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It was a strange soundtrack to the discussion, although Rainer couldn’t think of any particular tracks which would make this conversation any less awkward.
“Might be one and the same if Rainer pulls his finger out and runs for the presidency.”
“Can we please just focus on Esme? I’m not running for Prez. I’m not the right person, and that’s that.”
“Well, the situation with Esme is easy. Clearly, she needs the help of a Daddy.” Baron looked at Rainer pointedly.
“You think?”
“She’s lost her way. I mean, she’s always had her head in the clouds, but right now, she’s floating so high, I doubt there’s any air up there for her to breathe at all.”
“Even if shedoesneed a Daddy, I’m not the right person,” Rainer said. “I scared her.”
“So apologize.” Wolf spoke as though it was the easiest thing in the world.
“I told her to leave my fucking house. For no reason.”
“Well, make it a really fucking good apology, then.”
Rainer always struggled to take advice. Even when he knew the advice was good. He’d known Wolf and Baron for years, but he didn’t really know if he could say that hetrustedthem. It was his problem, not theirs.
“I don’t know.”
There was a howl of excitement as the intro to “Here I Go Again”by Whitesnakethundered out from the bar’s speakers.
“Fuck, I thought I took this tune off the list,” Wolf said.
“You look a bit like a silver-haired David Coverdale,” Baron joked.
“You’re barred.”
“You know what I think I should do?” Rainer said.
The chorus sounded out: “Here I go again on my own!”
“What’s that?” Baron replied.
“What I always do. Listen to my own advice.”
He finished his drink and headed for the door. Halfway there, he glanced down. There was a stain on the carpet. It was right here that she’d bumped into him. Hard to tell if the stain was drink or vomit.
I believe in me.
Esme could feel the sweat on her brow. Dang. Why was this so hard? This position was never normally this difficult. Clearly, her normal strength and stamina was still a little way off.
“Remember, honey, keep those arms in, straight in line.”
Kelly’s voice was always soothing, even when she was correcting Esme’s form.
In response, Esme let out a little grunt of effort and tried to tuck her elbows in, just like she knew she should. There was a trembly burn in her core as she did her best to maintain a steady plank.
“That’s it,” Kelly said. “You’re doing great, my little warrior.”
It was convenient that Esme’s best friend also happened to be her yoga instructor. Kelly Hampton was a dream. Tall, slim, lithe, and supple as a willow branch. She had sparkly blue eyes and the cutest dimples in existence. Esme had been in awe of her ever since the two of them had met at a hot yoga center in Manhattan three years ago.
After the session, they’d decided to grab a coffee together. The chemistry between them had been instant. Making stupid faces, doing dumb impressions of the know-it-all yoga instructor, taking long sniffs of each other’s coffee and pretending to be able to smell all kinds of unusual scents. Turned out that as well as being fun and naughty, Kelly was insanely ambitious and clearly interested in learning and bettering herself. In short, she was everything that Esme aspired to be but probably never would.
At the time, Esme had been faintly dumbstruck that someone like Kelly would have wanted to spend time with her. She kept waiting for the moment that Kelly revealed that she didn’t really want to be her friend, and that it was all some sick prank. But the moment never came.
