An Envious Obsession

Love don't change

Chapter 18

Janet

After my last set of squats, and sit ups my trainer gave me the OK to leave.

"I'm taking a week off for the holidays, are you sure you can manage a few days without me or do I need to set you up with a trainer until I get back?"

I pant lightly, with my hands on my hips as sweat trickled its way down my face.

"What do you prefer?" I ask as I wipe my face with the towel I had across my shoulder.

"I think I'll have someone come in, you work best when someone is spotting you."

I look at her sideways. "How do you know that?"

She looks back at the camera's. "I know what my clients do when I'm not here."

My mouth drops. "That's so creepy." I laugh. "But one thing, please make sure this person isn't a criminal, or some suicidal maniac."

She laughs. "My alternative is a close friend to me, and my husband. I've known him for a very long time, so trust me...you will be in good hands."

I nod. "Good, I'll see you in a week." I lean over as I pick up my bag. "Okay bye bye, happy holidays." We kiss each other on the cheek.

"Same to you."

I walk out of the gym freezing my ass off since I forgot to bring a sweater. I got in the car quick as I turned my car on, and made sure my heater was activated.

Tonight I'm having dinner over at Aaliyah's new place plus Toni wanted me to stop by, she said she has something to show me. So I'm going to her first, so I can see what's so important.

I pulled into her parking lot, and I noticed her Christmas decorations outside.

"How cute." I said as I walked towards her front door. I used to have a key to her house, but her locks have been changed, and I never got a new key.

I knocked on the door, I was waiting there freezing my ass off. Toni opens the door with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Where are your clothes?" She asks allowing me to walk past. She was staring at me like I was crazy.

"I forgot my jacket at home, it wasn't cold then."

"Oh. Well follow me I have something to show you."
She walks down the hall to her bedroom, and I follow closely behind her. That's when I took sight of her hair, she had it short again. This was my second time seeing her with the hair style and I really liked it. She was also dressed down in something comfortable, a crop top that hung off her right shoulder, and a pair of tights. She always dressed like that when she was home.

When we entered her room I almost fell out at what I saw.

"Toni...where did you find this?" I ask walking over to the painting she had leaning against her bed.

"Girl...I've been doing a lot of cleaning now that I have no job. I found this down in the basement. How'd it get down there, when this is yours... I have no clue." She shrugs.

I smiled brightly at the painting of me in pink, brown, and dark yellow colors.

Toni, and I were at a flee market and this talented artist was painting people who would trade food, and can goods for a portrait of themselves. I had a box in my car that I was going to donate, since I'm always giving back. And I ended up giving it to him. Come to find out this artist was evicted from his apartment, and had been homeless for a few months. He was very talented though so painting was his way of making a living. And that's how he survived. By doing what he loved for food, and money. So he painted me, and it was just the most beautiful painting of myself even though it was the first. After college I didn't know what had happened to it.