Then She Walked Away, chapter 1

"What the hell? Are you serious?" Mike Dirnt asked his physician.

The older man pushed his glasses further up his nose and nodded. "It would be in your best interest."

"But I'm only thirty-four," Mike argued.

Mike sat on the padded table where he was waiting for the last few minutes until his doctor came back in to give him the news. As much as Mike didn't want to hear it, he's been having some back and muscle problems lately and apparently his own workout regiment wasn't doing the job. Frowning, Mike pulled his shirt back on as the doctor continued. "Don't think of it as an age, but more like a training. Many people even in their early twenties use, per se, swimming as something to strengthen their flexibility and to improve their back quality."

Pulling a face, Mike didn't want to hear anymore and then nodded. "Fine fine. But I'm a lousy swimmer."

The doctor laughed. "Well I wouldn't mind finding someone who can assist you and help you out in the beginning. I'd say though, to begin, it's best to do an average of ten hours a week."

Mike nodded once more and stood up, cursing under his breath as he felt a sharp pain shoot up in his back. "The sooner you start, the better. And if you find an instructor and they would request to see this medical file, then just give me a call."

Reaching the door, Mike nodded and exited the room, finding Billie Joe sitting there with his hand covering most of his face. When Mike was only a few inches in front of him, Billie pulled out his earphones and looked up at his friend. "So, how you feeling?"

"Like someone took a sludge hammer to my spinal chord."

Laughing, Billie Joe stood up and aided his friend out the clinic and into his own car. "You staying for dinner?" Billie asked.

Mike nodded. "Estelle's still there right?"

"Yeah, Adie took them all out in the morning, but she said that Estelle wanted to spend the night over at our house, if that's alright."

Mike leaned back against the chair and sighed. He could feel his back cracking in some places as he tried to stretch. "Fuck me," he whispered.

Billie laughed. "Not tonight. But thank you for the offer."

The two friends drove for a few minutes until they reached the Armstrong house. Billie Joe parked the car and immediately went out to help his taller friend. "You alright old man?" he joked.

"Old or not, I could still kick your ass," Mike retorted.

Making their way up to the front door, Mike smiled when he saw Estelle's face pop out of the living room window. "Daddy!" she screamed as she disappeared, only to re-appear at the front door with Joey.

"Hey you two," Billie said, coming in and giving Estelle a little peck on her head.

"Are you alright daddy?" she asked.

Mike looked at her and flicked her nose. "I'm alright, just my back hurts. Nothing serious though."

Billie Joe closed the front door behind him and Adie came into view. "Oh Mike... not any better?" she asked, a little worried.

"Not any worse, if that's any consolation."

She only shrugged and kissed Billie lightly on his lips before taking the bag that was in Billie's hand. "Come on; dinner's just about ready."

Mike stood up as straight as he could and then walked towards the kitchen of the familiar home. Jacob was talking... or more, asking his mother questions about how everything in the kitchen seemed to work. Mike took a seat and gasped when Estelle bounced on top of him, sitting in his lap. "What did the doctor say Mike?" Adrienne asked as everyone took a seat at the table.

"Well, it's just something that I'm going to have to work on... almost in a physiotherapy kind of way I guess."

"Oh... so like swimming and stretching? Even yoga maybe?" she offered as she sat down herself.

"I won't do yoga," Mike said defiantly as he pulled up a chair for Estelle to sit on beside him.

"Pilates?" Billie Joe laughed as he put some vegetables onto his plate.

"Yeah, laugh it up," Mike snorted as he took the spoon from Billie and scooped some veggies on Estelle's plate for her.

Suddenly, Adrienne jolted up straight in her seat. "Hey Mike... did they assign anyone to help you out with that?"

Mike looked at her and shook his head. "No. They said that I could find someone on my own, but that they would set me up with an instructor if I needed it. Why?"

Before Adrienne could say anything, Jacob raised his fork. "What about Terri?"

Everyone turned to Jacob and looked at the young boy. "Who's Terri?" Billie Joe asked.

Adrienne smiled as she ruffled Jacob's hair. "I was about to say the same thing," she smiled, looking at Jacob who was quite pleased with himself. Adrienne turned back to Mike. "Terri's Jacob's swimming teacher... you remember Billie, that Jacob made the swim team," she asked her husband.

