Gravity

The metallic-sounding crash startled Virginia. She stood near a squat, muscled man. He was doing bicep curls and had let the weights fall to the floor when finished.

“Sorry. I didn’t see you there,” he said, training an interested stare at Virginia.

Virginia blushed. She pulled back her bangs and looked away, refocusing on the chin-up machine she had been debating whether to try.

“You want help with that?”

Virginia blushed deeper.

“I don’t know. I’ve never done it before.”

“No worry. It’s easy. Watch me.”

The man moved past her and climbed onto the machine. In quick motion he hoisted himself up and down like a piston.

“Your turn,” he said, stepping off.

Virginia realized in a panic that once on the machine he would have full view of her backside, a part of her body she felt very insecure about. It was the major reason she had joined the gym: to lose the extra weight she had gained after her divorce.

“Maybe another time.”

“C’mon. I’ll help you.”

“I’m not sure I can do it.”

“You won’t know if you don’t try.”

“Okay.”

Virginia set her jaw and stepped forward. She grabbed the machine’s handles and inhaled deeply. She felt the man’s hand press into the small of her back. The unexpectedness of his touch caused her to gasp.

“Now what?” she managed to get out.

“Just press up against the resistance.”

Virginia did as he said, pushing with all her strength.

“That’s it,” he encouraged. “You’re almost there.”

With elbow joints buckling, Virginia made one last effort to get to the top.

“See. You made it.”

Virginia felt exhilarated. She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the man stood on tiptoes, his hand still against her back.

“Now release,” he said.

But Virginia held firm, basking in her triumph, the man’s touch, the sudden connection. She savored this mix of feelings, wanting to remember them when later, no matter her desire, gravity would bring her back down.