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“Thank you so much!” Selene replies. “And you have everything down for Naomi and me, right?”
“Yes, ma’am. Appointments are set up for three. Manicures and pedicures for you as well as your massages, and we can either accommodate you in the same room or separately,” she informs, and my jaw drops.
“Lena, I can’t afford—”
She cuts me off. “You deserve this, Nay. I’m taking care of everything.”
“Thank you,” I say, tears welling in my eyes at her kindness.
I’ve never been comfortable with the treats and presents Selene likes to send me when I’m at school, but the thoughtfulness of every gift always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. I know she’s financially well off, but the joy she gets from treating me is worth the bit of guilt that pops up every time she sends me a book I’ve been wanting to read, crafting supplies, or, at a few points, ordering my groceries for me when my budget was tight.
She turns back to the staff member. “Our third won’t be joining us though. She needed sleep more than a spa day . . . Can’t relate.” She laughs. “But I’ll be tipping for the staff who were scheduled for the appointments if that’s alright.”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s very generous of you. They will be appreciative.” The woman smiles at her before pulling a basket off of the table behind the check-in desk and handing it to Selene. “Here are the items you requested. Feel free to get changed in the locker rooms, then head into the spa whenever you’re ready.”
“Thank you!” Selene says brightly.
We change quickly into comfy cotton robes and slip-on sandals before taking the hallway into the main spa area.
Walking into the space is like entering a cozy cave with stone walls and floors and dim lighting. It’s warm and smells sweet, like eucalyptus and something bright, maybe citrus. We’re greeted in the main area by staff who ask us if we want beverages, and Selene requests water and wine for both of us. They get us settled in massage chairs, and I slip my feet into the basin at the base of it, enjoying the hot water warming me up as the women set up.
Selene chats with the staff members, catching up with them about their lives and families, while I’m sinking into the comfort of the massage chair. When their conversation dies down, there’s only a moment of silence before Selene turns her energies to me.
“Okay, cariña. No avoiding this.” My body tenses. “Tell me what’s been going on. Why’d you cut out early last week?’
I want nothing more than to sink deeply into the chair and avoid this whole conversation, but I know Selene won’t let it rest. Not because she’s nosy, well, maybe a little of that, but because she cares. Which makes me appreciate her all the more.
Working up the courage, I try to find where to start explaining.
“I had a really bad day last Wednesday,” I start slowly. “Everything just hit me all at once and it was like I was trapped in a cave that was quickly collapsing all around me.”
Turning to look at Selene, I take in her compassionate expression.
“I texted and called you . . .” She cringes. “You didn’t pick up.”
“Yeah . . .” There’s something she’s trying to hide behind her smile, but I just wait for her to explain. “Something . . . came up with Gunnar. We . . . I guess we had our first fight?”
“Y’all fight all the time, Lena.” My lips quirk up at the edges, and she smiles at my tease.
“We have spats and disagreements, sure. But we’ve never fought, not like this.”
The women around us are absolutely listening in but being respectful about it. Plus, there’s no one else in the room, which makes me feel a little more comfortable about talking so vulnerably.
“Sounds like we both did the thing where we got overwhelmed and hid away from each other then,” I say softly.
“Yeah. That.” She smiles back at me before her expression goes serious. “No more distracting me with my problems though. I’ll fill you in later. Back to you.”
I frown and roll my eyes.
“What triggered it?” Selene asks softly.
“Fucking Dr. Edwards.” She scrunches her face, reflecting my own frustration and anger back at me.
“Fuck that guy.”
“Yeah.” I sigh. “I was doing okay earlier in the day, but then I met with him and it just pushed me into a spiral that I couldn’t get out of.”
“So, you called me and I didn’t pick up . . . Then?”