"Oh yeah," he said, thinking back to that conversation he had with Adrienne about the swim team and competitions. He was surprised that Jacob fell into the 'sports' category, but as long as he was doing something constructive, he was always supportive.

"She's really great, and she's also trained in quite a few aspects. She's competed in triathlons and actually, she was supposed to be in the last Olympics."

"What happened?" Mike asked, suddenly quite curious.

Adrienne sighed. "She was in a car accident and dislocated her shoulder. Apparently it's never been the same she said. Pretty sad actually. But she's great. She's actually an accountant for Rolling Stone magazine, but she's been swimming for years. She was also a masseuse for a while as well. She knows everything there is about the muscular makeup of the human being. And she's real nice."

"You sound like you know her real well," Billie said, shoving more food into his mouth.

Adrienne shrugged. "She came over to me the other day to tell me how well Jacob was doing and we just started talking. I invited her over for lunch a few days ago."

"She's so cool dad!" Jacob blurted out.

Billie smiled at his youngest son and then looked to Mike. "It's worth a shot. Jacob has practice... what, every second day?" he asked.

Jacob nodded and then turned to his mom. "So would uncle Mike be on my swim team?" he asked.

Laughing, Adrienne shook her head. "No, Mike would be doing more serious training than you do Jake." Adrienne then turned to her husband's friend. "So, what do you say? You want me to call her?"

Mike shrugged. "Sure, why not."

* *

"Alright guys... good job!" Terri said, motioning for the kids to get out of the pool. She looked around and nodded approvingly at the environment around her. She was the manager of the pool year round, and worked for Rolling Stone magazine... two jobs that were completely opposite, but that she enjoyed quite equally. As she turned back to the kids that were walking out of the pool, she spotted one that she had to speak with. "Armstrong... wait up," she said as the young boy turned around to look at the instructor.

Terri caught up with the boy as she wrapped her towel around her waist. "Yes Miss Ferallelli?"

Terri smiled and shook her head. "You're on my team... call me Terri."

"Okay," Jacob said to her with a small smile.

"Listen, Armstrong," she said as she knelt down to become eye level with the green-eyed boy. "There's a competition coming up and I wanted to know if you could swim for me? I'm short one swimmer in your age category and I thought that you could fill that space quite nicely. What do you say?"

Terri smiled as Jacob's face lit up. "Me... really?" he asked.

"Of course you. You're a great swimmer... you have a lot of potential," she answered honestly.

Jacob, swinging his towel in excitement jumped up for a moment and then wrapped his towel up around his head like a turban. "Cool! A competition!"

Terri smiled and stood at her full height. "Well, I'm glad you accept."

"Wait until I tell my mom and dad!"

Before Terri could say anything, she watched as Jacob darted off in the opposite direction. She kept her eyes on the boy as he was pulled into his mother's arms. Smiling, Terri straightened up a bit when Mrs. Armstrong made a motion for her to come over.

Walking towards Mrs. Armstrong, Terri watched as Jacob excitedly told her that he was in a competition; no doubt that this must have been his first one. As Jacob finished his tale of glory, Terri nodded in greeting to Mrs. Armstrong. "So Jake's in a swimming competition next week?" she questioned.

"It would be on Thursday, at six. Warm-up is at five thirty but it would be ideal if he could make it here for quarter after five... there's just the swimmer's cards that have to be filled out and any last minute things."

Adrienne nodded in delight. "No, that's great. I'll be here, along with my husband. And if you don't mind me asking... would it be possible for you to come back to my home after for I don't know, dessert and drinks. My husband would like to meet you and there's just something we want to ask you."

Terri tensed up for a moment. "You can ask me anything now," she offered.

Adrienne smiled weakly. "It's more of a favor... and not for me or Jake. Just... don't worry about it. But if you can come over later, it'd be great."

Terri nodded. "Yeah sure, that's fine."

Adrienne looked down at her son to see that he was pulling on his shoes and shirt and nodded. "Well alright then. I'll have Jake here for five fifteen on Thursday. And I can expect you later then?"

Terri nodded. "Sure can."

Adrienne said a quick 'bye' as she and Jacob walked out back into the parking lot. Terri watched them and wondered what kind of favor they could possibly ask her for. Shaking her head, she looked back towards the staff room of the pool and sighed when she saw that it could use another cleaning... for the second time that day.