Feeling relaxed

BANE'S POV
"We can find something else to do." Renee's lips narrowed.
"It's fine." I zipped up my fleece hoodie.

In the beginning, I wasn't really sure if returning to the gym was good for me. How was I going to confront Carl? How would I explain to him the things he had discovered in my bag?

"Are you sure?" She quizzed.
"It's okay." I shoved her toward the door, smiling to mask the jitters that had consumed me....

As I stood in the lobby of the gym, shifting from one foot to the other, I waited. She had run to the bathroom, leaving me anxious and also unsure if I would come across Bane.
"Finally." I sighed when she emerged.

"What?" She looked at me, her eyes squinting with a look so strange. "I was in there for like two minutes."

"Long enough." I shoved her toward the locker room to change...

As I slipped out of my street clothes and into my gym wear, the anxiety within me had increased tremendously. The lies I had created in my mind to tell Carl had now seemed ridiculous and I was again unsure of what to say to him.

"I might hit the treadmill for a quick pre-workout." She stood at the door with her water bottle in hand. "Are you joining me?"
"Nah." I smiled as I pushed back the nervous jitters.

"I'm going to hit the pool first. Maybe help relax these muscles in the Jacuzzi before it gets crowded in there."
"Well alright." She shrugged a little. "I'll probably join after my run okay."

"Sure."

Renee turned and left the bathroom, leaving me.
As I conjured up another excuse to give him if I ran into him, I quickly changed into my bathing suit and walked in spa area.
The area was quiet with only two of us around the pool area and one other relaxing in the Jacuzzi.

Placing my towel and phone pool side, I stepped into the pool to join the older woman who was stationed in a corner.
She seemed focused; her mind concentrating on her breaths and speed as she continued her water aerobics.

"Hello?" She greeted, her amiable smile written across her face as she began finish up her workout sessions.
"Lovely time to swim before the rough housers get in." She slowed down to a stop.

"Exactly. So peaceful really." My body floated across the top of the water, dancing with the small waves that filtered from the poolside jets.
To me, swimming created a wave of relaxation. A time where your body felt as light as ever as it floated ontop of the water.

"Nice to see someone enjoys the water as much as I do." She swam around me, revealing to me her excellent swim techniques and effortless strokes through the body of water.

It was easy to see that she was accustom to the water. "I can see you are a great swimmer." I pushed myself to the edge of the pool.
"Been swimming all of my life. Pools. Oceans. Lakes." She let go and allowed the water to carry her body with each passing wave. "Only time I find peace and happiness."

Happiness. I smiled as I remembered what happiness was. Family. Love. Now it just seemed as though I was full of nothing but negativity.
Anger. Sorrow. Revenge. It seemed as though my body was running on fuses that was far from happiness.

My smile faded.
"What's wrong?"
I looked to find the woman staring at me, her gentle eyes searching for my reason to throw away my happiness.

"I just...miss someone." I shrugged. "My mother was basically taken away from me."
"Work?" She asked.

"Um yeah."
It was impossible for me to explain to her what had actually happened to her. "Sometimes I just feel as though I have failed her."
The woman swam closer.

"This might sound ridiculous to someone of your age, or you may not believe me, but you can never fail a mother who loves you."
There was that feeling again. The feeling that brought forth so many emotions that it became hard to contain. Tears formed. With water already masking my eyes, it was easy for her not to notice.

"It's a complicated bond." She shrugged. "I know. I have three children of my own. Two of them step children but still love them to pieces."
She looked up, her eyes finding the edge of the pool.
"Speak of the devil, here comes my wild minion now."

I turned; ready to meet one of the children who were blessed to have such a heart filled woman in their corner.
"Mom." He spoke to her however his eyes never left mine.

"Try to keep your voice down Bane. I don't need anyone knowing that I have a son your age." She teased him.
"Didn't know you were here." There was a strain in his smile, as if it was nothing but a rehearsed grin formed to make everything seem all right.

"Yup. Slipped in about an hour ago." She toyed as she danced in the water. "Wanted to catch you but I was busy talking to this nice girl."
Attention turned back to me.

"Yeah." I grew more nervous than ever. "But I was just leaving so you two can catch up on anything."
I climbed out of the pool and grabbed my towel from the nearby chair.

"Nice meeting you." I yelled out.
"You too."
I never bothered to turn to look at them once more. I wasn't sure how much of Bane's staring I could take any longer.
He created that unneeded pressure. Those normally nonchalant eyes gave a more stern and questioning look. A look that I desperately tried to avoid by leaving the home at times...

Soaked my body beneath the running shower water, ridding my body of the heavy chlorine they spiced the pools with.
Finding myself clean, I emerged from the shower and made my way to my locker.

As before, the locker room was empty. Most had come and gone for the evening, leaving the gym almost empty.
I heard the locker room door creak open. I hoped it was Jess who was here to say that she was ready to leave for the evening so I can finally avoid this show.

I glanced over my shoulder, hoping to find the pink shirt that Jess was wearing from the corner of my eye. However, instead, I found the nothing other than that familiar sky blue shirt the members of the gym wore.

I quickly stood up to meet his familiar eye that I could not seem to escape.
"My god, this is a women's locker room!" I yelled to him, hoping he would take the hint well enough to leave.

"Get dressed." He turned and left without another word to follow...
I knew I could not hide in the confinement of that women's locker room for long. With his name scribbled across those doted lines that said this was his place, I should have known he would push his power and go where he pleased, even though it was not allowed.

"What is so wrong with knocking on the door and waiting?" I questioned, watching as he leaned against the wall.
"Scratch that." His head shook. "Your bag."

"I don't have a bag today." I shrugged.