CHAPTER 9

Life Again

Flora stood with her arms crossed, watching Tony butcher his form yet again. Her patience had officially worn thin.

"That's not how you hold the damn weights, Tony," she said, her voice laced with exasperation.

Tony, a cocky twenty-something who thought lifting was all about brute strength, flashed her a smirk through the mirror. "Relax, Coach. I got this."

Flora raised an eyebrow and stepped closer to him. "Yeah? You sure? 'Cause if you keep swinging them dumbbells like that, you're gonna blow out your shoulder. And I don't do injuries on my watch."

He faltered for a second, adjusting the weight in his hands. "It's really not that bad."

"Oh, great. Do it your way," she invited. "And when you are icing that arm later, then don't come crying to me."

Tony muttered something unintelligible under his breath but rearranged his form nonetheless. Flora bit back a smirk.

It had been a month since she joined the gym, and to her own surprise, she liked it. There was something oddly satisfying about watching people push themselves, struggle, maybe curse her under their breath-only to break through their own limits. Knowing she had a hand in their growth felt. fulfilling.

"Ever take any of your own advice?"

Flora looked up to find the owner of the gym, Liam, leaning against the counter with his arms crossed, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"My form's perfect," she shot back.

"Not talking about weights." He nodded toward the mirror. "You push everyone else to be better, but when's the last time you did that for yourself?"

Flora rolled her eyes. "If this is another one of your lectures about how I 'shouldn't let the past define me,' I'm going to need you to save it. I'm here. I'm working. I'm not sitting at home crying. That's progress, right?"

Liam shrugged. "Maybe. But progress isn't just about moving. It's about where you're headed."

She hated that he had a point.

Before she could give a rejoinder, a diffident voice cut in.

"Excuse me, are you Flora?"

Flora turned to see a middle-aged woman of about forty-five years, who was standing near the entrance, clutching onto the strap of her gym bag for dear life, with a mask of uncertainty, as if at any moment she would make a dash.

"That depends," Flora said, drying her palms on her towel. "Are you here to yell at me, or would you actually like to train?"

The woman's lips twitched as if holding back a laugh. "The second one. But full disclosure, I might yell if I don't survive."

Flora grinned. "Fair enough. First time in a gym?"

"First time in a long time," the woman confessed, fidgeting from one foot to another.

"Okay. What's your goal?"

She hesitated, looking around as if she was embarrassed to say it. "I just… I want to feel strong again."

Something pulled in Flora's chest.

She nodded. "I can help with that."

And just like that, she knew-this job wasn't just about making money. It was something more. Something she hadn't even realized she needed.

Over the course of the next hour, Flora showed the woman-Sarah-the operation of the machines at the gym and led her through her first set of exercises. Much to Flora's surprise, Sarah was a natural at it: adjusting to the weights, jogging on the treadmill with determination, really.

As they worked out, their conversation flowed effortlessly. Sarah talked about her kids, her husband, how she’d been feeling stuck and overwhelmed lately. In return, Flora shared bits of her own struggles—how she was trying to rebuild herself after a difficult breakup.

By the time the session ended, Sarah smiled, wiping sweat from her forehead. "Thank you," she said. "I think I’ll be back next week."

As Sarah left, Liam walked over, a knowing smile on his face. "You're a natural," he said. "You've got a gift for this."

Flora felt warmth spread through her chest. "Thanks," she replied, trying to play it cool. "I really do enjoy it."

Liam nodded. "I can tell. You connect with people. That's what makes a great trainer."

For weeks, Flora had been working with Sarah and other clients, setting goals and watching them change before her eyes. But she wasn't just helping them--she was helping herself, too. With each session, every person she guided, she regained the confidence that she thought was lost.

One evening, after a particularly grueling session, Sarah turned to her with a grateful smile. "You know, Flora, you’re an inspiration. You’re strong and brave, and you’re not afraid to show it."

The words caught Flora off guard, but she forced herself to brush them off. "Thanks, Sarah," she said. "That means a lot coming from you."

But as she watched Sarah walk out, a sense of pride settled deep in her chest. She was doing it-finding her way again. And no matter what challenges came next, she knew she would face them head-on.

As she was closing up for the night, Liam approached her, his expression thoughtful.

"You know, Flora," he began, "I've been thinking. I want to make you a partner in the gym."

Flora blinked, taken aback. "What? Why?"

Liam smiled. "Because you're great at this. You've got the passion, the drive. And I think together, we could build something amazing."

A rush of excitement coursed through her. She hadn't expected this. Hadn't even considered it. But now that the opportunity was here… it felt right.

"Okay," she said, a slow smile spreading across her face. "I'm in."

Liam smiled and extended his hand. "Welcome to the team, partner."

And for the first time in a long while, Flora felt she finally was where she was supposed to be.