Page 83 of Santa Has a Six-Pack
“Sorry.” At least she has the decency to look sheepish. “I’ll cool it with the sex stuff.”
We start walking again and round the corner onto 8th Street.
“Seems like a deep convo for a quick text,” Keira says, a questioning tone in her voice.
I don’t tell her that it wasn’t just a quick text, that after our phone conversation last night, Matt and I stayed up for hours, sending each other funny memes and videos.
Eventually, he called me back, and we picked up the conversation where we left off. But where we mostly spoke about him and his family during the first call, we focused almost exclusively on me and mine this time. I told him how much I miss feeling close to my sister and her kids. I told him about my mom’s incessant calls, guilting me about not attending her Christmas party this weekend.
We even discussed my mom’s lifelong obsession with my weight, how that led to me gradually withholding more food from myself during my final season as a Kickette until I realized what I was doing and got help. I told him how that close call with my health terrified me enough to quit dancing permanently. I admitted I miss dancing more than I can say, and that I want to find a way to do it again, but in a healthy way this time. We talked and talked until I eventually fell asleep. I don’t even remember saying goodbye.
Matt asked me so many thoughtful questions last night that I found myself confiding things in him that I’ve never said out loud to anyone. Not even my sister.
Instead of making me sad like I always imagined it would, I woke up today feeling strong. Like a weight had been lifted off my chest.
And then I received a single text from him.
Matt: I’ve put together a workout just for you. Any chance you trust me enough to come try it out with me?
Of course, I trust him. I don’t know how it happened, but somewhere along the line, he became one of the most trusted people in my life.
When we reach Bossfit Brooklyn, I walk right inside like their members do, Keira following closely behind me.
“Hey!” Matt shouts from across the gym and jogs over to meet me. “You made it! And you brought Keira.”
He sounds surprised.
“Well, yeah,” I say. “We can’t really film content without Keira.”
“Oh.” He tilts his head to the side. “I guess I thought?—”
“You thought what?” I say, confused.
“Should I… go?” Keira points a thumb toward the door.
“No, no, no. I’m sorry, Keira.” He reaches his arms out to her for a hug. “Get in here, girl. You know I’m always psyched to see you.”
They hug for a few seconds, and I can’t help but wish I were the one in his arms right now.
When he releases her, he turns to me and says, “I guess I didn’t think we’d be filming today. When I said I created a workout for you, I meant it was a workout for you.”
He gestures to the large whiteboard where the workout of the day is always written. In big black letters it says:
Today’s Workout
PENNY
“You named the workout after me?” I say softly.
“Sure did.”
“Aww,” Keira says.
“Listen,” Matt continues. “It’s totally up to you whether you want to film some segments. I mean, I’m certainly not opposed to all the spicy commenters on Herald’s social media feeds. My ego enjoys their creative hashtags. But, yeah,” he lowers his voice. “I thought this one would be just for you.”
Eugene comes out from the back room at that moment, looking dressed for his own workout.
Keira’s posture immediately stiffens. “You know what? That sounds great. I really should be back at Herald’s anyway. Unlike Penny, I do not have the morning off. You guys have fun, okay?”
