Jan 26, 2021 19:59:40 GMT -5
”Come on Susan, you can do it. We’re almost done.” Madi jogged slowly behind an older woman, taking deep breaths that smelled of the river water close by. It was a mixture of dirt and fish, and strangely, was one of her favorite scents. She glanced in front of her at the panting woman, checking her speed to be able to maintain the distance between herself and her client.
She hated this distance she had to put between herself and her clients. She hated that she didn’t have a gym or proper equipment to use for her sessions. Thankfully, she was a master of adapting to change and so that’s what she had done with her business. She moved all of her sessions to Riverside Park and dug back to her soccer roots for outdoor workout regimes. For the first time ever, she also started doing yoga with her clients. Yoga was relaxing, and while cardio was necessary for being in shape, she felt that relaxation was what most people needed in this day and age.
Despite her changes, her business had taken quite the hit. Some people had lost their jobs and could no longer afford her sessions. Some were too terrified to leave their homes and honestly, she didn’t really blame them some days. The few clients she had left were the older and already wealthy ones, which also tended to be her least favorite.
She was snapped out of her internal thoughts by a loud groan from her client. Susan held her side and fell to a slow walk, limping as if every bone in her body was broken. ”It feels like someone is stabbing me in the side, can’t we just be done today? I promise I’ll still pay for the full allotted time.” Madi sighed, rolling her eyes slightly at the older woman’s back.
”Fine, we’re finishing at a brisk walk and stretching it out though. We’re almost done with this last mile.” Madi raised an eyebrow as Susan continued to drag her feet. ”Move, Susan! Let’s go!” she snapped, frustration building. It wasn’t as if she could get close to her client to push her and encourage her. Thankfully, with a bit more grumbling, Susan increased her pace. They finished the mile and worked through their ending stretches. They walked to their cars and said their goodbyes. Susan promised to be back for their next scheduled session and then drove off, leaving Madi standing in the parking lot alone.
She pulled out her phone, glancing at her messages and groaning. Her next client for today had canceled and not just for today, but for the foreseeable future. She shrugged on her coat and grabbed her bag, setting off back towards the park and towards the edge of the river. She plopped down on the bank, staring at the water flowing by. If anymore of her clients canceled, she would be in some serious financial trouble. She sighed and wrapped her arms around her legs, drawing them to her chest. She was over this pandemic, but it certainly had no end in sight. She glanced up at the sky as a few snowflakes began to fall around her. She pulled her coat closer and pulled out her phone, scrolling through various advertising sites to see if she could find any new clients.
