After caring for sweet old lady Beatrice Trenton for over a year and hearing all about her brave paratrooper, grandson, Penelope is pleased to finally meet him. Sparks fly and before she knows it, she's calling him her boyfriend, and he is confident...
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PENELOPE
I'm so confused by my emotions, I need some calm to take my mind off everything. I'm too involved and overthinking every last detail. I don't think I have felt this way since mum died.
"Welcome to Class 38, guys!"
I booked into a last minute gym class at the studio near the beach tonight. A dance class. There was a deal package which gave you the chance to book six sessions for the price of four, so I took advantage of it, thinking maybe some time away from Max would clear my head a bit.
"I'm Katie, your instructor, and we are going to have lots of fun tonight. Are you ready?"
The entire class cheers, so I join in whilst taking a space at the back. The music pumps loudly as Katie starts bouncing around on the spot. The group moving in perfect timing, making me grateful for my spot at the back because I'm already so lost.
"If you're new here; this advice is for you. There's no rules. No set plan. Just move your body!" Katie shouts.
Move my body.
I can take that on board.
I put my body in all different positions, simply letting myself go. It's incredibly fun and I'm loving every minute of it. It doesn't even feel like exercise. The lights on low and strobes flashing everywhere.
When the last song plays, I'm a sweaty mess in the corner, sucking down a whole bottle of water. The other people in the class pump out every move and as I sit here and watch them, I can't help but feel inspired to keep coming back.
"Did you enjoy it?" asks the girl who's around my age with her friends.
I nod, scrubbing at my face with my towel. "I loved it."
She grins. "Katie's classes get addictive. Are you coming to her Saturday morning one?"
I shake my head. "Probably not. I'm working this Saturday."
"Ah, that's a shame. We always come on the weekends," she replies, and her friends nod enthusiastically.
"I don't work every weekend," I say and she smiles.
"Well, when you can make it, a bunch of us always get showered here afterwards and head to the cafe for brunch." Gosh, how lovely.
