"I've come to see what ails you," Betty said to her sister Paula.
"Why, what's supposed to be ailing me?" Paula replied, puzzled.
"That is precisely what I've come to find out. Ivan dropped by the other day and he seemed really concerned about you."
"Ivan is always concerned about me," Paula said.
"Well who's the lucky girl then? There are a lot of mothers who would just love to have their sons concerned about them."
"Yes, I know Betty, but when Ivan gets worried about me I get worried about him because he's worried about me."
"Circular," Betty said.
"What?"
"Circular, you and Ivan are going round in circles worrying about each other. You're like a couple of lovers mooning over each other."
"We are not" Paula said hotly, "and anyway, didn't you and David go round in circles worrying about each other?"
Betty laughed and said, "Yes, but we broke the circle."
"How?"
"Never mind, I've come to find out if Ivan is right, that you're not so good."
"Oh, it's just a bit of stress Betty, work I suppose, I haven't had a break since...do you know I can't really remember when."
"Not since you took a week off after the divorce. Well I've arrived with just the medicine for you."
"What?"
"You leave that crazy counselling centre for a month, you leave all those mixed up clients and get right away, if you don't you'll end up as your own client."
"Or a client of one of the other counsellors," Paula said ruefully.
"Then here is Dr. Betty's remedy," her sister said. "With the university long vacation coming up David and I were planning on spending a month at the shack, and that's where Ivan came in. This is what is going to happen, you and Ivan are going to come with us and have a lovely relaxing time."
"But Betty, I can't do that, I have to..."
"No argument, you'll do as big sister tells you for once. Seriously, if you go on the way you are then you'll end up having to get professional help."
Paula sighed and said, "You're right of course, I'm reaching burn out point, I'm working longer and longer hours and counselling less and less efficiently."
"Right, that's settled," Betty said cheerfully. "You tell those slave drivers at the counselling centre you're taking a month's leave and off we all go for sun, sand, sea and fun, it'll be like the old days when we were kids, and don't let them talk you out of it."
"I won't," Paula said," catching Betty's cheerful mood.
"Hey, it'll be better than when we were kids," Betty chortled.
"How?"
"Use your imagination, girl," Betty said, a slightly lascivious note in her voice, "we'll be going with a couple of hunks. Can't you see it, two middle aged divorcees with a couple of nineteen year old..."
"Sons," Paula interrupted reproachfully."
"Well, we can't have it all," Betty laughed, "but while we're there I shall ply my trade on you; you should be coming to me for a massage every week anyway."
"I know," Paula said, "it's just a matter of time."
"For a whole month you shall have time and massage dear sister," Betty replied brightly.
* * * * * * * *
The shack was a curious place. An original fisherman's shack built in the late nineteenth century it had been bought by Betty and Paula's parents early in their marriage. In those days it had consisted of living area combined with a kitchen and a curtained off area serving as the sole bedroom. As first Betty and soon after Paula, arrived on scene and there had been additions built, and some modern conveniences added.
The original cottage now served as a sizable central living area, the additions were a kitchen and bathroom at the back of the old shack, and two bedroom wings on either side of the central space, each wing having two bedrooms.
When David and Ivan were young children, and before the sisters divorced their husbands, the whole family would gather at various times of the year for what Betty had called, "Sun, sea, sand and fun." After the death of their parents and then the divorces, Betty, Paula, and their sons had somehow given up going to the shack.
In the days when the shack had been regularly used Betty's husband and son had used one bedroom wing, while Paula's used the other unless their elderly parents were also there, in which case a sofa bed was used in the central area.
* * * * * * * *
On arrival Betty and David automatically went to the wing they had always occupied, and Paula and Ivan to their accustomed wing. There was settling in time, and as the shack had not been used for some time there was the removal of dust, spider's webs and a search for signs of invading rodents (none), and a walk down the track to the beach to make sure the sea was still there, which it was; this was handy because Betty in her four wheel drive off road had towed the fishing runabout. In addition Betty had brought her portable massage table for what she called, "Operation Paula." This was set up in the central area.
The first two days saw the boys getting the fishing runabout started, and the women taking beach walks and swimming. It was on the third day at breakfast that Betty said, "Right, today we start Operation Paula."
The boys said that as the sea was suitable they would do some fishing and departed. Betty urged Paula onto the massage table.
With a pillow under her head Paula lay naked on her stomach. Betty, wearing only a loose fitting smock produced a bottle of massage oil and put some on her hands. She began with Paula's shoulders and commented, "My God girl, I haven't felt tension like this in a long time."
"I know," Paula said lethargically as she revelled in the gentle kneading of Betty's hands, "I just don't seem to be able to relax; at times I ache all over."
"Small wonder," Betty said, as she gradually worked her way down Paula's back to her legs and feet.
"That feels so good," Paula said languidly as she started to experience the benefit of the massage.