When the line blurs

Professional or Personal

Selena let out a sigh of relief once she had locked the door behind her. The past one week had been a roller coaster. The decision to return to sports, to take on Col's case and when she had heard of Elijah's arrival in London, she had taken it as an encouragement from the heavens.

If she was to be honest, she didn't really know what she was doing. The last time she had been recognized as an official personal trainer was 3 years ago, she knew she was good but is she good enough, good enough to train a fallen 10th time world champion back into glory.

She had been drunk on pain and ambition, her sense of reasoning had been clouded by desperation but immediately she set her eyes on Col, immediately she saw his slight limp and the way he seemed to always rub his right wrist, like he was soothing it, immediately he said yes to her, she realized this wasn't just about her, they were each other's last resort, their union could either be the greatest hit or the greatest miss history would record.

Bringing out her training journal, she opened to the last documentary, the forbidden documentary. All is fair in love and war and this.... This is the war of survival for her.

Swiftly, she pulled her hair into a ponytail as she began to draft the diet plan she had used before, her other hand dialling a number on her phone.

"Hey Doctor." She said once the call was answered.

"Selena! t's been a while." A male voice responded, his surprise evident in his voice.

"Yes it has, Al. I have a client for you."

"A client... " He asked skeptically.

"I thought you had retired." He added making Selena smile a bit, her next sentence sending a sense of fulfillment through her veins.

"I am back on the Job Al and I need you."

"I'll be glad to help, you know that." He answered a bit dazed at the speed of events.

She had returned?

When?

A client already?

"I know your job makes provision for confidentiality but I need an even tighter privacy for this client. He is high profile and even the slightest mistake could cost him."

"What are you trying to say, Selena?" Alex asked knowing she had something up her sleeves. Selena was never one to beat around the bush except she was making a difficult request.

"Can it be an in-house consultation?" She asked, her voice a bit lighter this time.

"I do that too, it's not too much Selena. Just give me am address." He replied wondering if that was all. In-house has always been part of the services he provided so why the hesitation?

"He lives in New York." She replied, biting her lips as she anticipated his response.

Alex whom she referred to as Al in had an established hospital in London, leaving his business for just one client whose consultation may last longer than any of them could predict sounded bizarre even to her own ears but he was the only one she trusted for the job.

She could hear his multiple sighs as it sounded like he was flipping through papers.

For a while, it was just silence between them, the shuffling of papers a background noise that did well to reduce the tension.

"I'll be there every Thursdays to Mondays. They'll cater for my transport to and fro, accommodation and his consultation fee will be thrice the regular."

"Done." She replied excitement filling her voice.

Though Alex was surprised at her quick acceptance, he asked no question. He would know everything in due time.

Elijah had told her to secure anything she needed, money will not be a problem.

"Do you want to start tomorrow?"

"It's Monday tomorrow."

Al laughed at her suggestion, her excitement getting to him. He had worked with Selena twice and all of which had been a success, he had been shocked when 3 years ago, she had told him of her retirement just at the moment he thought she was about to hit the peak, apparently she had gotten married and had opted to focus on her husband.

Why she chose to come back, he had wanted to ask but he knew she would tell him when she was ready, he is her therapist after all.

"I cannot wait to see you." She said as she hung up, a little smile lingering on her face.

********

Col glanced at his phone for the upteenth time.

He was half expecting Daniel's call, his cold voice issuing a warning to keep things official or even asking him to send his precious sister back but it never came.

Did he not know?

Or does he trust him now?

"Col, my sister is out of question."

He could still hear his stern voice, he could still remember the way the smile had dropped off his face and then all he did was stare at her longer than necessary.

He wasn't scared of Daniel, no, that wasn't it.

It was the fear of betraying him.

Daniel had been there when no one was, he had believed in him when no one had. Both boys were from families that had little to nothing to spare though Daniel's condition was better, they atleast had enough for the two children while Col who lived with his single mother could hardly have two meals a day.

Daniel had helped anyhow he could, he had shared whatever he had, he had also pushed him to believe in himself to strive for a better future. Their line of work may have pulled them apart but they would still remain each other's best buddies.

Col glanced at the contract Elijah had given him, Selena's signature scribbled beautifully on it.

This need he felt for her, this urge to keep her, was it because he believed in her abilities or was he allowing his untamed heart rule his mind?

Glancing at her resume, he studied the document again.

There was something she wasn't saying. The time gap, what had made her take a 3 year break. He didn't buy that marriage bullshit she spewed, her eyes told a different tale and so did the desperation she had tried to hide earlier which she obviously was bad at doing so or it was just too much for her to hide.

Elijah had heard it too, hence the reason he thought she was perfect."She had something at stake so she would do anything." He had said.

Is she truly was trying to prove something by training him back into the race, would it not be a sort of payback to Daniel to offer her that opportunity?

'All he had to do was keep it professional, how hard could it be?' he thought, his eyes lingering on the beautiful scribbled signature, simple yet complicated, "Selena." It read.