I have never had body image issues, and I like myself pretty well. But there’s been one thing about my body I never liked and that is my lean muscle mass. I have a natural skinny frame just like my daddy, and these chicken legs and twig arms are NOT cute. Mommy was very muscular but did not pass that onto me. Luca is also very muscular like his daddy, but poor Alessia inherited the lean body. I’ve never been a gym person, so I never thought to work on that before. But now that I’m here, that’s something I definitely want to do. After the yoga class, I told the kids they could do whatever they wanted just don’t leave the neighborhood. They dispersed to do whatever, and I went straight to the weight machine.
Luca and Alessia didn’t go far. If I had to guess, they never left the building and were holed up in a corner giggling at something on his phone; hers should arrive later today. A few minutes into my workout, Luca found me and asked if he could have a yoga mat at home. Of course he can! I’ll get mats for all of us. Wow, I didn’t realize he enjoyed the class that much. I felt so warm and proud because I wanted to promote and model healthy habits for my children, and it actually worked! Well, one for two is good enough for me. I’ll keep working on the other one.
Speaking of her…she also found me and sat on the adjacent machine. “Can I try this?”
I have to admit, a tiny spark of hope coursed through my body. It would be so cool if we could all share one common interest. “Yeah, of course. Just be careful and put it on the lowest setting.”
She changed the settings and attempted a few reps before pausing for more conversation. “Do you always come here?”
I just realized my children are getting to know me as I’m getting to know them. We aren’t strangers, of course, but just like I felt robbed by them living with Ali most of the time, they were robbed too. I mean, I knew that, but her asking me that question just highlighted how much we don’t know about each other.
“Nope,” I said. “It’s my first time here.”
“So, how do you know how to do all this stuff?”
I chuckled to myself. Did I make it look easy? “I used to be more active back in the day. I guess I maintained a lot of strength from then.” An image of me slashing through thick vines in the jungle with Dwayne flashed across my mind. Gosh, I did that like it was nothing, despite never being consistent with working out. I guess that goes to show a little does go a long way.
“Why’d you stop?”
“Ummm… Well, after I got married, life got pretty crazy. We had you guys pretty quickly, and really close together, so I didn’t make much time for myself. And then…my mom died…and then divorce, so…yeah. I haven’t felt like taking care of myself in a while.”
Why did I say all of that? I just opened up a can of worms! Don’t get me wrong. I love this exchange between us, and I’ll answer any question she has. They are old enough to get all the details now, but this is not the time or place for her to hammer me with questions. Luckily for me, Gemma came over, and we chatted for a bit. I hadn’t seen her since the night my friends rescued me. Her daughter is older than Alessia and Luca, so I wasn’t sure if they knew each other, but I introduced them just in case they ever met and became friends.
Alessia did a few more reps while we caught up, and I was glad she didn’t give up on it. Gemma heckled me a little for not being in contact, but complimented me on my weight loss. And she said my kids were beautiful, of course. Too bad I can’t say the same thing about her daughter. Is that bad? It’s true. The girl looks just like her daddy and is not cute.
Speaking of cute…
Some girl in a towel—I’m assuming fresh out of the shower—walked over to Luca and showed him something on her phone. I was completely unprepared for that sight and gasped really loud. Alessia laughed at me.
Don’t get me wrong. She may be just a friend. And I’m not one of those moms who don’t want their kids dating or even interested in anyone. I was just startled that the horny teen phase could be happening now. Watcher! I’m running out of time with my BABIES! Before I know it they’ll be graduating and leaving me. I really hope Ali is receptive to them living with me. I need this time with them.
We ended our gym day with relaxation in the sauna. Alessia actually finished a complete workout on the weight machine, and I was so proud. Luca did a few rounds on the punching bag, so we all definitely needed to relax our muscles or we’d be in horrible shape tomorrow. The masseuse had left for the day, so we hung out in the sauna for a bit. What a great day!
