Authors Note: This series of short stories are intended to be episodic and thus can be read alone. Any feedback, criticisms or improvements are always welcome. The author also invites reader suggestions about what they would like to see Xanthe do next.
It had been a long month at work for Xanthe and she was looking forward to a couple days of rest and relaxation away from the office. As the weekend drew closer Xanthe had made an appointment at her favorite health spa for the total treatment to forget some of the stresses of her hectic life. There was nothing more relaxing than a facial, manicure, pedicure, waxing and massage, a guaranteed way of reenergizing her weary body and rewarding herself for all her hard work.
With her appointment made Xanthe took the opportunity to sneak out of the office early, giving herself a long lunch break and the afternoon off. Without a care in the world she casually strolled through the front door of the exclusive health spa and into an environment of extreme relaxation.
The front reception counter and waiting room were surrounded by large broad leafed plants, a rock garden and water fountain which made its way around the edges of the room. Soft music played in the background, mixing with the gentle trickle of the water feature and the murmurs of content clients enjoying their appointments in adjoining rooms.
Xanthe checked in with the young dark haired woman who sat behind the front reception. She courteously pointed her to a nearby chair in the waiting room which Xanthe gladly accepted giving her feet a chance to rest. She noticed her reflection in the pool of water which lay only an arms length away. Her short wavy red hair, defined shoulders and petite figure all reflected back towards her. She wore no makeup anticipating her appointment and the chance to have a professional show her some new ideas.
The tranquil surrounds had a soothing effect on her usually fiery temperament at work. The office had become a frustrating place in the last few days and the dramatic change in environments was not lost on Xanthe’s mood. Xanthe began to slip into a daydream state which bordered on a deep sleep and seemed to last hours but was in fact only minutes.
A well manicured hand reached out and gently touched her on the shoulder, causing Xanthe to spring to life. A gorgeous blonde woman with deep blue eyes leaned back and waited for Xanthe to respond. It took a few moments for Xanthe to collect her thoughts as she climbed back to her feet and exchanged greetings with her beautician, Marissa.
Marissa could not have been more than 25 and sported an obviously well looked after body. She had a trim figure, accentuated by the tight fitting one piece white uniform, ending revealingly half way down her thigh. It reminded Xanthe of the little dresses that nurses wore in adult films a thought which brought a little titillation to her mind and a wry smile to her face.
She duly followed the gorgeous woman past the front reception, all the time admiring her long shiny blonde hair as it bounced across her shoulders with every step. Xanthe expected nothing less from a staff member at the exclusive health spa. She was beautiful, elegant and had a certain aura which commanded attention.
The two women reached an open archway which led into a large room dominated by a massive glass dome which allowed the sun to cascade down onto the women who sat at the various stations with their beauticians. The walls were a rich green which appeared to come alive with the bright natural lighting cast upon them. The pure white uniforms of the beauticians appeared like beacons, providing a stark contrast to their surroundings.
Xanthe turned to find Marissa waiting to speak with her. Xanthe was about to mumble an apology for not paying attention but was quickly cut off. “I’m really sorry about this but normally we’d do your waxing and massage first, but our staff are a little behind at the moment and things are topsy-turvy. What we can do though is leave you here with one of our nail technicians and you can have your manicure and pedicure first. Then we should be able to do your waxing.”
The strawberry blonde phrased her words in such a way that Xanthe had little choice in the matter. She was not overly concerned with the sudden turn in events. She was there to relax after all and there was no point in getting upset about the situation. She agreed in an uncharacteristic meek tone and was promptly introduced to her nail technician for the day. She was an older woman whose fingers and wrists were adorned with several pieces of chunky gold jewelry and who had an unusually distinguished voice.
Xanthe took her seat at the woman’s work station, two padded seats with a low set desk sitting between them. She placed her hands on the table and allowed the woman to get started.
*****
It was almost an hour later when Xanthe was finally finished with her manicure and pedicure. She felt absolutely stress free. Marissa had returned, creeping up behind her and hovering while Xanthe’s pedicure was finished. She picked up Xanthe’s discarded shoes and motioned for her to follow her in a friendly manner.
“So did you enjoy your manicure and pedicure?” Marissa inquired as they padded their way further down the hallway to another room.
“Oh yeah it was great, she really does excellent work,” Xanthe replied genuinely admiring the job which the nail technician had done. She looked at her bare feet as she walked down the cushy matting which ran down the center of the hallway. She had decided to let the woman sell her on a bright glossy red nail polish breaking her away from her usual habit of only wearing clear enamel. The change brought with it the sneaking feeling that she was trying to draw more attention to herself.
“That is a really nice color too,” the beautician said as she turned to open a door to their right. “Here we are.” She ushered Xanthe past her and then quietly shut the door behind them.
Xanthe was greeted by a small room centered around a flat adjustable padded table which matched the dark opaque green color of the walls. In the corner of the room stood another beautician who was busy preparing something on an adjoining counter.
“This is Rebecca, she is a trainee here and she will be helping me today,”
Rebecca was a curvy brunette who stood a little taller than Xanthe and Marissa. She nodded with a smile, greeting the fiery red head as Marissa opened a nearby cupboard and began to retrieve some things. Whilst both beauticians carried out their tasks Xanthe took a moment to cast an eye over each woman in turn.
Xanthe noticed that Marissa was holding a stack of folded white towels in her arms and waiting for Xanthe to turn around. With a warm smile Marissa nodded towards a door behind the table.
