The Houghtons had agreed that KEY News could spend the day with them Saturday, taping them as they tried to do the things couples who were together all week long did on the weekends. Sensitive to the fact that the Houghtons might want to sleep in on their first morning after a week apart, Keith had agreed that they wouldn’t come to their apartment until eleven o’clock.
Keith was almost embarrassed by how well he had slept without Cindy by his side. She was always getting up several times during the night to go the bathroom and, when she came back to bed, she tossed and turned, sighing heavily until she fell back asleep. He pretended to be asleep, not wanting to start any conversation that might lead to unpleasantness. Nonetheless, his night’s rest was constantly interrupted.
Now he rolled over happily in the king-sized bed and checked the clock, seeing that he had time to go down to the hotel gym before breakfast. What a treat! He had let his exercise routine go, too, over the last months, sensing that Cindy would be resentful of the time he spent working out while her body was going to seed. A good strong run on the treadmill, if he could manage it, would be just the thing. Maybe he could pound the improper thoughts of Eliza from his mind.
The gym walls were glass. When he approached and saw Eliza striding on the treadmill, dressed in a pair of black bike shorts and an exercise bra, it was too late to turn back. She had spotted him and waved.
Eliza wore no makeup, yet still she was beautiful.
He got on the treadmill beside hers and they began to run together.
“I thought we got some good sound in the interview on the plane last night, didn’t you, Keith?” Eliza said between halting breaths.
“Definitely. We’ll get his side of things today.”
“What else are we going for?”
“Hanging around the house, going to do some errands together. I told them to do whatever they would normally do. I think they are going out to dinner and a movie tonight.”
“Lucky.”
“Come again?”
“They’re lucky,” said Eliza, without breaking her stride. “That sounds like a great day to me.”
Keith wasn’t sure exactly what to say in response. Was she letting him into a tiny window on her soul? Was she telling him she yearned for an ordinary life, that the thought of just spending a day doing routine things with someone she loved was so appealing to her? Could Eliza possibly be looking for something from him?
Impulsively he switched off the machine, and went over and pulled Eliza from her treadmill and kissed her urgently on the mouth. She pushed him away. The alarmed expression on her face told Keith everything.