Page 22 of Pelvic Flaws

“God, that was brutal,” Mandy said, readjusting her boobs in her sports bra.

“Hmm,” I replied, around the bottle, taking another swig. “I’m sure she ramps it up when she sees us flagging.”

“Isn’t that why we hide on the back row?”

“Yeah,” I said with a grin. “And so we don’t have to watch ourselves in the mirror.”

We both started to laugh at the truth of the matter. I’d always considered myself to be a good dancer – I’d been to The Hacienda, and you didn’t go there unless you were cool. However, my first time at Clubbercise proved you definitely lost your cool factor with age. Isaac said that the fact I used the word cool proved I wasn’t. As Mandy and I watched ourselves in the wall to wall mirror, we found it hilarious. We were our mothers, without the flouncy skirts and kitten heels, foot shuffling at a family get together. I even did a little shoulder shrug, the exact same one that me and my brother, Mark, had always laughed at my mum for doing. Mandy and I were middle-aged women reliving our clubbing days at an exercise class – we were not nubile teenagers who could dance all night with the aid of an E, a bottle of water, and piece of juicy fruit chewing gum.

“What are you doing this afternoon?” Mandy asked.

“Well first off, changing my knickers,” I replied, extricating them from my arse. “Then I suppose washing and ironing. I’m scraping the barrel for clothes, I’m so far behind. Plus, I have work tomorrow.”

I only worked three days a week for a PA answering service, who took messages for businesses across the country. It was okay pay, it was local, but it was boring at times. The upside was I was on a week to week contract, at my choice, so that I could take school holidays to be with the kids – well Charlie mostly. The other two couldn’t stand days out at the zoo or seaside, but my baby still loved them.

“I might go to town this afternoon,” Mandy said, as we made our way towards the gym exit. “I need some new undies. I feel the need to seduce Jim. It’s all getting a bit samey in the bedroom department.”

“Those dirty books you read, giving you some ideas?” I asked with a chuckle.

Mandy grinned and waggled her eyebrows. “I’m thinking of introducing a friend,” she whispered. “What do you think?”

My heart stopped, along with my feet. Please God, she wasn’t hinting to me.

“I…well…I’m not sure…our friendship.”

Mandy burst out laughing. “I mean a vibrator, you idiot, not you or anyone else.”

I slapped a hand against my chest. “Oh thank fuck. I thought you were hinting.”

“Ooh, no. It’s bad enough Jim seeing my saggy tits and having to move my guts to get to my fanny. I don’t want anyone else getting a view of that carnage.”

We both burst out laughing and continued to the door. As we reached it, I saw a familiar face through the glass, walking across the car park.

“Oh shit. Mandy,” I hissed, slapping a hand against her chest.

“Ow, that hurt.”

“Sorry, but look.”

“What am I looking at?” She looked around the gym. “That big bloke showing his arse crack?”

“No,” I almost yelled. “Coming across the car park.”

Mandy looked and let out a low whistle. “Who the hell is that?” she asked clutching my hand. “He’s effing gorgeous.”

I looked at the man wearing black shorts, a black vest, and black trainers. A hint of ink was peeking out from the bottom of his shorts and his inked biceps bulged as he messed around with the top on the water bottle that had his attention.

“That’s Dex,” I replied, a little wistfully and pushing my thighs together.

“No way.”

“Yep. I told you.”

“Shit,” Mandy groaned. “You fancy changing your mind about that threesome?”

I slapped her again as Dex walked in and looked up. As soon as he noticed me, he smiled and my stomach went all funny.

“Hey Katie, how you doin’?”