They had breakfast in a little coffee shop down the block. They were both famished. “Three a.m. aerobics,” Russell said, as he shoveled another forkful of eggs into his mouth.
“What’s on the agenda today?” Tessa asked, nibbling toast.
“Sex. Lots of it.”
Tessa choked, and after he handed her a glass of water, he laughed. The smile reappeared thirty minutes later, as they stood in front of an old wooden building called Chandra’s Yoga, Pilates & More.
“In here?” Tessa said.
“Well we’re not going to do it standing out here on the sidewalk! Come on.” Russell took Tessa’s hand and pulled her inside.
The studio, or gym, or whatever one might call it was a suite of small, glassed-in rooms lining the exterior walls. There was a common exercise floor in the center of the room. The place was well-used, a nice way of saying, worn. But it was clean and smelled of disinfectant and incense. At least Tessa thought it was incense.
Russell led Tessa to the back corner, toward a bright yellow door. They passed a young woman folding towels and an older woman in the center floor. She was dressed in Yoga pants and struggled with the downward facing dog. The rest of the facility was empty, and Tessa wondered how “Chandra” survived with such little business.
“Here,” Russell said, stopping at the closed, yellow door. Tessa could hear something that sounded like chanting coming from behind it. Russell tapped on the door twice, waited a moment, and called out, “It’s Russell.”
The chanting stopped and a woman said, “Come in.”
Inside, Tessa could see the room was a small office. A middle-aged woman with a long, gray braid down her back sat cross-legged on the floor. She rose and Russell hugged her.
“Tessa, this is Daphne. Daphne, this is a friend of mine, Tessa.”
“A friend of Russell’s is always welcome at my studio,” she said. Her smile was open and warm.
“Are we all set up?” Russell said.
“Yes. Tessa’s clothing is set out in the ladies changing room.” She looked at Tessa. “That’s on the other side of the room, far corner.”
Clothing? Tessa was beginning to sweat, thinking about the ‘& More’ on the sign outside.
To Russell, Daphne said, “I’ve reserved Studio A.”
“Tessa, please, go ahead and change. I’ve got a little catching up to do with Daphne, then I’ll be right out.”
Tessa didn’t move.
Daphne smiled. “Shame on you Russell. I’ll bet this is her first time.” She turned to Tessa. “Don’t you worry, you’ll love it. And I bet you’ll be great at it.” Daphne wrapped her hand around Tessa’s arm and gently pulled her out into the center room. “Donna, will you show Tessa to the ladies changing room please?”
The young woman put down her pile of laundered towels and Tessa followed her, wondering what on earth she was getting herself into.
***
Tessa wasn’t prepared for what she saw in Studio A. Russell wore normal workout clothes with one noticeable addition: strapped to his groin was a bright red protective cup.