Too Personal Trainer

Three

“Ty said he will be back in an hour or two, he's gone to pick Kira up from the train station.”

Marlow pursed her lips together to try and hide her irritation at the sight of Jax sat at the breakfast table. She thought he would be gone by the time she woke up.

“And I figured we could have a talk, you know, since we're alone.” Jax finished the last of his coffee and sat back in his chair. “I have some questions and I'm sure you have some yourself.”

“I do,” she nodded. “But answering them isn't going to solve anything.”

“That's where you're wrong,” Jax said, watching her. “Talking will do a whole lot more than simply ignoring it. I won't push you. If you want to stop, we will.”

Marlow poured herself a drink. “I don't want to start, that's the thing. Nothing good can come from bringing up the past. It's like an open wound.”

“Well, then, perhaps your wounds aren't clean.”

She exhaled slowly. “Or perhaps they are, but your presence is causing them to re-open? I was fine, you know? Fixed. Healed – whatever fancy name you want to call it. So please, stop talking.”

Marlow knew she should have stayed in bed. The surrounding of the duvet and warmth was much more comforting than the atmosphere of the kitchen. What possessed her of waking at 8am with the motivation to go for a jog was beyond her knowledge. Nothing could ever came from being awake at early hours of the morning.

“What happened that was so terrible?” Jax asked, confused. “I don't remember much, so you're gonna have to help me out.”

“No,” she said. “I don't want to. Besides, I'm about to go out.”

“I'll come with you then. I'm getting my answers, Marlow.”

It wasn't hard to put together a prediction of what questions Jax wanted answering because she had a few herself, and was almost certain they were similar. He could coax, tempt her all he pleased, could get Ty as an extra pair of hands and force her until she caved; nothing would work. A promise is a promise, and especially when made for one's closure. What good would it do to drag out a past she so miraculously put behind her?

“Why are you still here?” she asked, her voice a pitch too snappy than what she intended for. “I mean... “ She meant what she meant the first time. “What are you... still doing here?” But no matter how she asked, what change she made to her tone, it still sounded rude and completely nosy. Honest. But nosy.

“Ty invited me to his engagement party.”

His answer wasn't really an answer. It was the icing on top of the cake – the cake being the focal – a pure diversion from what she asked. Or... snapped. The same, really.

“He said I could stay for a while,” Jax continued. He gathered from the clueless expression on her face that his first answer was not enough.

“How long is a while? And why? I don't want to sound cheeky but you have a job, a life, right? Can you really afford to just stay here with no intention?”

“I think I told you last night what happened with Natalie, didn't I?”

“Natalie?”

“Ex girlfriend.”

Oh, the one he found in bed with someone else. She took a gulp from her tea and nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, then, you understand I have nothing to rush back to.”

“Work?”

“I've spoke with several of my clients and pushed our sessions to a later date.”