AROLLO Stories – Alena Episode 5/10 – Here the Link to Episode 4/10
5
ALENA
Five weeks ago, I nearly jumped off the rooftop terrace of our penthouse. Half accidentally, half because of the crazy idea, that the great knowledge would wait for me on the edge between life and death. But the only one waiting was the Grim Reaper.
It’s only nine o’clock and I’m already wheezing on the treadmill in the gym, which I’m attending for three weeks now. Frank recommended it to me. Not because I’m fat – I luckily never had any weight issues- but because he thinks endorphins are a miracle cure and work better than any mood enhancer. I understood the subtle message behind his words of course: I either do sports or a therapy. I chose sports.
Of course, Frank can’t tell me what to do. I am a free person and could leave him. But he doesn’t deserve that. Furthermore, I love him. I love him and I hate sports. But the gym is a change of scenery at least. Getting out of the golden cage and into the vibrant life. And it’s very vibrant! There are young, well-trained guys all over the place. Like Max, the trainer, a mix between Brad Pitt and Thor, the god of thunder. Looking is allowed. And even if I’m still waiting for the endorphins, other hormones are boiling certainly.
Take that, menopause.
But back to Frank and me. The first days Frank was staying at home, to take care of me. We spent a short vacation in a cosy little guesthouse in Austria. While staying there, we slept together more often than in past year combined. Maybe Frank thought to be able to heal my sadness with sex. However our lovemaking became a simple mechanical act a long time ago. I sense, that he has as little fun as I have. But talking about it is out of question. We are not like that.
When Frank finally considered me stable enough, he returned back to work. Just for a few hours in the beginning. By now he got back to his usual twelve-hour-days though.
The treadmill beeps, slows down and makes me stop. I look at the statistics. Sixty minutes, six hundred calories. Not bad, I’m thinking, emptying the water bottle and walking into the changing room. When taking off my clothes, I notice that my pants aren’t as tight around my hips as they were three weeks ago. Above all, I feel a lot better as a whole. Are those the famous endorphins now?
I decide spontaneously to go to the sauna. Up until now, I didn’t want to. I felt uncomfortable, to show myself naked in front of other people. Not being overweight doesn’t necessarily mean having a good-looking body.
It’s raining heavily outside and I didn’t bring an umbrella. Frank is back at home at eight o’clock at the earliest and then he has already eaten most of the days. I don’t want to go back to penthouse yet. That’s why I gather all my courage, wrap myself in a towel, walk to the wellness area and rush into the Finnish sauna.
I’m happy, that I’m the only one there. I pour water on the hot stones and feel the steam on my skin. I open the terry towel, spread it out and lie down naked on it. After a few minutes, I feel the sweat coming out of all my pores. It feels great.
When I hear quiet steps, I’m frightened first. I want to sit up and cover myself. But I’m brave and don’t do it.
The door opens suddenly and closes again.
“Hi Alena!”, someone is saying.
I open my eyes and recognise Max. The Brad-Pitt-god-of-thunder-guy. With his huge hammer……..
AROLLO Stories – ALENA Episode 6 will be released next Thursday, October 31th at 8 pm