“So he was drop dead gorgeous?” Jackie sat lotus style, each foot on the opposite knee.
“Very. Real runway gorgeous. How the hell do you sit like that?” Sam adjusted the pillow under her rear. As a child, she had been laughed at on the reservation because she was the only one who could not sit Indian style. Her knees would always point toward the sky and nothing she did would get them to lie flat. To even feel comfortable in this position she had to sit on a pillow.
“I have always been flexible, sugar. Now, tell me more about this doctor of yours. I may have to dream up some syndrome.”
“Relax. He had a picture of himself with another guy on a canoe trip. Both very buff in bathing suits, all tan and all smiles. He is definitely gay.”
“What? Like two friends can’t go canoeing?”
“There wasn’t one picture of a wife.”
“Ladies, please. You must clear your minds and concentrate.” Evie, the shapely Swedish yoga instructor, walked the floor. “Okay, center of the mat. Let’s get into our Sphinx pose. Watch the position of your hands. Your forearms should be on the mat, head high, eyes straight ahead. Now push up into the Bhujangasana, the cobra pose. If you feel any pain in your back, then lower the position until it feels more comfortable.”
“God, I’d rather sweat in a sauna than put my body through this.” Sam pressed her hands against the mat and pushed up. In a weak moment Jackie had talked her into taking yoga classes at a local fitness center. Sam was thankful they had their own room rather than in the gym where a walking track on the second floor circled the room. Sam envisioned men pausing to stare down at them when they were in their downward dog position.
“Thank Evie for those well-toned arms and legs of yours,” Jackie whispered.
“Thank you,” Evie said, having overheard their conversation. “Okay, relax and take one deep breath and exhale. Evie pushed a button on the CD player and an Enya song started to play. “Corpse pose, ladies. I’m sure this is your favorite of the session.” Evie’s lithe body stretched out on the mat at the front of the room. The women followed suit, lying flat on their backs, arms stretched out to the side. “Be aware of your breathing, slow, in and out, and relax.”
“How did Jake take the news about the baby?” Jackie whispered.
“I haven’t told him yet.”
A soft laugh started in the back of Jackie’s throat. “Sounds like you are cooking something up.”
“There are some things I haven’t even told you.”
Jackie whipped her head around and scowled at Sam. “I don’t want to hear that you are holding out on me, girl. Now give it to mama.”
Sam shrugged. “I think I’ll make you suffer a bit. Serves you right for making me take that pregnancy test.”
“Yeah, like not taking it was going to change the outcome.”
“Ladies.” Evie made a shushing sound as she lifted her head to see who the culprits were.
Jackie waited for Evie to lie back down, then whispered, “What else is there to know other than you are having a baby?”
“It’s plural.”
“What’s plural?”
Sam gave Jackie a withering glare and waited for the news to sink in.
“OH MY GAWD!” Jackie shrieked.
“Ladies!” Evie saw several heads lift from their mats and turn in Jackie’s direction. With the way Jackie was screeching there could be a mouse in the room as far as they could tell.
“My girl here is having twins,” Jackie said. She jerked to a sitting position and applauded. “I know just the thing too.” By now the corpse position had been abandoned and the other participants were joining in the applause. “You know I have this girl crush on Jessica Alba, that actress who played Dark Angel. Well, she went through HypnoBirthing for her pregnancy. You need to check that out. Makes labor pain free.”
“I heard of that,” one woman in a one-piece leotard outfit said. Now that the entire class had been jarred from their closing relaxation session, they joined in the conversation.
“Supposed to work.”
“The therapy clinic by the hospital does that.”
“My sister’s friend swears by it,” another said.
Evie gave out a sigh and sat up.
“Let me find the right time to break it to Jake first,” Sam said. She glanced at Evie’s look of frustration. “Okay, I’m ready for the corpse pose now.”