chapter 3

He walked into the spare bedroom, third bowl of nightly pudding in hand.

Over in the corner of the room she bounced away effortlessly on the spot - in near silence - except for the running machine’s feint whirr.

‘Whatcha doing?’ he asked, as he plodded over to the window, and peeked out from behind the blinds.

It had not been long since his belly began to do the same, but from beneath all his shirts.

Her eyes took in the view of another of his mediums biting the dust.

‘Running a lap,’ she answered, as she pressed a button to up her step.

‘Ten K tonight,’ she said. ‘And 50 K by the end of the week.’

She was now lither than ever now that he had gone the other way.

He glanced across at her body and shoved another heaped spoonful of pudding in his mouth.

Her tight yoga pants and sports bra left little for his mind to do.

He quickly took down another spoonful of pudding to quell the amorous feelings rising within. And tried his best not to stare at the inviting gap between her thighs.

‘Hard work,’ he remarked, finally, as he snapped out of his thirsty trance, the once full bowl now almost empty in hands.

‘About to pick up,’ she said, spying the empty bowl. ‘And pretty quick I would say.’ She pressed another button and broke into a sprint.

‘Two minutes on,’ she said. ‘And five minutes off.’ She was referring to the pacing of her run.

She glanced at her watch. ‘On for another PB.’

'Funny,' he said. ‘Me too.' And he held up the empty bowl.

She smiled at him. ‘Go grab yourself another and come cheer me on.’ She thought she might try her luck.

‘Sounds like a plan,' he said, as he loosened the top buttons of his pants.

‘Still plenty left in the pan,’ he added, as he walked on by.

‘No good there.’ She rolled her eyes.

‘Keep it up whilst I’m gone,’ he said and plodded out the bedroom door.

‘You too,’ she said, with a wry smile, as she caught a glimpse of his widening rear in the mirror as he passed.

‘You too,’ she said, again, as her lips broke into a wide grin.

'Keep it up for sure.'