Traveling can be exhausting.
I caught my 6am flight and made the first connection without a hitch. Then with weather delays, two airports later, the rental car company was unable to find my reservation and then driving an hour and a half in the rain, I finally made it to my destination. My hometown.
It felt good to be home again and I was looking forward to a nice, uncomplicated visit with my family. My parents are getting up there in age and I worry about them, so it will be good to spend some time with them.
There was, however, more than one reason for my trip. Check in on my parents, and just get away from my life for a while. With my own marriage in the toilet, I just needed a break, a change of scenery, time away from the deafening silence of being ignored so I can breathe and think. What better place is there to spend time contemplating your future than your hometown and the home you grew up in?
I pull up to the house just as my dad is about to pull away in his old work truck. He stops and rolls down his window. "Hi sweetheart" he says.
"Hey dad, where are you going?" I replied.
"Just heading up the road to grab a load of firewood before the northern blows in. Ya want to come along?" He asks
"Yea, sure. Let me change clothes real quick."
A few minutes later, we are heading up the dirt road, and an hour later we are back at the house with a truck bed full of firewood. We unload and stack the wood on the back porch before going inside for dinner with mom.
I was already feeling better. Fresh country air, some physical work and a little comfort food are good for the soul.
After dinner, mom and I clean up the kitchen and then follow our usual ritual of pouring ourselves a glass of wine, bourbon for dad, and sitting out on the back deck. It's a beautiful evening out. The sun is beginning to drop below the horizon and you can smell the rain coming. The temperature will soon begin to drop as well.
The next morning when I wake, I can hardly turn my head. There's a kink in my back near my right shoulder blade and pain shoots up to my neck with the slightest movement of my head. Between traveling and hauling the wood, I've done a number on myself.
I drag myself to the bathroom, take some Advil and a long hot shower hoping it will take care of it.
Two sleepless nights later, with the kink in my back only getting worse, I decide I should try to get a massage somewhere so I text an old friend who still lives in town and ask for a recommendation. He was kind enough to give me two numbers. The first was booked until next week so I tried the second. They had an opening at 12:30. Three hours from now. Perfect! I popped some more Advil and rode with dad up in the pasture to check on the cattle. The northern was here and the wind was blowing pretty hard. The temperature had dropped 30 degrees from yesterday. Typical weather in Texas. Tomorrow could be back in the 70's.
Back at the house I told mom and dad to have lunch without me, I was going into town and get this kink worked out of my back.
The spa was in a tiny little strip center off the main drag. I found it easy enough and went in and waited until the receptionist finished checking someone out.
"Are you Ms West?" She asked me.
"Yes. Jillian. I have a 12:30 appointment." I said.
She stood, smiled, and said "Welcome to Bluebonnet Day Spa. Please follow me, we have a little paperwork to complete and then Markus will be right with you."
She led me to the back room and showed me to a comfy sofa, handing me a clipboard with a form attached and asked if I'd like a glass of water.
"No thank you." I replied as I got to work on the form.
Just as I completed the paperwork, a man walks in and says, "Hello, I'm Markus, I'll be taking care of you today. Please come with me."
I really didn't pay too much attention to the Masseuse who greeted me. I just wanted to get started. I noticed that he was young, probably around 30, brown hair, nice smile and fairly tall. He was courteous and professional. I, on the other hand, was a mess in leggings and a loose bulky sweater, hair pulled back in a ponytail and no makeup. I'm also in pain so I didn't really care about much else right then.
Markus then led me into the massage room and said, "I see you're having trouble with your right shoulder blade. Let's see if we can get that taken care of for you."
Then he asked me to undress to my comfort level, lie on the table under the blanket, face down and he would return in a few minutes.
I quickly strip down to nothing and lie on the table. I'm ready to get some relief. The table is warm and comfortable and I'm anticipating a nice full body massage with focus on my shoulder blade.
Markus returns and asks if I'm comfortable as he dims the lights.
There's soft "spa" music playing and scented candles burning on a shelf.
Markus folds back the blanket to expose my back. I can hear him moving around the room quietly as he sets up.
He starts at my upper back and neck, his strong hands massaging with perfect amount of pressure. With warm massage oil he uses long strokes all the way from my shoulder blades to the small of my back. Using a circular motion he gives extra attention to the pressure points over my shoulder blade. I let out soft sighs as he works his magic, and I can feel the tension leaving me already. After several more minutes of attention to the full length of my spine, he pauses and folds the blanket back a little lower off my hips. I'm feeling like quite a bit of my butt cheeks are exposed now but I've never been shy so I don't mind. He then begins kneading the small of my back, across the top of my pelvis, the upper part of my glutes and sides of my hips. I've had many massages over the years but never so much attention to this particular area. It feels amazing. As he works my hip, my body is being pushed slightly back and forth. Like a slight rocking motion. I feel my freshly waxed mound rub gently across the table sheet as he pushes the side of my hip.
I hear myself let out a little moan and realize I'm becoming aroused.
It's been so long since I've had a man's hands on me and this is feeling so nice. I let out a long contented sigh as his hands make circular motions, pressing down over my hips, gently pressing my now slightly swollen lips into the table. Don't get yourself all worked up, I tell myself.
Markus then pulled the blanket back up to cover my back and shoulders, and adjusted the rest of the blanket to expose my right leg, giving a little tuck to secure it between my legs. This is a pretty routine way to go about it. But then he folds the blanket so the entire right side of my body is exposed.
I'm starting to feel a tiny bit apprehensive but also very excited. Come on girl, I'm thinking to myself, Relax...Calm down...It's going to be fine. This is not erotic, this is therapeutic.
