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Caroline stepped up to talk with the front desk while the rest of us hung back and took in the cozy surrounding. I took a deep breath and inhaled the calming scent of lavender and eucalyptus. This was exactly what I needed. I needed a weekend away from drama. No boyfriends or parents or work. Just lots of rest and relaxation. I had been pissed and even broken up with Luke because he paid for my trip, but now that I was here, I was so grateful. We were going to spend a weekend pampering ourselves and relaxing in the lap of luxury.
We all had our own private cabins. I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement. It was so beautiful. The suite was everything I could have imagined. The cabin had a gas fireplace and a tiny patio with a hot tub overlooking the woodlands. A plush robe hung on a hook with the spa’s name in the corner. Plush chairs were positioned in front of the fireplace. And the window offered a beautiful view of the pine trees outside.
After leaving my suitcase, I changed into yoga pants and rejoined the ladies in the lodge to meet up for our first treatment. It was a soothing massage that I was desperately in need of. I felt my worries start to melt away. The expert hands of the masseuse worked out all the knots in my muscles, leaving me feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
As we sipped on refreshing herbal teas and nibbled on delicious snacks, we chatted about nothing in particular. “This is amazing,” Lena said. “I hate leaving the babies, but good lord I needed this.”
“Me too.” Caroline smiled. “I have let myself get way too worked up with this wedding nonsense. I needed this.”
“What about you?” Julia asked me.
I smiled. “This is exactly what I needed.”
As we moved on to our next treatment, a hydrating facial, I felt my skin come alive. The expert esthetician worked her magic, leaving my skin glowing and radiant. I missed the pampering money could buy. Living at home, I had all the money I could ever want with access to these kinds of luxuries. When I moved out, I left all of that behind.
“Should we soak in the hot tub before we get dinner?” Julia asked when we left our facials.
“That sounds perfect.” I smiled.
As we lounged in the hot tub, surrounded by the beauty of nature, I felt a sense of peace wash over me. We drank champagne and leaned our heads back on the air pillows. The time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, surrounded by the beauty of nature, was restoring my soul. I felt like I had been running at full speed for too long. It felt good to take a second to just breathe and not think about money, my father, or Luke.
We took our dinner back to Caroline’s cabin, which was a large suite. As we enjoyed a delicious meal, savoring every bite of the locally-sourced ingredients, we chatted about our busy weeks.
“This is so good,” I commented and took another bite.
“I think it’s healthy, too,” Lena said.
“Healthy doesn’t taste this good.” Julia shook her head. “Remember when we went on that cauliflower diet? Cauliflower mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, and the worst, the noodles made from cauliflower.”
We all laughed. “My mom was all about that fad,” I said. “Until my dad put his foot down.”
“What about that sugar and gluten free cake?” Caroline asked. “You guys actually thought I was going to eat that shit.”
The three of them laughed. Caroline looked at me. “They brought me a birthday cake that was nothing but, I don’t even know what. It was horrible. It was like eating Styrofoam.”
“She had made a New Year’s resolution to cut out sugar.” Lena shrugged. “We were just trying to help her out.”
“I was drunk,” Caroline said. “You cannot make a resolution when you’re shitfaced.”
“You stuck to it for a few weeks,” Julia said. “I was very proud of you.”
“I could never do it.” I shook my head. “I need my sugar. I need caffeine. I need alcohol. I don’t make resolutions. I know I’m going to fail. It just seems like I’m setting myself up to feel like a failure.”
“Here, here,” Caroline said and held up her glass of champagne.
We were mid-drink when there was a knock on the door. We all looked at each other with some confusion. I actually had to do a little head count to make sure we were all in the room.
“Are we expecting someone?” Julia asked.
“I’ll get it,” Lena said and then stopped. “Do bears knock?”
Julia grabbed a fork and held it like she was going to use it as a weapon. I wasn’t sure how a fork compared to a bear’s claws, but it wasn’t like I knew much about fighting off bears. We all waited and watched as Lena opened the door.
“You’re not the stripper we were expecting.” She laughed and stepped out of the way.
Luke stepped into the cabin. “Sorry, I’d prefer to keep my clothes on. It’s pretty cold out there.”
“What are you doing here?” Julia asked.
