Chapter 57

I did some additional shopping for Chanukah on my own that weekend both over the phone and on the internet.

The items arrived the following Wednesday while Jeff was at class, which he was pretty much all day, every day.

I cleared space in the spare bedroom and the delivery men set everything up as I had arranged.

When Jeff got home, I met him at the door and gave him an ardent kiss.

"Trying to get me not to study tonight?" he asked.

"Not at all; just welcoming home the man I love."

"What's up?" he asked suspiciously.

I couldn't blame him. This was the first time I'd greeted him that way.

I took his hand and led him through the living room.

"I'm giving you your Chanukah present early." I used my coquettish voice.

I took him to the spare bedroom. We had not anointed that room yet.

He looked at me quizzically.

"My present is a weight machine with a two-hundred-twenty-pound stack, a bench and a collection of dumbbells?"

"Yes!"

"You shouldn't have."

It was neutral. It could have meant he was thrilled. It could have meant why did I do this to him.

"I confess. It's my present even more. But you're the one who is going to use it. This is non-negotiable. Heart disease runs in your family. I won't marry a guy who isn't committed to giving me a golden anniversary."

Jeff's eyes darted up, to the side, down, at me, and his face went through a series of expressions. I couldn't help it; I started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"It was almost like a cartoon. I could see the thoughts pass across your face.

"'Does she really expect me to do this? How much time will I have to put in a day? Would she really call off the wedding if I don't? Am I willing to risk that? No.

"'Can I argue terms? Is she really being unreasonable? Maybe I should look at this as a gesture of love rather than an assertion of control. If I let her get away with this, am I going to be giving in for the rest of our lives?

"'What makes her think she has the right to do this? No, she's doing this because she's concerned; she wants to make sure I stay healthy.'"

Jeff started to laugh before I was halfway through. He walked over to me, put his arms around me and squeezed.

"You're a very special woman. Scary sometimes, but special nonetheless. When did you learn to read my mind?"

"It comes with a personal trainer," I said.

Jeff snorted.

"The yoga, I'm doing with you," I said. "Our mats are over there in the corner."

"Have we been granted dispensation not to attend school anymore?"

I patted his back.

"We'll work it in, Dr. G."

His eyes looked up again. He had a pensive look. I laughed.

He gave me a look of resignation.

"All right, I'll do it."

"You know," I said, "you haven't had any training yet. It could be dangerous to just start in on this without training."

I slid my hand down his back and fondled a cheek.

"But I do want you to start on a program of exercise right away."

I pressed against him and rubbed the other cheek.

"So it will be my responsibility to come up with a suitable regimen for later this evening, after dinner has settled."

Jeff smiled. "I have complete faith in your judgment."

I pushed him down on the bed. We had to anoint this room eventually. This seemed as good a time as any. Quick and dirty.

I tried to balance the enjoyment with our need to get some studying done. Essentially, I tried to make him completely forget he had a need to study.

When we finished I thought about how to make him associate this room with something more fun than working out. And it hit me.

I got up and took his hand. I walked him to my yoga mat, picked it up and unrolled it on the floor. Then I slowly stripped.

"Do you typically do yoga naked?"

"No. But you're a beginner. You need to build up to the ability to do it with clothes on."

"I may grow to like working out," he said.

I helped him strip off his clothes. He had indeed grown to like the idea of working out with me.

I leaned forward and started to bend at the waist.

"This is a position from which many of the exercises flow."

I bent my knees and lowered my hands to the floor and moved my feet back a few steps. I lowered my head and back.

"This is called down dog. It might be a little complicated for you to try as your first position."

I turned my head to glance back at him standing behind my raised butt.

"Can you think of any position that might be comfortable for you to try?"

I thought there was a good chance he would move underneath me. He smiled and moved behind me.

Jeff called the position he invented hump dog.