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Suddenly, I found myself standing outside the old bookstore where Ava and I used to spend hours getting lost on the shelves. The sign above the door creaked in the wind, and the windows were smudged with fingerprints, just as I remembered it. I hadn’t been here since her death.
I hesitated for a moment before pushing open the door. The familiar smell of old books and coffee greeted me, and I felt a pang of nostalgia. It was like nothing had changed since the last time Ava and I had been here together.
As I walked past old Mr. Wei, he gave me a sad smile and ushered me through the aisles. I couldn’t give him a smile in return, so I just nodded and let myself get lost in the world of books.
My fingers brushed over the spines of the books, and I remembered the countless hours Ava and I had spent here. We would find a cozy corner and read to each other, lost in the worlds of the stories we were sharing.
The memories flooded back, and I couldn't help but smile. But the guilt was still there, gnawing at me. So much guilt, and with this new news, it just seemed to be getting worse.
Chapter 12
Maya
Iwalkedintotheyoga studio with Eli at my side, nervous and unsure. It was my first time doing yoga, and I didn't know what to expect. But I knew I needed to do something to put myself back together after everything that had happened. This was a neighborhood studio that offered childcare, so I thought it was a great time to try it.
I needed something to transfer all that negative energy out of my mind and body, and after talking to Brielle (obviously), yoga seemed like a good fit.
That's when I saw her–a lanky woman with beautiful black locks, kind eyes, and a gentle smile, sitting behind a table with sign-up sheets for the class. I approached her, trying to hide my nerves.
"Hi, is this where I sign up?" I asked.
"Absolutely. Welcome to the studio. I'm Catherine," she replied, her smile growing even wider.
"I'm Maya and I'm probably the very last person on this planet who has never tried yoga before." Catherine laughed.
"Don't you worry. You are definitely not the last person. There might be a couple of people in the remote Amazonian forest that still haven't tried it," she teased. I laughed and Catherine handed me a form to fill out. As I filled in my details, I couldn't help but notice how at ease Catherine seemed. It was almost as if she had a calm aura around her, and just being around her made me relax.
"Are you a regular here?" I asked, trying to make conversation.
"Yes," she said. "I'm actually an instructor here. Well, whenever I can spare some time away from my day job." Her smile was so genuine.
As we spoke, it turned out that we had a lot in common. She was a single mother, and we both had sons who were six years old.
When she took me to the childcare area, we quickly found that our sons were already good friends. They went to the same school and so Eli went into the childcare room with zero hesitation. Catherine's son, Hudson, rushed to play with Eli and pulled him towards the sandpit as they both dissolved in giggles. Hudson ran back to where we were standing.
"Mom, can we have a play date with Eli?" he asked.
Catherine and I looked at each other, both feeling a sense of relief that we had found someone we could connect with. "Absolutely," Catherine said, smiling at me. "Why don't we exchange numbers and set something up?"
As we swapped phone numbers, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this chance encounter. It was like the universe had brought Catherine into my life just when I needed her most.
We dropped off the boys together in the childcare room and hightailed it to the studio.
As we walked into the studio together, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this unexpected connection. Catherine seemed to sense my nervousness and offered to guide me through the poses.
I politely declined. I knew I could do this. Yoga wasn't like fast-paced skilled movements, anyway.
That was a mistake.
It was supposed to be a beginner's class, but as soon as I saw everyone else in the room contorting their bodies in ways I didn't know were possible, I knew I was in over my head. But I was determined to try.
As I lay on my mat, trying to imitate the poses the instructor was demonstrating, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see a smiling Catherine.
"You need help with anything?"
I smiled gratefully at her.
"Actually, yes. I have no idea what I'm doing."
