Chapter 7 -The walk

Chapter 7 - The Walk

Catching up with Mara was more difficult than I had anticipated, I was really breathless, but my perseverance paid off I did catch up with her.

"Hey slow down a little, I thought we were s'pose to be taking it easy?"
"No, Jon, I said no heavy weights today, You are doing really well, but if you would rather take things a little slower that's fine, I need for you to be comfortable with the training plan so that you stick to it"
"Great, that would help, my heart feels like its gonna explode in my chest"

We continued walking, but at a much slower pace, I watched Mara as we walked, her eye's never left me. I on occasions I would look down. 

"You can't get over her, can you?" I promptly turned to face Mara. She was still looking at me, her eyes wide. We stopped walking for a moment. She must have been surprised by my reaction. truthfully, I was caught off guard by her question. It really has never been about getting over Dorothea.

"Why do you ask that?" I said sounding more annoyed than I wanted too.
"I just thought that your depression was due to missing your wife. I'm sorry."
"What makes you think I am depressed right now?" I really wanted to know. The tabloids had begun leaving me alone a year after the indiscretion. No one but my family knew I was depressed.
"I just assumed."
"Why"
"I see it in your eyes. Your sad. The eyes don't lie Jon" remember I have been where your soul  is right now."
I closed my eyes briefly, and then we started to walk again. "Yeah I'm sad, but it's not really because I miss my wife."
"Oh"
"What does that me oh" I could always be relied on to get defensive. Mara was not being offensive yet I had automatically put up my guard.
"It means nothing. I just thought maybe I was prying too much, and that I should end this part of the conversation."
"I'm sorry. I haven't had a conversation with another female besides my mother in a very long time, and truthfully even then, she's the one doing the talking. I don't mind the questions if you don't mind my reactions?"
"I don't mind."

We continued to the end of the boardwalk and then turned to head back to the car. Mara seemed more careful now in her questioning. "What were you like when you were younger?"
I let out a guttural laugh. "Trouble."
"I expected that."
"You did? what gave me away?"
"Someone who was able to make it being a huge rock star by the age of 21 had to be somewhat of a thrill seeker."
"True, I wasn't afraid of much. I guess I have my parents to thank for that. Besides raising me to be a chronic smart-ass, they gave me lots of freedom. My child hood was a blast. Did you know my Mom and Dad were both Marines?, that's how they met, then my Mom met Hugh Heffner and became a Playboy Bunny Girl, with my Dad then turning his hand to hairdressing, they bought a home in Sayerville and we settled in Jersey."  " A few years later joined by my brothers Anthony and Matthew".
"My childhood was conventional in many ways, but the urge to be a rock star was installed at a very young age. My Mom would play Frank Sinatra, Gene Autry music and we would sing along together, Oh yeah I had many a thrill as a young kid"

I turned to look at Mara, who was looking straight ahead as she walked and listened. It made me smile to see her petite profile. Her nose small and tipped at the end. It fitted her face extremely well.

"So what was your child hood like?"
"Fairly shy." I noticed she didn't look down as she continued her response.
"I didn't have a dad around, like most of my friends had, so I was always an outcast. Mom was great, but she worked so much that I would have to stay at my Uncle Frank's house more than my own"
"Where was your Dad?" I was curious.
"I don't know", she shrugged. "I never knew him. My Mom had me young and I guess he chose not to stick around. whenever I'd ask about him my mother just said he was a young boy that didn't know any better. Uncle Frank tried to be like a dad to me, but once my cousin Francis was born, I kind of felt in the way. They never wanted me to; because they definitely treated me as a daughter, but I knew better. They went on to have five other kids. I did babysit for them eventually. It was all good. I just ended up quiet that's all."

 Mara looked back to me and smiled.
"How did you get into fitness?" "Uncle Frank did the same role, he was, still is a fitness instructor."

My questions continued, I had a thirst to know everything about Mara. "Do you have many clients?"

"Currently I have about ten, Sometimes I have more, sometimes less. I'm also a group fitness instructor; I teach spinning classes and kick boxing too...... It's okay cos it pays my bills and keeps me in shape".

I found Mara interesting, I really enjoyed her company.  it was a shame that our walk ended to quickly. We reached the car, I opened the door for Mara to get in, and circled round to the driver side and got in to. truthfully; excited to be sitting so close to her again.
Mara, ran her hand across the dash,
"I like your interior choice, white is great it blends with the paint work, very sophisticated, your car is amazing."

"Thanks, I bought it for myself after our 3rd album went platinum" I suddenly felt nostalgic for my performing days.

Just like Mara had said about my car, she too was a sophisticated classy lady. she was refined and polished, yet unpretentious. I wanted to get to know her better. No I needed to get to know her better.