Annabel looked around for Dylan, who was nowhere to be seen. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, Annabel was impressed with how good she looked in the new clothes, and also amazed at how exposed she was. Was it even legal to walk down the street looking like this?
Then Asha appeared in the doorway, and both Carla and Annabel gaped. She looked even more beautiful than she had the last time, and seemed to float into the room without touching the ground.
She must be an incarnation of some goddess,
thought Carla, then inwardly made fun of herself for thinking that way.
You must be high.
The class was more challenging than the first one Carla had attended, and though she considered herself to be in good physical shape, she had a hard time keeping up. At one point, as everyone else was doing a downward dog, Carla sank onto her knees to rest. Looking around the room at all the rounded butts being thrust up into the air, straining against taut fabric of every color, Carla smiled and shook her head. How had she missed out on this all these years?
Carla sensed Asha's eyes on her, and turned to meet the Indian woman's gaze. Did Asha know, she wondered, the kind of thoughts that were going through her head as she ogled these gorgeous female forms? Carla didn't generally believe in ESP, but it seemed quite possible that Asha might be a mind-reader.
A look passed between them, but Carla couldn't tell exactly what was being communicated. Then the moment was over; Asha turned away and told the class to sink into child's pose.
After class Carla wanted to talk to Asha but she was surrounded before Carla could get there. The next class was about to start and the room was crowded with people, so Carla reluctantly turned to go. But before leaving she took a last, lingering look at the stunning yoga teacher, drinking in Asha's smooth brown skin; her big golden-brown eyes; her luxurious black hair; her perfectly toned and proportioned body. Carla promised herself that one way or another, she would find a way to get to know this woman better.
Back at home, Carla was in an indulgent mood. She stripped Annabel's yoga clothes off, blindfolded her, and led her out onto the deck. Laying Annabel out on a deck chair, Carla used the yoga straps she'd bought that morning to tie Annabel's wrists to the chair. Then she bound Annabel's ankles with a couple of bungee cords that were sitting nearby.
Struck by an idea, Carla got her phone, took a picture of her naked, bound stepmother, and sent it to Kim. Just the photo, no message or anything -- but Kim would get the idea. Then Carla decided to roll a joint; it wasn't the easiest way to smoke, but sometimes it was the best. She got her bag of weed and her rolling papers and sat down to wait.