Chapter 3: The Bestower of Radiance

Bette had an exhausting workout and was pleased she got off her butt to go to the gym.  Sometimes Helena‘s snide comments were just the encouragement she needed to take action.  Even though life had inadvertently mellowed her somewhat, Helena was still fierce and possessed a sharp tongue, which amazingly seemed to be tame most of the time around Bette. 

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Bette leaned against a colorful wall at the gym to stop her head from spinning.  She had just gotten out of a boot camp class taught by a maniac.  “Why must everything Erin does be over the top?  If I’d known she was teaching I would have never come.” Bette panted.

“Boo-yah Porter!!  Talking to yourself again?” yelled a guy as he popped Bette on the butt with a towel.

“Oww Paul, come on nowdon’t play, I’m not in the mood.”

Paul worked at the gym selling memberships and teaching nutrition classes.  He was a walking billboard for proper diet and exercise.  Three years ago, he weighed over 300 lbs.  Now he was slim, trim and had boyfriends out the wazoo.

Paul just grinned and went to get a sip of water.   “What’s up with you Porter?  I haven’t seen you in awhile.  Where has your lazy ***** been?”

“Well, I’m still here Towel Boy and the next time you pop me, you better run before I pop you back!  And you’ll be seeing whirlybirds buddy! “.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see about that.  It was nice seeing you stranger. Check ya later” Paul said hurriedly as he leapt through the door to join a spin class that was already in progress.

Bette’s office was on the 2^nd floor of the gym.  She skipped up the stairs leaping over 2 steps at a time.  When she opened the door, she noticed that her plant was in dire need of water.  “Poor Ferdinand, let’s get you some wa-wa”.  She logged on her computer and checked her client schedule for the upcoming week.  “Oh great!  Mrs. Willoughby has a session with me on Tuesday.  Now I have something to look forward to.”   Mrs. Willoughby was 65 years old, in tip-top shape and funny as *****. She told the best jokes with an ever present poker face – even during the punch line- , which was the funniest part to Bette.  Mrs. Willoughby always awaited the reaction of her audience before breaking into a display of hearty devious laughter. Often bending over, clutching her stomach all the while threatening to pee on herself.   Bette smiled at the thought and couldn’t wait to see her again.