great with our son, it’s just that…”
In walked Kyle, a very angry Italian woman with a temper to boot. She was more of a veteran at the firm—3 years to be exact. Kyle was angry and breathing heavy. She spotted Alex and immediately made her way.
Alex saw Kyle coming towards her and could tell by the look on Kyle’s face something was up. As a matter of fact, everyone could tell. Shaking her head and trying not to be distracted, Alex took a deep breath in and closed her eyes.
Kyle plopped her mat down next to Alex on the floor with a loud thud. “Ask me what’s wrong. Go head and ask me. Oh, hey Gabby.”
“Hi,” Gabby said and turned away.
Kind of perturbed, Alex whispered to Gabby. “Why aren’t you giving her the same ‘not everything is about you speech’ you gave me?”
“Some are not ready to hear it,” Gabby said quietly.
Alex turned to Kyle and tried to calm Kyle’s demeanor with a soothing tone. “So, we’re discussing the secretaries’ luncheon tomorrow. You know what they’re doing for us?”
“Whatever it is, I sure hope there’s wine,” Kyle snapped back.
Gabby turned around and shook her head at Kyle. “Me too sister. Me too.”
“So, that look on your face,” Alex said to Kyle. “Just stop. Just stop right there. Let it go and breathe.”
“Okay, I’ll try,” Kyle said, nodding in agreement. But two breaths into it, Kyle whipped out her phone and began feverishly texting. “That mother…”
“You have to put that away,” Alex said, hoping Kyle would get a clue. “Why would you even bring that in here?”
Noticing the commotion in the back, Jane approached Kyle and gently put her hand on her shoulder. “You know you have to put that away.”
Still unable to look up, Kyle remained focused on her phone. “Just let me get this one text in.”
“You know, you’re just fueling his fire right now,” Jane said, gesturing for Kyle’s phone. “You always do this and you always lose. You’re actually giving me so much material for my next book, ‘Choosing the Stain.’”
Annie, a lovely young Caucasian woman with long blonde hair, just out of college and a major kiss ass is right up Jane’s butt nodding her head. “She is such a poster child for this subject, is she not, Jane?”
Cross-eyed and confused by Annie’s comment, Kyle shook her head and continued to text. “I’m glad I’m the subject of your next book, but unless you’ve walked in my shoes, how could you possibly author it with any authority on the subject? Oh, that didn’t stop you from publishing your last one, so I guess…”
“Because your character speaks volumes to your weaknesses,” Jane said. "And that is a fact."
