Finally, after a half-hour drive, Amelia had made it to the spa. She turned the key in the ignition, shutting off the engine, and braced herself for the imminent cold. February in Chicago is not for the faint of heart. Swaddled in a huge black puffer, Amelia dashed for the spa's entrance shielding herself from the whipping wind. She wasn't just running from the cold; she also felt a pang of paranoia about whether anyone she knew might see her.
Amelia didn't want anyone to see her like this. She wasn't the kind to usually play hooky from work, especially only a few weeks into her newly promoted role as art director at the tiny marketing agency she worked for. She also wasn't the kind to step out in yoga pants and an enormous sleeping bag jacket. Amelia always loved to dress neatly, in a tailored fashion that emphasized her statuesque figure.
It wasn't about showing off; she took pride in looking put together. Though she maintained a reserved and cool demeanor, she secretly delighted in being noticed. She knew that sometimes a little classic look with an air of modesty was the sluttiest a girl could look.
But ever since she called it quits with Zach, she didn't want anyone to notice her. Tightening her arms around her slender waist, she shuffled faster towards the door.
"Welcome to Sunset Day Spa," cooed the receptionist behind the deck, beaming a bright smile.
"Good morning," Amelia groaned back. "I have a 1:00 massage, I know I am a bit early. It should be under Amelia Banner."
The receptionist checked the schedule, "Yes Amelia... You're right. While you wait, you can check out our saunas. We have all sorts: bamboo, salt, charcoal. They're the perfect way to help your muscles relax before your massage." Amelia watched the receptionist look up from the computer screen, sizing her up. Amelia shrunk into her coat, knowing that she probably didn't look her best.
The receptionist smiled empathetically. "You'll be working with Hazel today. She is amazing." Her eyes sparkled with intrigue. "You're going to love your time with her," she said knowingly, continuing to explain the spa's policies.
Amelia barely noticed what this woman was saying to her. She was lost replaying the same thought she had for the past three weeks, "Did I overreact? Was I too quick to break up with Zach?"
She recalled the exact moment she decided to end things. She had waited 35 minutes at La Charle for Zach to arrive for their 8:00 reservations, intended as a celebration for her promotion. After months of hard work--staying late, taking on extra accounts--she felt it had finally paid off. When Zach didn't show up after 10 minutes, she ordered a glass of wine. After 20 minutes, she had eaten three pieces of bread. By 30 minutes, she ordered a second glass. When Zach called at 8:40 with a half-hearted story about a coworker in crisis needing a round at Top Golf, Amelia was already tipsy with a martini heading to her table, and had already decided, "Fuck this."
"Enjoy!" chirped the receptionist, offering Amelia a set of spa clothes. Amelia snapped back to reality, numbly taking the linens from this overly cheerful woman.
Amelia dropped her bag off in her designated locker, and started to change into the spa outfit: a loose cotton yellow button-down t-shirt and some wide shorts. Instinctively, she looked to her left and right before taking off her underwear. Amelia wasn't ashamed of her body; she knew she looked good.
Her freckled shoulders, round full breasts, and light pink nipples complemented her shoulder-length, rusty hair. Her soft tummy transitioned to wide hips, marked by gentle dips. Her rotund thighs and toothy smile, complete with a charming gap between her front teeth, were all part of her. Sometimes when she had sex with Zach at his apartment, she would find her eyes drifting to glance into his dresser mirror to catch a glimpse of her luscious body jiggling and contorting soft pockets of flesh.
Amelia looked over her shoulders because she still felt modest around strangers. The locker room was a ghost town, except an elderly woman blow-drying her hair and an attendant carting some towels. "The benefits of going to the spa at noon on a Tuesday," Amelia thought.
The receptionist hadn't been exaggerating about the variety of saunas. Amelia surveyed the seven or eight small huts, each offering a unique atmosphere. She headed for the closest one. Above the door hung a simple sign that read "Aromatherapy."
Upon opening the door, Amelia was met with a pleasant smell. She detected a few notes-- lavender, sandalwood, jasmine. Instantly, she felt her shoulders instinctively relax. The room was fragrant, damp, and dark, like some kind of cave. It was only lit by the glow of the sauna's heater, pulsing intermittently as more steam groaned out of the machine. No one else was in this particular hut, Amelia had it completely to herself.
She lay down on one of the tatami mats on the ground, letting out a deep sigh. She was emotionally and physically drained. Between this new position and the recent breakup, Amelia needed this day to help her reset. Breathing in the sweet scent through her nose, she let her body sink deeper into the ground. The odor of the sauna reminded her of something, but couldn't quite place it. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift.
Suddenly Amelia was back on her towel at the beach that past summer. She was staying a long weekend with Zach at his family's harbor house. It was a scorching hot day that compelled Zach and her to spend most of it swimming. They had spent all day teasing each other in the water, snapping each other's bathing suits, making out between the lapping waves, and ogling each other's glistening bodies.
When the sun hung low in the sky, they held each other's sunburnt bodies as the day turned dusk. She remembered his initial shyness, timidly biting his lip as he slowly ran his thumb over her nipple. As he caressed her puffy pink nipple into a hard lump under her bikini, she writhed in pleasure and scratched at his soft patch of chest hair. She kissed his collarbone and slowly trailed up to his neck. Zach betrayed his excitement, moaning as a shiver visibly trailed up his spine. Amelia liked how vocal he couldn't help being.
She continued to kiss up to his ear, nibbling on it gingerly. She could feel his stiff member poke through his short trunks. Amelia breathed in, smelling salt and sunscreen on his skin. It smelled sweet, like the sauna's aromatherapy. She pressed into Zach's bulge, feeling it eagerly come closer to her. While her swimsuit was still a little damp from her time in the water, Amelia knew the real reason why she felt a wetness slick her thigh.