Harmony and Neil go to the gym
Early the next day Harmony goes to Crimson Lights and gets in line behind Lily who has the twins.
After greeting the family Harmony says "Lily, you know I just can't thank you enough for bringing Anna here for the twin's birthday."
"Oh it was no problem," Lily waves off the comment. "It was like a triple family reunion. Me and my dad and Cane and his mom and you, Devon and Anna. My mom always taught us that family should find a way to stick together. When we were teenagers and Devon would try to bail out of the family, she would always give him that same pep talk to bring him back into the fold."
Harmony felt the familiar pain that always gripped her heart when she heard about the hardships her son had faced without her. Devon had been through so much—because of her. Despite the shame she felt, she smiled at Lily. This is what she was learning, to work through the emotions. "Drucilla was a very wonderful person," she said.
"You were lucky to have her." She wanted to say Devon and Anna didn't exactly hit the jackpot in the mom department, but she refrained.
"It's hard not having her here with me, but I still feel close to her because of the twins. My daughter gets this look on her face like this," Lily put a comical frown on her face. "And she looks just like my mom." Lily laughed.
Harmony laughed with her.
"So where are you going? Taking a jog before work?" Lily asked eying Harmony's sweat suit and sneakers.
"Me jog? That will be the day," Harmony said. "I'm going to the Athletic Club to work out."
"Oh this is the time my dad usually works out," Lily said giving Harmony a knowing look. "You wouldn't be by any chance meeting him there?"
"I, uh…" Harmony stammered unable to hide her obvious embarrassment. "Yes, I'm meeting your dad. He got this free guest pass and gave it to me. It's just a workout."
"Hey, you both are consenting adults. My dad doesn't have to answer to me anymore," Lily laughed and then added. "So are your tights under your suit? Are you going to change at the club?"
"No, this is what I planned on wearing."
"I guess it will do for today," Lily said still examining Harmony's outfit. "But later we have to go to Fenmore's to get you some workout clothes." Lily says.
"If this suit is good enough for my usual power walks around the park, then it should be good enough for the club," Harmony said stubbornly.
"Just trust me on this one," Lily insisted. "Meet me for lunch." Just then one of the twins started to whimper. "That's my que, no more chat time for mommy."
Harmony helped Lily to her car with the twins and then went to the gym. When she arrived, Neil was not there, but she saw right away why Lily had tried to warn her about her frumpy sweat suit. All of the women were wearing body hugging spandex shorts and yoga pants. Harmony turned and tried to leave but ran right into Neil.
"Sorry I'm late,' Neil said and kissed her on the cheek. He handed her a water bottle and led her over to a clearing in the gym where a few people were stretching on mats. Harmony noticed not for the first time, Neil's excellent physique. You could tell that the man had an awesome body in his suits. Now his chiseled form was on full display in knee length shorts and a t-shirt.
"After this we'll jump on the treadmills," Neil said.
Harmony agreed still feeling self-conscious. She'd get through this somehow and go buy some new stuff, pronto! She bent down and easily touched her toes. She stretched every single day before doing her laps around the park.
They'd been stretching for a few minutes when a petite attractive woman wearing black and pink cropped yoga pants and a matching midriff baring top walked up to Neil as he was standing stretching his quads.
"Neil, I'm glad I bumped into you" the woman said. "I was going to call you later, we need to talk."
It took a second for Harmony to recognize the woman. She was attorney, Leslie Michaelson. Restless Style had profiled her last summer. Harmony had read the article online before she came back to Genoa City. The article was grudgingly favorable considering the fact that Leslie had represented Adam Newman, an enemy of the publication.
Neil introduced Leslie to Harmony. Leslie acknowledged her with a brief nod before turning back to Neil. "I hate to interrupt your workout, but this is important, can we talk?"
"Sure," Neil said and told Harmony he would be back in a minute. Harmony watched Leslie and Neil walk over to a secluded part of the gym so they would not be overheard. Harmony tried to fight the wave of sadness that was welling up in her. Leslie was the kind of woman Neil should be with. She was successful and beautiful like Sophia and Drucilla. Harmony wanted to run away, instead she got on a treadmill and walked at full speed until she felt better. Endorphins really were no joke. She jogged for the last five minutes and still Neil continued to talk to Leslie.
