Page 43 of Doing Life

“Nope.” He breathed in, lifting his chest and lowering his shoulders. “It’s what I’m having for supper. Homemade. Not out of a can or a bag.”

“Dude, can I come? And forward fold.”

“Nope.” He folded. Ugh.

“Nice, nice man. Just relax into it this time. You’re almost done, and you’re doing great. Just let your lower back relax.”

“Trying.”

“Okay, where does it hurt?”

“Definitely my back.”

“Well, we can fix that.” Will put a couple of blocks under his hands and propped him up there and suddenly Lance could breathe and relax. And he let out a hard breath, because it felt so fucking good he wanted to die a little bit.

“Rock on, rock on. We got it. Just hang there for a bit. Pretty soon we’re going to just let it all melt onto the floor, and we’re just going to lay here until we’re dead.”

“I’m pretty done laying here.” He was wrung out like a dishrag.

“You haven’t even started the after-the-yoga part.”

“It’s the hot tub, man. I love that. I can’t though. Sloan’s coming to pick me up.” He wanted Sloan to meet Luke, at least. See what his world was. It was getting bigger. This world. It was never going to be gigantic again. But he was beginning to inhabit more than just this room and his bedroom at the house. He felt pretty confident in Sloan’s little house and the coffee shop. Getting around the little downtown wasn’t easy, but it was doable. Especially on Sundays when everything was closed.

Will eased them back up to standing. “You’re not supposed to be thinking. You’re supposed to be all Zen and yoga-fried and just not thinking.”

“I don’t understand how that works, man. How can you think about nothing?” He didn’t get the whole acknowledge-your-thoughts-but-send-them-off-in-the-lake-like-little-boats idea.

“You got a good point. I don’t know. I just know that’s what you’re supposed to be shooting for. Personally, I only get that with pot.” Will chuckled.

“Listen to you.”

“What? I didn’t say I smoked it here in Texas, because that’s illegal, and I would never do things that were illegal.” Oh, he did love Will’s robot voice.

Sloan must be there.

“Where I’m from, New Mexico, it’s totally legal,” Sloan said.

“Yeah, we’re never gonna get Luke and Matt out of Texas. They’re like stuck here permanently, and I like this job. So I’m going to have to just continue to remember pot fondly in a totally legal sort of way, officer.”

“Are you all done or should I go sit and wait in the truck?”

“He has to bubble in the hot tub. I don’t suppose you want to join him?” Will asked.

“I don’t have swim trunks under my blue jeans, so that’s probably inappropriate.”

“Well, you can sit and talk to him while he bubbles. Then next time, bring a pair of swim trunks with you, and you can bubble with him. You’ll be bubbled together.”

“I like that idea, man. My leg gets sore sometimes.”

Lance could almost feel Will vibrate. “You got some scar tissue?”

“And a little arthritis.” Sloan’s tone was wry. He knew that inflection. That was Sloan,deflecting.

“Go, bubble, Lance. I’m gonna look at Sloan’s leg.”

He grinned. Of course Will was going to do that. “Abby, come.”

Abby came right to him, pressing against his leg to put her harness handle in his hand. “Okay. Let’s go to the hot tub, girl.” He knew the way from the mat area.

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