Page 9 of Deadly Hacker

“Thanks!”

“Have fun with the kiddos!”

As soon as she stepped into the studio, she began taking items out of her duffel bag and the supply closet. She tried to keep Flex and Flow as open-air and minimalist as possible during her usual adult-centered yoga classes. But when it was time to teach the kids, she liked to jazz things up a bit. The kids needed a little more stimulation to hold their attention and keep them interested. Besides, she loved the opportunity to decorate.

She strung up colorful streamers throughout the room, pulled out an assortment of different stuffed animals to nestle into bookshelves and cubbies. Knowing that some of her students might have scent sensitivities, she cleaned out the oil diffuser and put it away. She rolled out a massive rainbow rug to go underneath the kids’ yoga mats so they would have a softer surface than the hard wooden floors, and she vacuumed it meticulously to account for any allergens that might affect the kids.

She even used a balloon pump to blow up some farm-animal-shaped balloons and fastened them to little weights in the corners of the studio. Finally, she set up a table of plastic cups containing various little-kid-friendly, allergen-friendly snacks for when the class took a break midway through. Some of the students would bring their own snacks from home, but Emma Jean liked to have a little extra treat ready for them just in case.

When she was finished, she admired the colorful room with pride. She could hardly contain her joy when she heard a knock at the door; the students were arriving with their parents for the class. She rushed to answer the door and usher them inside.

“Welcome, welcome, everybody! Come on in!” she greeted cheerfully.

“Hi, Miss Emma Jean!” the little ones replied as they filed in.

She made sure to greet each kid and parent individually. It was important to her that everyone felt included, even the children who were too young or shy to respond. The class was a variety of ages and disabilities, from wide-eyed toddlers with limb differences to giggly preteens with juvenile arthritis. Many of the parents chose to stay for the entire session with their child, while others felt comfortable leaving their slightly older kids with the capable Emma Jean. She took their trust very seriously, doing everything possible to assure them that their children would be safe and happy in her care.

One such student was named Grace Bennett, and she came in with her father, Max. Grace had been attending Little Tykes’ Day for months now, and though Emma Jean would never admit to having favorites, Grace was certainly near the top of the list. She was eight years old, with a mess of curly red hair and a smattering of freckles. She used a walking brace to aid with mobility in the face of her juvenile arthritis, but it didn’t dampen her enthusiasm.

“Good morning, Miss Emma Jean!” Grace greeted her.

“Good morning to you, Grace! It’s so great to see you!” she replied, giving the youngster a gentle tousle of her ginger hair. “Is that a new sticker on your brace?”

“Yeah. I picked it out after much contemplation,” she said confidently. “I like pink the most now.”

“You’re in your pink era. Love it,” Emma Jean said.

Grace’s father, Max, greeted the yoga teacher with a very businesslike handshake, as always. Just like every other time they’d met, he was dressed in a smart business suit, complete with tie and shiny leather shoes. He had two cell phones, with one or the other ringing at pretty much any given time. Although he was only in his thirties, he had deep crows’ feet and perpetual bags under his eyes.

Emma Jean wasn’t fully certain what his job title was, but she knew it was something to do with business or finance. He was friendly, but always in a hurry.

“How are you?” he asked, and continued without leaving time for her to answer. “Classroom looks great. So, I wanted to let you know that today I have an important meeting around the time I would usually return to pick Grace up from class. I have a friend coming to collect her and drive her home this afternoon. Is that all right?”

“Of course! Whatever you need,” Emma Jean replied. “Will Grace recognize her ride?”

“Yeah, I’ll know him when I see him,” Grace answered for herself. “He’s memorable.”

Emma Jean had to stifle a giggle at how grown-up she sounded.

Max nodded. “She’s not wrong. I’m sure you’ll find that out for yourself,” he sighed.

Emma Jean thought that sounded a little mysterious, but she didn’t press any further.

“All right, Gracie. Daddy’s got to run. Be good for Miss Emma Jean, okay?” he said, kneeling down to give his daughter a kiss on the forehead.

“I’m always good. Bye, Daddy,” Grace replied, wrinkling her nose as she rubbed his kiss off of her skin. She turned with a flip of her curls and took her usual yoga mat near the front of the room. Max headed out, answering one of his phones on the way.

The rest of the students and parents joined the class, and Emma Jean took her place at the front of the class to start the session.

“How is everyone feeling this morning?” she began brightly.

She couldn’t help but grin at the adorable chorus of responses from the kids. Emma Jean opened the class with some gentle, easy stretches to get the kids limbered up, then moved into some slightly more advanced poses as the class went on. She walked throughout the studio, encouraging the kids and softly correcting their form when possible. As always, she kept the expectations low so that no one would feel excluded if they couldn’t get it right. The littlest ones did more rolling around than anything else, and everyone was held to an individual standard based on their own mobility and flexibility. After all, this class was mainly a therapeutic practice to get the kids feeling energized and instill confidence in their own abilities. It warmed Emma Jean’s heart to see them engaged and smiling, having fun with the poses even if they couldn’t quite pull them off.

“Great form, Julie! Oh, almost there, Diego; great job! Wow, you can touch your toes? How impressive, Joshua!” she enthused as she walked throughout the room, making sure not to leave anyone out. The parents and students alike grinned up at her from their yoga mats.

The group worked together for a bit longer, then took a break to enjoy their snacks and relax before it was time to get stretching again. Emma Jean loved every second of it. She was endlessly impressed by how willing these kids were to try new things and push their own limits, within reason. From week to week, she saw massive improvements in the kids’ physical abilities, but more importantly, the way they opened up. They seemed to blossom with a little bit of focused attention and care.

As always, the class came to an end before Emma Jean was ready for it. The hours passed so quickly, she could hardly believe it was time to say goodbye for the week. In the last few minutes, she saw a couple of parents appear at the door. The door was always locked during sessions for safety, but there was a large glass panel that allowed people to look inside.

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