When " I " is replaced with " we " even illness becomes wellness . - Malcolm X When she arrived home , with a dead phone , all three of her kids were there . " Mom ! Where the hell have you been ? You should have been home an hour ago ! " JD chastised and she quietly apologized . Her excitement from today was gone . Her determination to make changes fizzled . Her bag was tossed in the floor of her closet forgotten . Reese preferred the Golden Iron gym over the bigger gyms . There were usually fewer people . He liked the owner . Although he wasn't gay , he enjoyed flirting with Preston . And the pools . He was doing laps , well , umm , without doing laps . The current in the ten foot square pool was turned up almost all the way . He had been going at it for about thirty minutes and was getting ready to get out . With a warning beep , the timer started to lower the strength of the current . Even over the mechanisms , water and his own ragged breathing , he heard the giggling . Giggling like that belonged to girls . The ones around Dean's age , maybe a little older . The ones that meant trouble . He knew that he did not look his age . But he was old enough to be the father of the majority of the girls that had been hitting on him lately . Or , as his lovely nieces pointed out , their grandfather . The machine beeped letting Reese know that he only had ninety seconds until it shut down . There was more giggling and loud whispers that he could not make out . Dean had told him that age gap was the latest trend on BookTok . He wasn't exactly sure what age gap was , or even BookTok , but he had a pretty good idea , and thought the whole thing just sucked . He was fifty - two being hit on by college coeds . Beep , Beep . The slow current stopped and Reese reached out for the bar along the front . With his hand firmly in place , he placed his feet under him and pulled off his goggles . Sure enough , four college age girls sat by his towel . He was certain that they were college because they all wore sorority shirts . The only thing worse than coeds , were sorority girls . Especially when they were pledging . Catching himself before he rolled his eyes ; thank you , Dean , for that habit ; he moved to the stairs to get 1/3 2:53 pm PPPD Chapter 9 : Golden Iron out . There were four current pools and one actual lap pool . He felt their eyes on him as he climbed out of the pool and walked over to the bench . " Excuse me . " He said without looking at any of them as he grabbed his towel and slipped his shower shoes on . " What is that bee for ? " the blonde to his right asked putting her finger on his bicep beneath his Seabee tattoo . " Navy Seabee . You should look them up . " Still drying off , Reese went to the attached locker room for a shower . Less than ten minutes later , he was walking out the other door leading out into the main portion of the gym . Nearly at the door , he heard Joel call his name . " Come talk to me . I have a question for you . " Joel was about Reese's age , maybe a few years older . His dark hair was graying at the temples with the beginnings of a receding hairline . His hazel eyes held warmth and a spark of life that he nearly lost with his wife . The laugh lines around his mouth and eyes had deepened over the last few years as he settled into being a grandfather . He was clean shaven today , his usual mustache and goatee gone , and he looked odd to Reese . Hopefully , it would be a while before he lost another bet with his kids . Just like his staff , he wore the gym shirt . Where the majority of the staff wore exercise pants or shorts , he wore khaki pants . The crocks on his feet gave away the fact that he had not planned on being out of his office . Reese nodded and walked over to the glass walled office . " Don't have long . I have to pick my little princess up in a bit . " There was a murmur among the women nearby . " I thought Cheryl was in Colorado with the college . " Joel said ushering the other man inside . The large office had glass on three walls . Reese knew that this was for two reasons . One for safety and he could keep an eye on the gym and on the front desk . And also because HD was notoriously disorganized . Everyone being able to see into his office forced him to keep his desk and office organized . And if it got out of hand , his daughter , Pinky , stepped in . Her office behind the front desk was completely closed off . Not just because she was slightly OCD with everything being in it's place . But also because as a dietitian and counselor , she offered her office as a safe space . " She is . I have Dean while Mary is deployed . " He said stepping inside and sitting in the large chair . " Right . " Joel replied closing the door and sitting behind his desk . " This is an odd question and one I never thought that I would ask . What do you do about people having sex in your clubs ? " 2/3 2:54 pm PPPD . Chapter 9 : Golden Iron " I don't . I have bouncers . But first offense is a warning and second time they are kicked out and criminal trespass . Never allowed back in at any of the clubs . " Joel looked at his friend in shock . Slowly , he shook his head . " That simple ? " Reese chuckled at him . " No. It cannot be that damned simple . " It's really that simple . Like I said . Bouncers . I'll ask Neo to come over , he can set a system up for you . Train your staff how to handle it . " " Thanks . " Joel said as they both stood up and shook hands over the desk . " By the way , you have sorority girls hanging out in the pool room . " " I hate fall . " Joel grumbled and Reese laughed . Chapter Comments 5 23 Write Comments < SHARE 3/3 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!