“Okay. Why are you whispering?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen her even half flirt before. It’s really strange.”

“Maybe she’ll grab a little touch while she’s in town.”

“Eeww. Really? And he’s married, with kids—grandkids, too. He told me.”

“Probably why it’s only half a flirt. A nostalgia flirt. On the other hand, Loren is all the way flirting with that pretty hot teacher.”

Adrian shifted her gaze to under the far basketball hoop, where Loren definitely flirted with the ponytailed blonde.

“She’s not married, no kids. Allyson—or Ally. Twenty-seven, biology teacher who works out five days a week and loves yoga.”

“You’ve got them all memorized?”

“I don’t have your mind for data—or odd trivia—but names and faces? An essential part of the production.”

She saw a production assistant herding out the boys and the rest of the male teachers. The noise level rose immediately.

“You’re right. We’re going to get started on time.” She gave Teesha’s leg a pat, handed her the script.

She started down the bleachers as the girls came out, and headed to Hector while he checked the tripod camera again.

“Ready for this?” she asked him.

“You got it.” He looked in the camera as assistants lined up the cast on their marks for the segment. “Looks good.”

She studied the monitor. “And just what I was after. We’ll give them a little pep talk, some reminders, then we can intro the segment and dive right in.”

She caught her mother’s eye, and they walked to the center of the gym.

“Your idea,” Lina whispered. “You take it.”

“All right. Okay, everybody!” Adrian held up her hands until the voices, the giggles, the nervous barks of laughter died away. “Lina and I want to thank you, again, for being part of this. We’re going to work you hard over the next couple of days.” She grinned over the groans. “And you’re going to have fun with it. Or else. First reminder—”

“When you say left, you mean right,” one of the boys called out.

“That’s correct. The camera reverses. If you mess it up, just keep going. If you need to slow it down, even stop, do that—but don’t be lazy! Mandy’s the modifier in the first segment, so you can always follow her and modify. The water bottles are labeled with your names. Use your own bottle.”

She looked to her mother to finish up.

“Hector and Charlene will roam around with the cameras. If you want to look into the camera, that’s fine, but keep moving! Adrian and I will also move around now and then, adjust your form, push you a little harder, or suggest you ease back. We’ll take a one-minute—that’s one minute—water break at the halfway point. After the cooldown, we break so you can towel off, change, and regroup. Any questions?”

When those died down, Adrian and Lina took their marks, faced the camera. “Remember to breathe, everybody,” Adrian said, and waited for Hector’s signal.

“This is Fitness 101, cardio,” Lina began. “Get ready to work it and sweat it.”

“And these are students and teachers from my mother’s alma mater, Traveler’s Creek High. They’re motivated.” She glanced back. “Are you motivated?”

She got Yeahs!, but put her hand to her ear. “I can’t hear you. Are you motivated?”

This time, they roared. She turned back to the camera.

“Then let’s warm it up.”

Forty minutes later, Lina grabbed her water bottle. “That was good.”

“It really was. I want to see the playback, but—”

“It was damn good. Listen, I worried the kids might start goofing off, or sniping at each other, snickering at the ones you chose—kids and teachers—who are a little out of shape.”

“Only one segment in, but I don’t think they will.”

“Neither do I now. And if it stays smooth enough, with the two-hour break for lunch and recovery after the next segment, we may be right on schedule. One thing.”

“Okay.”

“The kid Kevin? I don’t want to give him too much attention. You can see it embarrasses him, but you might see if he’d be interested in having you work with him some, one-on-one. Part of the embarrassment is from being a little overweight and out of shape. And it’s brave of him to be part of this.”

“You’ve always done that,” Adrian murmured.

Instantly, Lina stiffened. “What?”

“Zoned in on someone who needs some help, and wants it but can’t ask. I’ve always admired that about you. It’s what makes you so good at what you do.”

“I … Well, thank you.”

“I’ve already talked to him about just that, because apparently I am my mother’s daughter. I’ve designed a program for him he can do at home, on his own—his parents are supportive. And he’ll come by my studio once a week so I can evaluate.”

“With nutrition included.”

“Of course. He started on it about a week ago. I can already see some improvement. Why don’t I keep you updated on him?”

“I’d like that.” Lina didn’t reach out, it wasn’t her way, but she asked, “We’re better?”

“Yes, Mom.” Because it was her way, Adrian leaned in to kiss Lina’s cheek. “We’re better.”

Sunday evening, after a full, sweaty, productive two days, Adrian sat on her yoga mat, legs crossed, hands resting palms up on her knees. “Put your hands together in prayer, bow forward to embrace the practice you’ve just completed. And Namaste.”

She smiled. “Congratulations, everyone. You’ve just graduated Fitness 101. And you aced it.”

The cast began to scramble up, exchange high fives, even hugs.

“Thank you for joining us,” Lina said into the camera. “Remember. Keep well, keep striving.” She put her arm around Adrian. “Every day is a new chance. I’m Lina Rizzo.”

“I’m Adrian Rizzo. Come back and work out with us, anytime.”

They went around, more high fives, more hugs. “That’s a wrap!” Hector called out. “Nice work, everybody.”

By the time they broke down the set, gathered up equipment, extra wardrobe, dusk whispered down.

Lina stopped short when somebody called her name as they stepped outside.

Adrian saw a man half in shadows—and her heart thumped.

Her right hand balled into a fist; she rolled up on her toes.

He only stepped forward, a cap in his hand, a half smile on his face. Slightly familiar, she thought, laying a hand on her mother’s arm, in case.

In case.

But her mother let out a gasping laugh. “Matt? Matt Weaver! Well, just … Jesus. Matthew.”

And stepping to him put her arms around him in a hug.

Adrian saw him close his eyes a moment, and breathe out.

“Adrian, this is an old friend of mine. Matt, this is my daughter, Adrian.”

“Nice to meet you. You sure look a lot like your ma. How’d we get to have grown kids, Lina?”

“God knows.”