Back to You

Michael looked over at her and smirked, shaking his head slowly.

“You did?” Erin asked, looking over at her father.

“Mm-hm.” Lauren cupped her hand in front of her mouth, feigning a whisper. “But he wasn’t very good.”

Michael looked down, and she could see his shoulders bounce with laughter.

Erin raised her eyebrows in surprise before she turned to Michael sympathetically. “Don’t worry, Daddy. I’ll teach you after I learn how.”

“Thank you, baby girl,” he called before he stuck his tongue out at Lauren, and she chuckled at his juvenile behavior before turning her attention back to Erin.

“Okay, now I want you to put your arms over your head, the way I did before. Good. Now you’re going to lean over and put your hands side by side on this line, right here, and when they touch the floor, I want your straight leg to come up behind you. Let’s just practice that a few times so you get the feel of it. I’m go

“‘Kay.” Erin nodded, determination taking over her little features.

They practiced the motion a few times until Erin was able to do it smoothly. At one point Lauren glanced at Michael, and when he winked at her, she felt heat instantly blooming on her cheeks. She heard him laugh shortly after that, but she had no way of knowing if it was in response to her silly, girlish reaction to such an i

“Can I try going over?” Erin asked, pulling Lauren’s attention back.

She cleared her throat. “Um, sure. If you’re ready. I’ll keep my hands on your waist to help you balance. Once your straight leg goes up like we practiced, you’re going to push off with your bent leg to send yourself over. Try to keep your toes pointed and your legs straight.”

Erin got in position, and Lauren knelt parallel to her, keeping her hands on Erin’s waist to give her a little extra support. The first few were shaky, her legs falling forward or back or bending awkwardly. But the more they did it, the sturdier she became, until finally Lauren was barely touching her waist at all.

“You want to try one on your own?” Lauren asked, and Erin looked up, somewhat hesitant. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’m right here. I won’t let you fall. Promise.”

With a tiny breath to steel her resolve, Erin nodded and turned, raising her arms above her head. Lauren stood by, ready to grab her at the slightest signal, but she didn’t need to. Erin went over smoothly, landing on the other side with her arms extended like a pro. She whipped her head toward Lauren, gri

“I did it! Daddy, I did it! Did you see me? Did you see me?”

“I saw!” he said, scooping her up. “You were awesome!”

Lauren watched them with a smile until suddenly, without warning, s { display: block; text-indent: 5%; font-size: 0.88rem; margin-top: ing to ryhe was struck with a thought that caused a sharp pang in her chest.

Michael had been just one year older than Erin was right now when his father left. When his mother pretty much checked out on him.

So young.

She looked at Erin, her adoration for her father beaming from her eyes as she looked up at him. She was so vulnerable. So needy. And then she thought of Michael at that age, just as vulnerable, twice as needy, and completely forsaken.

And suddenly, she felt like crying.

Lauren wanted to cross the mats and hug him. Just wrap her arms around him and rock him side to side, even though it was years too late to give that little boy the comfort he deserved.

“Show me a fancy flip!” Erin called as she ran back toward Lauren, and with a quick intake of breath, she shook off the ache in her heart.

“A fancy flip?” she asked uneasily. “I haven’t done those in a long time.”

“You can still do it I bet,” Michael said as he followed Erin onto the mat. “Muscle memory.”

Lauren scrunched her nose at him, and he laughed. “Try something easy. I bet you anything you can still do it.”

She looked down at Erin, who was staring up at her expectantly, and she took a deep breath. “Okay. Something easy.”

Erin clapped her hands before taking a step back, pulling her father with her to give Lauren some room.

Lauren rolled her neck and took another deep breath before she brought her weight forward on her toes. With a little hop, she was off ru

She definitely had enough power to go over again.

“Wow!” Erin breathed. “What’s that called?”

“That’s called a round-off,” she said as she walked back toward them. “I think I’m go

Erin leaned into her father, her eyes pi

And because it felt so good, she immediately followed it with another before she hit her landing, arching her back slightly as she extended her arms overhead.

Erin’s gasp echoed off the walls of the gym. Her face was priceless, some combination of shock and complete worship as she watched Lauren walk back to them.

Michael was gri

“What’s muscle memory?” Erin asked before Lauren could react to his comment.

He pursed his lips, thinking of a way to explain it. “Well, sometimes if something is really important to you, it gets stuck in your body,” he said, poking her ribs and making her laugh. “So even if your mind thinks that it’s gone, it’s still in there, kind of hiding inside of you, just waiting for you to remember. It never goes away.”

Lauren stared at him.

She knew he was talking about her flip, but his words a"> shoulderhit much deeper than that.

He was smiling down at Erin, but when he looked up and saw her expression, his smile fell, his face turning serious.

For a second, they just stared at each other, and Lauren found that she was struggling to keep her breathing even.

“What else can we do?” Erin asked excitedly, gripping Lauren’s hand, and she pulled her gaze from his, looking down at Erin.

“Um,” she said, blinking quickly.

She could still feel his eyes on her.

Lauren swallowed hard and lifted her eyes, sca

The corner of her mouth lifted in a smile. “I have an idea. Come with me,” she said, pulling Erin toward the back corner of the gym.

They walked across the mats and up the padded incline that dropped off suddenly into an enormous pit of colorful foam blocks. Lauren remembered this being one of her favorite exercises when she just started out.

Michael walked up the incline behind them, and she glanced over at him. He smiled at her, but his eyes were uneasy. Cautious, even.

And there he was; she could see him clearly in the expression on Michael’s face. The abandoned little boy.

This time she couldn’t help it.

She walked the few steps over to him, wrapping both arms around his waist as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Instantly she felt the tension drain from his body as he exhaled, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

“Are those blocks?” Erin asked. “Is this a pool? Why are there blocks in the pool? Are we go

Michael laughed softly, planting a kiss on the top of Lauren’s head before he released her. “I was given strict orders not to steal you away from her tonight,” he said. “I’m breaking the rules right now.”