Page 19 of Accidental Getaway

I wake the next morning with a pounding headache.

Ana and I danced until our feet couldn’t take it any longer.

Once we were back at the Omorfiá, I laid in my bed and stared at the ceiling, wanting and waiting to feel.

I was met with emptiness, left wondering what is wrong with me for falling for Malcolm’s games.

Will I ever be able to have a normal relationship?

A normal job? Or am I just a lost cause?

I drag myself out of bed. I have a meeting with Niko this afternoon. We’re supposed to get on a video call with Amber and discuss our plans, which are still largely non-existent. I’ve worked on the proposal but haven’t been able to get his thoughts on any of it. I need a nap. Or a massage.

And then I remember telling Niko I was going to the spa. After last night, that conversation feels like it happened a million years ago. Still, I know he’ll ask about it.

I scrounge around on the desk and eventually find the brochure underneath my rubber duck. I pick up the cute little duck. Maybe it’s a good luck charm. I slip it into my purse before grabbing the brochure .

A few minutes later, I am being greeted by a soft-spoken, calming aesthetician inside the spa. Once we agree on a treatment, I’m escorted to a changing room with pristine white lockers. She hands me a robe and headband made from the softest, plushest fabric I have ever had the pleasure of touching.

I could totally get used to this.

I slip my clothes off and fold them neatly before placing them in a locker and pulling out the key to slip it into my robe pocket.

Standing in front of a large mirror with soft lighting, I brush my hair and slip on the headband.

Despite the rough night, I don’t look that all that out of place in the robe, headband, and plush slippers they gave me.

If I saw the girl looking back at me, I would assume she visits the spa weekly.

It’s a weird feeling to see my face in the mirror and yet not recognize the person as a whole at the same time.

I tighten my robe and exit the small dressing room. I’m supposed to go lay down in a room she indicated, but my nerves are making me feel like I need to pee.

I head back toward the front of the spa to ask about a restroom. I hear the two women at the front talking in hushed voices as I approach.

“What are you going to do? Can you afford the surgery?”

I stop in my tracks. This conversation sounds private. I start to back away until I hear the other woman’s response.

“No, but Mr. Psomas overheard me on the phone yesterday. He offered to cover the cost. Said that he couldn’t bear the thought of Pebbles having to be put down.”

Pebbles? Is that a dog?

“But I don’t know,” the second voice continues. “Would that be weird? To owe money to my boss?”

My stomach flutters. Of course, Niko would do something like this. The more I get to know him, the more I like him.

“Did he say it was a loan? I think it sounds like a gift. And you know Mr. Psomas. He would never hold it over you. He’s a good one.”

I hold my breath, waiting to hear what Pebbles’s owner thinks. Their voices change then, and I know someone has entered the spa.

“Good morning, Ms. Psomas! Welcome. I have you down for a hydrating facial this morning, correct?”

I’m so lost in thought, picturing Niko snuggling an injured dog, that it takes me a second too long to realize they are talking to Ana. I scramble when I hear them coming. I don’t want to look like I was eavesdropping. Before I can get too far, we’re all standing, facing each other, in the hallway.

“Jenni! My darling!” Ana wraps me in a hug so tight that I don’t quite know what to do with my arms. I shoot an apologetic expression at the aesthetician.

“So sorry to interrupt. I was just heading to my procedure room.”

Ana lets out a tiny gasp as if she just had the best idea. “Ooh, are you in for a facial? Can we share a room? I’d love to have some company.” She looks between me and the spa girl. “If you want to be alone, I totally understand. But it would be so nice to be together.”

Both women look at me expectantly. How do I say no when she puts it like that? Besides, I need to apologize for dumping all my baggage on her last night.

“Of course,” I say. “That would be great!”

“Right this way, then.”

Once we are settled on side-by-side massage beds, wrapped in warm, thick blankets, and resting our heads on gentle pillows, the aesthetician begins by laying a warm cloth over my face.

I instantly feel more relaxed. Soft calming music is coming from somewhere in the room and I feel like I could literally fall back asleep if I’m not careful.

Although I do still need to pee, just a little .

Ana and I both start talking at the same time. She lets out a nervous laugh—something I wouldn’t expect from her.

“Go ahead,” I say.

“I thought a lot about the things you said last night,” Ana mutters as two women get to work on us.

My aesthetician rubs some sort of serum into my cheeks.

It smells citrusy, like grapefruit. “It really helped me, so I wanted to thank you. Sometimes I miss my sister so much and feel so guilty that I don’t know how I’m going to get out of bed.

And on the other days, I work so hard to put on a happy, over-the-top personality to pretend it never happened.

I know I will always miss her, but maybe I don’t have to always feel so frozen by the thought that I’m moving on without her. You know?”

I hadn’t really thought about that. Ana has to do everything without her sister now. Callie won’t ever get a new job, get married, or have children. But Ana might. She’ll have to think about her sister any time something good happens in her life.

“That sounds like a lot to carry,” I comment, while the aesthetician rubs underneath my jaw. “Your sister wouldn’t want you to be frozen. I think she would want you to live the life you want. You deserve that.”

