Page 46 of Love on the Run
CHAPTER31
As Hannah let herself into the house, it seemed being hot, sweaty and bright red had become her new norm. From the moment she realised she was the weakest runner on the team, she’d made a point of getting out every day to improve her performance. An accomplishment she’d unfortunately yet to achieve.
“I’m back,” she called out, so Aunt Dorothy could stop the clock. Hannah took off Archie’s baseball cap and tossing it to one side, headed for the kitchen. She plonked herself down on a chair. “How did I do?”
Dorothy passed her the record sheet.
Hannah frowned as she read. “I don’t understand. I’m doing everything right. Walking, jogging, walking… Just like we did in the group session. Surely I should be a lot faster by now.” She pulled out her phone and checked her step count. “Apparently, the average number of steps for a 5k run is 6,250.” Hannah held her phone up for Dorothy to see. “Look, at the rate I’m going, the organisers will have packed up and gone home by the time I cross the finish line.”
Dorothy sympathised. “How long do you get?”
“An hour.” Hannah sighed. “I really wanted a medal too.”
“There has to be something you can do,” Dorothy said, clearly seeing the dilemma.
“Such as?”
Dorothy’s eyes lit up. “What about getting one of those treadmills?”
Hannah straightened up in her seat. “You know what, you’re a genius. If I had one of those, I could push myself more not just on speed but distance. Instead of automatically slowing down when I get tired, I’ll have to keep going.”
Dorothy laughed. “You will if you don’t want to fly off the end.”
Hannah picked up her phone again. Hitting the internet, she decided to research the kinds of running machines available. Her excitement waned. “That’s that then. They’re far too expensive.”
“Maybe Gabe can help. He might know of someone who could lend you one.”
“You think? I suppose I could ask. He is a fitness freak. And I’d only need it for a couple of weeks.”
“Unless you want to keep up your training after the race is over.”
Hannah flashed her aunt an amused look. “I think we both know that’s not going to happen.” Getting up from her seat, Hannah headed over to the dresser and opening a drawer, pulled out the florist’s card she’d hidden away that had come with Gabe’s dad’s flower delivery.
She typed a text on her phone and keyed in Gabe’s telephone number, before hitting send. Surprised to hear it bleep almost immediately, Hannah smiled as she read Gabe’s response. “How’s that for service? He’ll have one here within the hour.” Hannah glanced around, excited. “Now to decide where to put it.”
“How about in the lounge? There’ll be plenty of room if you move the sofa.”
“That could work,” Hannah said, happy to give it a try.
With Dorothy’s help, Hannah spent the following forty-five minutes preparing for the treadmill’s arrival. Moving the sofa and coffee table out of the way, she made sure the television could be seen from where the running machine would sit, while at the same time ensuring Dorothy’s viewing wasn’t affected.
Back in the kitchen, Hannah had dug out her earphones and after some serious consideration, she and Dorothy had put together the perfect running playlist.
“I can’t wait to try these out,” Hannah said of the music they’d chosen. Her phone rang and she checked the screen. “It’s Beth and Archie.”
“You go ahead,” Dorothy said. “I’ll keep Gabe busy if he turns up sooner than planned.”
Appreciative, Hannah headed into the lounge and settling herself on the repositioned sofa, clicked to answer. “Hello, you two.”
“What’s happened to the living room?” Beth asked, bemused.
“It looks different,” Archie said.
Beth narrowed her eyes. “Youlook different.”
Hannah had to admit that since her evening banter with Gabe, shefeltdifferent. For fifteen years she’d been known as Janice’s daughter, Beth and Archie’s mum, or Carl’s wife, and subsequently ex-wife. Somewhere along the line she’d lost who she was in her own right. Gabe’s penetrating gaze might have caused her insides to somersault, but it had also made her feel like Hannah the woman, something she didn’t just find nerve-wracking, she found it liberating.
“I’ve moved some furniture around to make room for a treadmill.”
