Living in the south of the Netherlands made Linda smile, she was happy that she had made the decision to leave Amsterdam 10 years ago.
Her husband Richard immediately agreed with her idea. Amsterdam was much busier and parking was a problem almost every day.
Fortunately, that was now a thing of the past.
Linda is 43 and works as a manager at a bank in Eindhoven, about half an hour's drive from her home.
Her husband is 2 years older and CEO at a large steel company with branches all over the world.
3 years ago, Linda celebrated her 40th birthday with family and friends.
She rented a castle with 12 bedrooms especially for that occasion so everyone could drink her expensive wine during dinner.
Because there were not enough rooms, not everyone could have a 'single room'
Linda had agreed to share a bedroom with Chantal and Priscilla.
Chantal is two years older and is a friend from her student days, she now works as a physiotherapist at a hospital.
Priscilla is one of her three personal secretaries at the bank and is in her early 20s.
That night they were so tired they had no time to discuss the evening, after brushing their teeth they wished each other good night and immediately fell asleep.
The next morning I woke up around half past eight and only then noticed how beautifully decorated the room was.
Excellent paintings from the 17th century on the walls and large Chinese vases in the corners.
Against the wall a beautiful desk with wooden chair and behind that a large mirror.
Priscilla was still asleep, but I heard water running in the bathroom, Chantal was in the shower.
On the outside of the bathroom door I saw the bathrobe that we had joked about yesterday: Who could use it, there turned out to be only one.
I thought back to the discussion with a smile.
Chantal must have thought this morning that, as the organizer of the party, I had the right using the bathrobe.
She's such a good person too, I'm glad I know her.
I look at Priscilla who is still sleeping when I suddenly see Chantal's clothes on a wooden box, she must have forgotten them when she left for the bathroom.
When I stay in bed I would see her naked as soon as she comes out of the bathroom and that thought made me very uncomfortable.
We are good friends but have never seen each other naked, there was never any reason for that, we both didn't like the sauna.
Chantal will also find it annoying when she discovers that her clothes are still in the bedroom, so I get out of bed and take a seat behind the desk with the large mirror in my pajamas.
There are a number of hotel brochures on the table, as well as a map of the area.
She had enjoyed the party yesterday, almost everyone was there.
John had been drunk and Aunt Marie had fallen, fortunately without any damage.
While her thoughts go back to last night, Chantal comes out of the bathroom.
"I forgot my clothes" she whispers because Priscilla is still sleeping.
"It's okay, that's what I thought," I whisper back as I remain seated behind the desk with my back towards Chantal.
I don't want to make her feel bad.
I don't want to look in the mirror like a voyeur, but it does happen very briefly.
This will be a kind of human reaction everyone recognizes.
I quickly see that Chantal has breast implants that she never told me about and I see that she had β taken white panties with her to the bathroom, so I could have stayed in bed afterwards.
Suddenly my heart skips a beat when I see that she isn't wearing panties after all.
She recently went on vacation and it's the tanline of her bikini bottoms.
Chantal is completely shaved!
I quickly look at the brochure again and pretend to read.
I can't let go of what I just saw,
I know that many young women shave, but not someone who is 45 years old, right?
I've never thought about it myself,
I don't want to look like a young girl from below.
What will Richard think when he sees me without pubic hair?
He will probably send me to a psychiatrist.
I understand that Priscilla may be bald underneath, she is still young.
But Chantal....
"Hello, are you really awake?"
Chantal had now gotten dressed and was laughing in a colorful summer dress.
Priscilla was also awake and already in the bathroom.
Luckily the bathrobe was still hanging on the door, so it was really mine.
"You were probably still thinking about the party?"
I tell her that I have never had so much fun and thank her for being there.
It must have been the alcohol that was still in my head, otherwise I would never have dared to ask this question, even though we have known each other for years.
"Can I ask you a very personal question?" comes out of my mouth.
I immediately regret asking this question, but it's already too late.
"Of course,"
Chantal reacts, "that's why we're friends, right?"
"Promise me you won't get angry?" I ask to be sure.
"Of course not, hurry up with that question. It can't be that bad, can it?"
I tell her that I secretly looked in the mirror when she came out of the bathroom and discovered that her vagina was completely shaved.
"Well, you don't have to be so difficult about that, you can just ask that question,"
Chantal indicates: "I've been shaving for years, haven't you?"
With this question I feel the blood rushing to my head, which is slowly starting to turn red.
I tell her that I have never thought of that and that it is more something for young girls like Priscilla.
Chantal laughs at this just as Priscilla leaves the bathroom in her cocktail dress from last night.
"You're not laughing at me, are you?" Priscilla asks in surprise.
"No," says Chantal,
"but our birthday friend thinks that you are only allowed to shave your vagina and I am not because I am already 45 years old. What do you think about that?"
I felt ashamed, now she had also involved Priscilla and that was not my intention at all.
It was a question that only friends ask each other and certainly not someone from my work and whom I also managed.
"Are there still people who don't shave?" Priscilla asked.
"Yes, the lady opposite me is still hiding her slit in a forest."
I felt myself sinking at this confrontational comment and wanted to leave the room as quickly as possible, but I stayed seated at the desk.
Apparently I am a rare phenomenon and all the ladies in the workplace walk around with a shaved pussy.
I had turned 43, but I immediately felt 10 years older at the thought.
I immediately got defensive and said
"I had never thought about it, why would I?"
"Richard would probably think I was going crazy."