“I think you’re right,” she finally responds, sounding as relaxed as I feel. “If our situation were reversed, I would want her to do everything she ever wanted. Wear the dress, get the haircut, take the job, kiss whomever she wanted to kiss.”

I try to respond, but my upper lip and chin are being slathered in something green and foamy. I settle for humming my agreement.

“I’m so glad you aren’t letting your past trap you, Jenni,” Ana goes on. “I don’t know you very well yet, but look at you! You have a great job; you are traveling the world. You’re doing things with your life. That makes me happy.”

Her words are so ridiculous I almost laugh. That’s the impression Ana has formed of me over the last few days? I almost tell her how wrong she is, but the aesthetician speaks before I do.

“Sorry, ladies, no more chatting. We’re applying the masks now. It’s made from sea algae and is enriched with minerals and oils. We’ll let it dry and do its magic for about fifteen minutes.”

“Thank you,” I say and hope Ana knows it’s directed at her as well.

After the masks are applied, the aestheticians announce they will start the IV hydration.

“Just a little pinch,” she warns, wiping the inside of my elbow.

Um, what is happening right now? I try to open my eyes, but there’s a hydrogel pack resting on top of them. IV hydration? Like an IV drip in my arm with a needle?

Ouch. Yep, definitely that type of IV. I guess I missed that in the treatment plan when I picked the hydrating facial package. A bit of IV fluids can’t hurt, can it? I try to relax.

Ana is right. I shouldn’t let my past with Malcolm keep me from living my life.

But the mechanics of how to actually do that elude me.

How do I get his voice out of my head after all this time?

Ignore it? Do the opposite of what his voice tells me?

Maybe I need to stop worrying so much about what I’m doing or what anyone around me might be thinking.

Maybe I need to stop worrying about all the ways Malcolm messed with me and focus on having a little fun.

I’m all the way in Greece. If I can’t have fun and live my life without worrying about Malcolm here—an entire ocean away from Chicago—where can I?

I can feel the cold IV fluids pumping into my body. It sends a chill through me. I wonder how much fluid they are pumping in. I try to ignore the growing sensation in my belly. I definitely need to pee now .

My thoughts go back to what Ana said. I should embrace this second chance and put myself out there a bit more.

Open myself to the possibility of having fun and succeeding.

If only so I don’t let her down. She’s been through too much for me to let her see that I’m not the successful, happy person she thinks I am.

Because she needs to believe that her sister would have been okay if she had survived the car accident.

Before I know it, the women are back to wipe away the dry, cracked mask from my face with another warm cloth. It feels cleansing, refreshing. Like a new beginning. And I’m grateful it’s over because now I really have to pee.

“Don’t you feel amazing?” Ana asks from the other side of the room.

“Yes!” I say, as even more serum is massaged into my skin in slow circular motions. Are we not done? Panic rises in my throat when I look at the IV bag and find that it’s only half empty. I need to fit that much more fluid in my body? I am going to burst.

After what feels like another agonizing hour of fragrant moisturizers and steam treatments, I literally don’t know if I’m going to be able to get off the table.

All the muscles in my body are being used to make sure I don’t wet the bed.

The women finally remove our IVs and tell us to make our way back to the changing rooms when we’re ready. I slowly rise, afraid I’ll burst.

“Do you have a bathroom here?” I ask, bouncing on my toes.

The woman winces. That’s not a good sign. “Normally, we do. But it’s out of service right now. Sorry!”

“Oh, that’s okay,” I say, panic rising. “I’ll just get dressed and head to my room.”

I run out, telling Ana that I’ll see her later. I know I’m being rude, but trust me, the alternative would be so much worse.

I get dressed as fast as possible in my current state and rush from the spa. I speed-walk to my room. I just have to go up the grand staircase in the lobby and down two corridors. I can make it. I can make it.

“Hey, Jenni! Slow down,” I hear a familiar gravelly voice from somewhere behind me.

No, no, no. Not now. I stop and turn. Niko catches up with me halfway up the stairs. “How’s it going?”

“Good, thanks! Just heading back to my room to prepare for our meeting. We’re still on for this afternoon with Amber, right?”

He smiles and adjusts the cuff of his shirt. “I think so. I looked over the pitch she sent. Do you know what she meant by ‘targeted video’? Ads or social content? I don’t think the board is going to go for social content. We might have to take that out.”

“Sure, whatever you think is best. I am pretty sure she meant ads, but we can work on that at the meeting!”

Please let me go. We can talk all about your traditional marketing beliefs and why they are wrong later. Otherwise these stairs are going to need cleaning.

“I’m looking forward to it.” He smiles. “And about tomorrow … do you have most of the day free? I want to take you somewhere. It’s a surprise, but I promise you’re going to love it.”

I think I feel a leak. Or maybe I’m just going numb down there from how long I’ve been holding it. I’m going to give myself an infection. I need to get out of here right now.

“Sounds great! I love surprises.” I place a hand on my back pocket where my phone is tucked away. “Oh, shoot, my phone is ringing. It’s probably Amber. I’ve got to take this. I’ll see you later. ”

Without waiting for him to respond, I turn and run up the stairs to my room.

I make it, but barely—I definitely need to change my underwear. I don’t think I’ve ever felt such relief after emptying my bladder. I am definitely hydrated and definitely never doing that again.