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“That’s not my place.” She glanced around them. “But you do know they’re going to be able to tell eventually. Those three have the tightest bond and the most heightened sense of awareness I’ve ever witnessed.”
“I know.” She shook her head. “I’ll talk to Thatch.”She never should’ve pushed for this arrangement in the first place.
After making sure Tess got to her car okay, Lyric found the girls in the studio rocking out to a playlist on one of their phones.
“We thought it would be more fun to have a dance party today.” Tallie turned down the music.
“Actually, that’s not a bad idea.” Lyric started to set out their mats. “I did a whole course in dance yoga. I can teach you all a routine and then we can practice it for the next few weeks.” Maybe that would help to ramp up their enthusiasm.
“That’s cool.” Cheyenne kicked off her shoes and claimed a purple mat.
“Is dance yoga harder than regular yoga?” Tallie asked warily.
“Not really.” Lyric dragged her mat front and center. “Where’s Elina?”
“She said she doesn’t want to come to the class anymore.” Skye moved her mat closer to the Bluetooth speaker.
Lyric’s heart sank. “But she needs this class to graduate.”
“She’s going to ask if she can do a summer school class instead.” Cheyenne rolled her eyes. “Personally, I have no idea why she’d want to take a class in the summer. This is at leastkind offun.”
“It’s better than playing basketball and dodgeball, that’s for sure,” Tallie added.
“I’m glad you feel that way.” But Elina’s absence dampened her energy. She never should’ve confronted her at the store. She should’ve kept her suspicions to herselfand built a relationship with the girl first. Elina couldn’t quit yoga. Lyric would find a way to convince her to stay. Later. Right now, she had to make sure she didn’t lose the rest of these beauties.
“All right, get ready to dance, ladies.” She took over control of her speaker again and put on pop music. “Let’s start with some arm movements.”
She walked them through the warm-up slowly and then added tempo as they got the hang of the rhythm.
The faster movements helped steer her thoughts, keeping her in the moment with these girls. Their laughter and chatting lightened her heart again.
“That was pretty sweet,” Tallie said after the cooldown.
“Can we dance every week?” Cheyenne paused from rolling up her mat. “That’s way more fun than holding poses.”
“Sure. I can plan a new dance each class.” She wanted them to learn that working out could be fun. The best part was, they were getting in some good cardio when they danced and they didn’t even realize it. “All right, girls. I’m going to head out with you.” She helped them stash the mats on the shelf and then they all walked outside. “Who can tell me where Elina lives?” She locked up the door. “I’d like to stop by and try to convince her to stay in the class.”
Everyone else got into idling cars, but Skye waited for her on the sidewalk. “Good luck. No offense, but she doesn’t like you.”
That comment hurt probably more than it should’ve. But ultimately, she didn’t need Elina to like her. She needed her to be safe and to make good decisions for her future. That was all that mattered. “Not liking me shouldn’t forceher into summer school.” What if she didn’t finish that class? Then she might not graduate on time.
“That’s what I told her.” Skye started to back toward the idling car waiting for her at the curb.
“So where does she live?” Lyric asked again. She needed to settle this tonight.
“You know that mobile home down the block from the gas station?”
“I think so.” The only mobile home in that area she knew of was run-down and decrepit. “Is it the one with the broken window?” That hadn’t been fixed in at least a year?
“That’s the one. But don’t tell her I sent you.” The girl got into the car and drove away.
Lyric waved and then climbed into her SUV and started the engine. The mobile home sat on a large lot outside the main downtown area, only seven minutes from the clinic. She parked at the edge of a dirt driveway and walked around a patch of weeds and then up a set of peeling and battered wooden steps.
Beyond the door, loud music played, and it sounded like a baby was crying.
Lyric knocked as loud as she could. Mass chaos broke loose inside—kids’ voices and yelling.
The door opened a few inches, and Elina peeked out. “Who is it?”
