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Let the healing begin
Once he’d committed to going to the spa, Tripp had given little thought to what it would actually look like. Plain walls some soothing color, rooms with the standard hotel bed, desk, dresser combination, hopefully a television, for those moments when all he wanted was a movie. Despite being told it wasn’t an intervention or rehab, the image in his head had still been one of a clinical space, minimalist and cold with harsh lighting. What he walked into was the opposite of everything he’d pictured.
Earth tones, warm mocha and chocolate, rich blends of reds and browns, grays and blues swirled together, murals on the walls, skylights in cloud painted ceilings. Everywhere he looked there were colors and movement.
As Zakk had explained, they’d booked the space out for the month, so the only occupants would be them and Lady Luna Lily, who would have a playroom all to herself. Who knew they had rooms for pets as well as humans?
“The facility is staffed twenty-four hours a day, so if you need something, anything at all, or are in the mood for any one of our numerous services, all you have to do is ring the office and it will be coordinated for you. We have a fully stocked kitchen, meals are prepared to order, and there is very little in the way of food preferences that we cannot accommodate.”
“So, if I call down at two am for a Philly cheesesteak pizza, I can get one?” Damien inquired.
“Absolutely, just let them know what size you’d like and any particular specifications, and they will be happy to see to your needs.”
“Why have we never visited a place like this before?” Damien asked, practically bouncing now. It was the liveliest Tripp had seen the man outside of watching him perform.
Their host giggled at hearing that and led them through a space that resembled a large, circular living room.
“We call this a multi-purpose room,” she explained. “We hold yoga and meditation sessions in here, when they are asked for, but as you can see it has all the accoutrements of home, including a big-screen television and entertainment system with access to several streaming services. It’s a great place to gather, talk and relax together. There are several gaming systems as well as a wide assortment of games. We like to encourage our guests to spend time disconnected from electronics, however, we also understand that for some, a space like this can prove relaxing and fun, so it is here, if you should choose to use it.”
They followed her down a hall that looked more like the interior of a cave, the walls with the texture and color of stones, low lighting cast from lanterns mounted along its surface rather than harsh overhead lights.
“Through here, you’ll find the hot tubs, as well as the swimming pool, sauna and lazy river.”
“Wait, you have a lazy river?” Riley blurted, having to be restrained by Dez to keep him from trampling his way to the front of their little group.
“Indeed we do,” she replied, leading them into a room that was, for lack of a better word, huge. The ceiling was peppered with skylights, while the domed roof over the lazy river was nothing but girders and glass, allowing plenty of natural light to shine through. There were plants lining the river as well, giving it a real jungle feel, and as Tripp looked around, he took note of the distance between the hot tubs and the way they each looked to be tucked behind a partial screen of vegetation. In fact, in some cases, he could barely make them out between the flowers and leaves.
Tripp was still trying to take it all in when Riley whirled around and looked up at Dez.
“You, me, lazy river under the stars?”
“You guys can wait for the stars,” Winter said. “I just wanna know where my room is so I can change and make my acquaintance with the river now.”
“In that case, allow me to show you where you will be staying,” she replied, leading them away from the aquatics center and back up the hall, taking a left and skirting around the yoga and gaming space, to head into a different wing.
“There are pocket-sized maps in your guidebooks of all the outdoor spaces, from the climbing walls to the koi ponds. Each meditation cove has a different theme. All are equipped with smart speakers and solar lighting and can be accessed twenty-four hours a day.”
“I saw in the brochure that there are outdoor grills and little patio areas too, where we can cook hibachi style,” Zakk mentioned.
Tripp’s thoughts immediately turned towards spareribs, steak, and vegetable kababs just as soon as he was free to enjoy something more than a soft-serve meal.
“Yes,” she replied. “The kitchen will provide everything you need, including place settings. The only thing we do not provide is alcoholic beverages, but we have a wide assortment of other drinks.”
“Actually, I think some of us would benefit from a lack of booze for a while,” Riley muttered, looking straight at Zakk when he said it.
“There may be some truth to that,” Zakk admitted with a small shrug.
“Well, then I’m pleased that we can offer the opportunity for you to do that,” she remarked.
“Thanks,” Riley and Zakk replied, while Tavis just nodded and nudged Winter, who cut him a look, even as his cheeks took on a rosy hue.
“Yeah, thanks,” Winter muttered, almost begrudgingly. After the photos splashed over the internet, Tripp was glad his brother was going to take a break from the drinking, though the person he truly blamed for that night was the reporter. It was bad enough they invaded the band’s privacy any chance they got. It was a whole new low to pretend to be some random out for a night of fun just to get close to one of them. Between him and Tavis they’d convinced Winter to let their management know the truth of what happened. It would be interesting to see what they choose to do with that bit of information, though Tripp supposed it was too much to hope that reporter would lose his job. Hell, he was probably some freelancer anyway, looking to cash in big on a quick story, then move on to the next opportunity.
“There is a full catalogue of the services we offer in each of the rooms, please explore them at your leisure. Your names are on the outsides of your doors, I’ll leave you to get settled in.”
When Zakk had asked about what color schemes he preferred, he’d flippantly answered anything that wasn’t green. Tripp soon learned why the question was important, when Tavis opened the door to his space, revealing a soft, pale-yellow interior. After years on the road with the man, and endless complaints about the drab tones of some of the hotels they’d stayed in, there was nothing but joy on Tavis’s face as he stared into the room.
“Meet you by the river in ten?” Winter said as he paused in the doorway with him.