She exited the machine and walked over to the free weights. Neil said they would start with the nautilus equipment, but since he was "busy" Harmony figured she'd do her own thing. She looked at the free weights and picked up a rather large heavy one when Sarge appeared behind her in the mirror.
"Be careful with that thing," Sarge says, "you just might hurt yourself." He takes it from her, puts it back on the rack and hands her two five pound weights instead.
"Do I look like a weakling to you?" Harmony huffed but accepted the weights. Her sass was always in full effect around Sarge, no matter the circumstances. He just bought it out in her.
"I can tell when someone is in over their head," said Sarge. "It's what I do for a living." He instructed her on how to do arm curls and Harmony copied his movements. Sarge touched her elbow lightly and with professional tact indicating that she should put her elbows in closer to her body.
"Why do I have the feeling you're not talking about the weights," Harmony asked as she continued to do the exercises.
"I am referring to dumbbells," Sarge drawled and crossed his arms over his chest, "only the ones I'm talking about have two legs."
Harmony rolled her eyes and continued to watch her movements in the mirror so she wouldn't make any mistakes. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Sarge took one of the weights from Harmony and put it back on the rack. Next he showed her how to do arm extensions with the remaining weight.
"You've been avoiding Neil, even using me to do it," Sarge said finally. "Today he's over there talking to someone else. And you can't keep your eyes off of him. Anyone would be curious."
"So you're curious? A second ago, you said you knew I was in over my head," Harmony quipped. Sarge didn't answer, just instructed her on the proper way to do arm extensions to work the triceps.
Just then Neil approached them and shook Sarge's hand in greeting. "Harmony, I'm terribly sorry, but I have to go contact my brother. Something very important is going down and he needs to know about it."
"Is everything alright?" Harmony asked. The casual observer wouldn't be able to tell, but Neil was worried. He had the same look when he was concerned about Devon following the surgery in Dallas. Whatever he'd discussed with Leslie all this time wasn't good.
"I'm sure Malcolm's fine," Neil assured her, "but I can't say so much for one of his friends. I'll tell you all about it tonight. Meet me downstairs at 8 o'clock."
Harmony started to say something but Neil stopped her. "Don't be late," he said. He shook Sarge's hand again then left. No peck on the cheek this time. Harmony was bit disappointed, but moreso she was concerned. What was going on? She'd have to wait until tonight to find out.
"Still in denial?" Sarge asked snapping her out of her thoughts.
"What?" Harmony asked. She'd almost forgotten Sarge was there. "Oh, you'd best mind your business or you're going to be the one who needs physical therapy." She pretended to hurl the weight she was holding at him. To her surprise Sarge laughed. Well at least the corner of his mouth lifted and he chuckled. That was the closest to a thing to a laugh she'd ever seen from her friend since they'd met a few months ago.
During her lunch break that afternoon, Harmony met Lily and they went shopping. Lily's taste was superb. She picked out clothes for herself, the twins and Harmony. Harmony tells Lily she has a lot of talent being able to pick out clothes for three different demographics. Lily says she modeled for a while and learned a thing or two about fashion. After their brief shopping spree, they go to Crimson Lights for coffee. Harmony tells Lily that there's an opening for a fashion editor at the magazine. Maybe she should apply.
Lily says the children and Cane are a handful already. She would think about it, but Billy Abbot kind of gives her the creeps, not to mention the contentious relationship he has with her husband. Cane might not approve.
Lily asks how the workout went and Harmony says Neil had to leave, Something was going on with a friend of Malcolm's. Lily asks for specifics, but Harmony doesn't know. He told her he'd tell her at dinner.
"Dinner, huh?" Lily teased, but then grrew serious. "I hope everything is alright with Uncle Malcolm."
"If anything was wrong he would have told you," Harmony said patting Lily's hand from across the table. "He said it wasn't about Malcolm really, but a friend of his."
"I wonder what friend he's talking about?" Lily mutters almost to herself. She takes out her phone and calls Neil, but he doesn't pick up.