The black leotards showed every curve, and there were lots of them. Bright red hair, going in all directions, eye makeup smeared with sweat, she was really trying to keep up with the instructor, who was probably 22, and weighed about 115!
But not Betty! This was our third class together. I was getting a beer gut, and by joining the Community College classes, you got use of the equipment room and pool, so I decided to try aerobics, since it was included.
Betty was about 50, or 25 years older than me, and she just made me smile. Always the first there, she would try to keep up, but couldn't because of years of not exercising, and the fact that she had no rhythm, meaning the music didn't match her movements.
Allison, the instructor, told us to shake it out, take some deep breaths, that we were done for the evening. Betty turned to me, her eyes wide. "I'm gonna die!"
I smiled, "You're doing fine! I can see the improvement each week!"
"Oh, Honey, you are so full of shit! But thanks, anyway! I can use the encouragement! But, if pain means gain, tomorrow I will gain a ton!"
Sweating myself, I toweled off. "You have to remember to stretch tonight, so you don't tighten up."
She smiled. "I know, but I get home and all I can think about is a glass of wine!" The bead of sweat I was watching rolled down her cleavage, vanishing into the abyss. She looked strangely sexy in black, with a short red skirt barely covering her ample butt. She patted her face, so as not to drag more makeup around. "When I was your age, they called this figure zaftig! Then, full-figured. Now, I'm just plain fat."
I shook my head. "You're curvy, not fat." I looked her over, and it was true. Although her breasts and ass were at least full-figured, she had no gut to speak of, and her legs were still taut, not flabby. And from what I could tell, she was probably pretty under all that makeup.
"Nicely put. And considering you are probably here to meet girls, why do you always wind up behind me, where you can't even see anything but my fat ass?"
"I'm here to lose this beer gut, and maybe I like the view!" leering playfully at her.
Her eyes twinkled as she said, "Try having a couple of kids if you want a belly! I'm still trying to lose that! And the youngest is your age."
"Either you are way off with my age, or you were a Child Bride, cause my mom doesn't look anything like you, or I'd still be living at home!"
"Why, Jake, that's so fresh of you! Why do I feel flattered? I'd better go before you have me acting like a school girl! See you next week, Hon"
I showered, and it felt good. I changed into fresh jeans and tee and walked to the bus stop, hoping it wouldn't take too long. My car was in the shop, so I was stuck with public transportation.
No one else was there, and when I looked at the schedule, I saw I had just missed a bus. I was resigning myself to a 40 minute wait, when a red Mercedes convertible came down the road, a real beauty. It was past me, when I heard the tires squeal, and the car backed up. The passenger's window came down, and I bent to see Betty, freshly showered, like me, but she hadn't done the makeup thing.
"Hey, Jake, missed your bus?"
"Yeah, they're still running, just a bit of a wait."
"Hop in, I'll give you a lift."
Why not, I thought. Anywhere was less gloomy than a community college on a summer night. "Are you headed into town?"
"I am now, come on, we can put the top down." And we did. The ride was less than 10 minutes, but she was taking turns like a pro, accelerating on straight-aways, laughing and talking all the time.
My place was above a garage, behind an Italian restaurant, small, but clean. She pulled in back at my direction. "This is where you live?"
I laughed. "It's not as bad as it looks."
"Oh, no, I didn't mean that! It reminds me of one of my many places, when I was raising the kids, before I found out my ex was hiding all our money in different companies. Then I got a good lawyer, and now I get to drive this!"
I nodded. "Maybe there's still hope for me. I just have to find a rich ex-husband!"
"Don't be in such a rush, enjoy what you have. Those were some of the best years, living and working, and the kids were fed and happy!"