Page 31 of Five Years
They’d attended a yoga class together back when they were newly dating. As Ariana attempted to contort her body into various poses, she struggled to find her balance. A particularly challenging backbend had resulted in a sharp twinge and the need for ice. She refused to participate again, which was why Leah was surprised to see her now.
“I told you last night I took up yoga a few years ago. Turns out I’m quite flexible,” Ariana wriggled her eyebrows.
“Oh, I thought you were joking.” Leah laughed quietly, conscious of not waking other members of the Harrison family.
“No, genuinely. I can now do the bow pose without breaking my back,” Ariana grinned.
“I’m impressed.”
Ariana tugged at the band around her waist; her fitted leggings were stretchy, perfect for yoga, and sculpted to her body shape. She unzipped the matching jacket, revealing a black sports bra that hugged her breasts to the point of suffocation. Her feet were bare, toes freshly painted a soft pastel blue. She pulled a hair tie from her pocket and swept her thick curly hair from her face.
“Is this okay?” Ariana asked, noticing Leah’s stare.
“Uh-huh, you look comfortable.”
And your nipples are going to poke my eyes out—she didn’t need to say that part.
“Okay, where do you want me?” Ariana smiled.
Leah gulped.
When she’d asked Ariana to join her for morning yoga, she hadn’t thought it all the way through. The last time they’d been alone in a bedroom with exposed midriffs and sweaty bodies, they were doing a very different kind of exercise.
“You can take the mat on the right,” Leah instructed. “Are you okay if we start with a short meditation?”
Ariana nodded, adjusting her position on the mat so her legs were crossed, hands resting firmly on her knees, palms facing upward.
“You’ve done this before,” Leah observed.
“Living in New York requires a level of calm you don’t naturally get from the surroundings. I had to find a way to relax,” Ariana smiled.
“No pressure,” Leah muttered. She wasn’t used to having an audience. She often listened to the soothing voice of someone on YouTube, way more grounded in the present moment than she was. She could feel her heart pounding as she shuffled into a position that mirrored Ariana’s.
“Let’s take a moment to ground ourselves. Close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Feel the air enteringthrough your nose, and out through your mouth. Feel the rise and fall of your chest with each inhale and exhale.”
She opened her right eye to find Ariana staring at her. “I never noticed how soothing your voice is,” she complimented.
“Thanks.” Leah laughed and promptly returned to her breathing.
“Notice any thoughts or feelings. If your mind starts to wander, bring your attention back to your breath.”
She opened her right eye again, peeking to find Ariana still staring.
“You’re not concentrating!”
“Sorry.” Ariana turned her head back toward the window, eyes closed. Leah waited patiently before continuing.
Leah’s gentle guidance led them through the meditation, sinking deeper into a state of relaxation. She rarely shared the meditative experience with someone else; it felt quite intimate. But Ariana didn’t exactly fall into the ‘someone else’ box—at one point, she had been the most important person in Leah’s life.
With a final deep breath, Leah slowly opened her eyes.
“How was that?”
“You have the perfect audiobook voice. You should think about starting your own meditation YouTube channel.”
“I don’t think that’s my calling in life.”
“It could be. You could call your channel ‘Lie Down with Leah.’ It’s a lucrative business venture these days,” Ariana raised an eyebrow.
