Shake It Out

Hip-Hop Abs isn't normally something you would find Alison Hendrix partaking in; but as she stands in Beth's house staring at the colorful DVD case, she knows she's going to be swindled into doing the workout.

"Really?" she snaps, hand reaching up to smooth her ponytail.

"Yes, really," laughs Beth, who holds the offending item in both hands. "C'mon, Ali, it'll be fun. You said you needed something to get you in shape. This is it."

"Something like running, Beth. Weight training. I'm not doing this, I refuse to embarrass myself."

In front of you, she fails to say. I refuse to embarrass myself in front of you.

"I'll do it with you!" Beth insists. "I need to start targeting my abs more anyway." She gives her flat belly a pat, and looking at it flexing beneath Beth's white tank top Alison doesn't think it needs any more work.

A long silence. Beth becomes impatient and begins whispering "Hip-Hop Aaaaaaaabs," while trying to press the DVD case to Alison's face.

"You are a child!" snaps Alison, jerking away.

Beth wiggles her eyebrows. "What, is it too hard for you? I thought you did ballet when you were younger. Were you bad at it or something?" Alison gasps, and Beth knows she's won.

Alison rests a hand on the collar of her shirt, looking greatly wronged. "I am a fantastic dancer, thank you very much," she hisses.

"Is that a yes?" demands Beth eagerly. Alison sighs. Beth takes this as an affirmation and howls "Hip-Hop Abs! We're gonna be the sexiest clones in Clone Club, babe."

Alison flinches. "I told you not to say that word."

"What?" Beth plays dumb. "Clones?"

"Elizabeth." Beth can always tell when she's in hot water because Alison will call her Elizabeth instead of Beth, like she's scolding a child. She considers this an achievement and grins wryly.

"I'm picking up the kids from school and taking them to Donnie's parents'. He's leaving to go drinking with coworkers in half an hour. Meet me at my house around then and we'll do your….. your Hip-Hop nonsense." Alison looks horrified at the mere thought.

"Abs," supplies Beth, lifting her shirt and patting her own abs as a demonstration. Alison rolls her eyes with an uttered "ooooh" of frustration and takes her leave. Beth makes sure to whisper "Clones," right before the door closes, just to make sure she gets the last word in. She hears Alison shriek "A child!" from the other side of the door and smiles.

"All right, now take it back!" the instructor calls from the TV. Alison skips backwards while attempting to move her arms to the beat.

"Woohoo, shake it Ali!" Beth catcalls around a mouthful of Pop-Tart.

"What is this?" snaps Alison, voice high and breathy with exertion and frustration. "I thought we were doing this together!"

"Yeeeaaaa," drawls Beth, "but it's way more fun to watch you do it." She tilts her head and stares appreciatively. "Your ass looks great from back here."

Alison gives her an irritated glance before leaping back into the workout. Beth breaks off a corner of her Pop-Tart and chews thoughtfully. "Meanwhile, I thought you didn't want to do this. And yet you look really into it. What's that about?"

"You challenged me," Alison pants. "I never back down from a challenge. Need I remind you-"

"You played Annelle in Steel Magnolias without any prior work with accents, yes, I know. You've told me a hundred times, babe."

"Yes, well." Alison goes quiet after that, apparently irritated that Beth could finish the story for her.

After a few more minutes of Alison engaging in risqué dance moves and Beth occasionally whistling her appreciation, Alison speaks up again.

"You did this on purpose."

"What?" asks Beth innocently, and a stray crumb on her lip adds to the image. Alison swallows, contains herself.

"You know what," Alison insists.

Beth suddenly smiles a wolf's grin. "You're right. I hoodwinked you into doing Hip-Hop Abs 'cause I like watching you dance. You caught me." She runs a hand through the curling brown hair that she was too lazy to blow-dry today. "But can you blame me? You look hot."

Alison finally smiles, and the grin that crosses Beth's face is bright enough to light the entire house for at least three more days. They laugh.

They're happy.

She has time before she needs to pick up the kids from school, so she changes into her workout clothes and pops in the DVD.

She hasn't done this since Sarah arrived. Since she heard the news.

She begins the dance, hopping from foot to foot. Rolling her arms. Swinging her hips. Her heart begins to grow heavy at the silence surrounding her.

Sure, there's the music and the instructor calling out commands and the sound of her own heavy breathing, but it's not enough. It's not enough.

She needs Beth. Needs her sarcasm, her childish attempts to get a rise out of Alison. Needs her apparent love for life, her exuberance about everything.

Alison remembers the first time she did this workout, and all the times after that. The way Beth had seemed happy. Had seemed to enjoy herself. Had it all been a lie?

Swallowing her tears, Alison murmurs "Shake it, Ali," and if she pretends hard enough it sounds like Beth's voice.

But it's not. And it never will be.