Page 59 of Cut up
He made sure I was safe. Got me water. Tucked me in. He even showered me. Who does that? Don’t even get me started onhis gift.
After work, Sarah and I head to a Body Balance class at the local gym. It’s a mix of Tai Chi, Pilates, yoga, and meditation. It’s a total mind-body reset. She’s never been before, and I managed to convince her to come along.
The room is warm and dimly lit, candles flickering gently at the front of the class. A calming instrumental track hums through the space, and the air smells faintly of lavender. It already feels like we’ve stepped out of the real world and into a little pocket of peace.
We roll out our mats and sit side by side. I glance at Sarah, who looks slightly skeptical. She raises an eyebrow like this better be good.
The class begins with slow, sweeping Tai Chi movements, almost like a dance. Our arms arc through the air in graceful, controlled motions. It’s harder than it looks to match the flow of breath with each shift in balance. My muscles feel stiff at first, but I let the rhythm guide me, letting the noise in my mind fade.
Then we transition into yoga. A mix of deep stretches and strength-based poses that test every part of my body and make me drip with sweat. My legs wobble embarrassingly in Warrior Three, but my arms feel strong in Downward Dog. Sarah is pushing through, trying not to laugh when she nearly tips over beside me.
“How is this relaxing?” she whispers, breathless, and I grin.
Next is Pilates, my favourite part. The pace picks up, and the instructor’s voice grows more focused.
“Engage your core, lengthen through your spine.”
It’s dynamic, controlled, always reminding me that I am strong. I have power over my body.
By the time we reach the final section—meditation—I’m already floating. We lie on our mats in silence, the only sounds are soft chimes and the instructor’s soothing voice guiding us into stillness. I let my limbs sink into the mat, and I feel like I’m sinking too, deeper and deeper into calm.
Then comes the bit I love, where the instructor moves through the room, quietly kneeling beside each person to give a gentle, grounding head massage. When her fingers press into my temples and scalp, a wave of tension I didn’t even realise I was holding releases all at once. I nearly sigh out loud.
By the end, I feel softer. Clearer. The class ends and it was exactly what I needed. Moving my body through each slow stretch. Breathing deep. Letting go of tension.
“Thanks so much for making me come. I really needed that. I haven’t been to a gym in—ages. My husband used to get annoyed whenever I would. He used to think me working out was to look good for other men.” She tucks her hair behind her ear shyly, looking away. I don’t think she meant to bring up her husband again. But I’m glad she’s starting to open up. I try to make light of it for her.
“Honestly some men, think the world revolves around them. Like they can’t comprehend that we want to look good for us?” I roll my eyes. “But seriously, that sucks. I’m sorry he was like that. I’m really glad you came. Will you come again?”
“I actually think I will. I don’t feel so bad leaving Georgia at home when it’s for this long. It’s a step towards giving her that independence. And for me as well. Plus, I really love how I feel after.”
“Me too. It’s harder than you think, but you always walk out feeling so good. I’m going to head home now. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“Sounds good Cam. Thanks again.” She gives me a hug goodbye.
When I pull up at home, the sun is low in the sky and there’s a quiet comfort hanging over the house. Lucas’s ute is gone, but Tyler’s car isout front. I head inside to find him in the kitchen, shirtless—as per usual—and rifling through the pantry.
“Hey,” I call out as I kick off my shoes. “You cooking, or just raiding the snack cupboard?”
He grins. “Bit of both. Was thinking butter chicken. You in?”
“Heck yes, that’s one of my faves,” I say, dropping my bag and tying my hair up. “Let’s do it.”
I seriously love hanging out with Tyler, he’s like the brother I never had. We work side by side in the kitchen. I chop onions while he stirs the sauce. The smell of chicken and spice fills the house.
When the chicken’s finally simmering away, I glance over at him.
“So, I have to ask… what happened the other night, Ty? Why did you punch that guy?”
He rubs the back of his neck, letting out a breath. “Couple reasons, I guess.” He pauses, fingers running through his messy hair. “Honestly, I was jealous… And she was drunk—you both were. That guy was all over her and she started trying to push him away. I just… snapped. Before I knew what was happening, I was standing over him. I’ve never done anything like that before.”
I lean against the counter. “Yeah it was hectic, you were so angry. I didn’t see what happened before it all went down, and Danielle didn’t really tell me much.” I pause, because I can see the remorse and confusion on his face. “You really like her, don’t you?”
His eyes soften, and for once, he drops the bravado. “Yeah. I think I do… It’s confusing because I’ve never liked anyone like this. I’ve only ever been in one relationship before. It was so bad that I never wanted to again.”
I nod, letting him continue. “She’s justsoguarded. She shows me these vulnerable parts of her, and then the wall is back up again.”
I understand why she’s like that. She’s a lot like me, but she had it much worse than me. I lost my mum, but she lost both of her parents. Iwonder if Tyler knows that. Knows why she’s the way she is. Danielle is all happy, confident on the outside. But deep down, there’s a lot going on in her head. It’s not my story to tell though. I’ll be there to listen to him. He’s my friend too. But I can’t get in the middle of whateverthisis, whatever’s going on between them.
