Never Say Die- Chapter 21

 

Chapter 21

 

 

 

            The next week went by quickly and suddenly Halloween was upon us, there was electricity in the air like the entire town was excited. Everywhere I went there were cottony spider webs, bats, rats and every other creepy, crawly, scary thing you could think of. Freshly carved Jack O’ Lanterns sat on front porches just waiting to be lit, decks were decorated with scarecrows and corn stalks.

            My own house sat undecorated, I didn’t see much point, it wasn’t like anyone was going to be coming trick or treating here and Flan didn’t seem to be interested in putting up any decorations although she would be getting together with some of her witch friends the next day to celebrate the Mexican Holiday, El Dia De Las Muertos or “The Day of the Dead”. They weren’t Mexican but they seemed to have embraced their general way of remembering those who were no longer with us.

            Rhys had been keeping an eye on me for days just waiting for me to get sick, hardly daring to believe that I just had a single night of exhaustion without anything else coming along behind it. The worried look that was on his face more often than not started to irritate me eventually, he wouldn’t give in after 7 days of assuring him that I was perfectly fine. More than anything I wished I could just tell him what was up so he’d back off a little but then thought sadly that actually telling him would be more likely to make him back off for good.

            Halloween was on a Saturday this year and I had planned an awesome day for Flan and I, she didn’t know it but Hadley and all of her friends were coming over for a day of pampering. I had hired a complete day spa’s worth of beauty technicians to come to the house and work their magic; the main reason behind it was that I wanted Flan to be as relaxed as possible rather than nervous for the auction and Hadley thought I was the sweetest friend ever for doing it.

            So I woke up early and went into the theater room, the largest in the house, and started moving furniture around, manually not magically, thank you very much. There was enough room for at least 10 people to be getting any service that required the use of a table such as massage, wraps, scrubs or waxing as well as space to set up tables for manicures and chairs for pedicures.

            There was plenty of space between the kitchen and downstairs bathroom to do any rinsing needed although I’d been told that they could also set up a portable washing station on the back porch, they just needed the hose.

            Once I was satisfied that there was plenty of room for everything I bounded up the stairs to wake Flan up, which was unusual because she was almost always awake before I was. I knocked quietly but she didn’t respond so I pushed the door open, she was still fast asleep just as I’d hoped.

            I crept over to the bed and whispered her name; she groaned but still didn’t open her eyes. I climbed onto the opposite side of the bed and crawled toward her, the movement of the bed seemed to jar her from her sleep and she opened an eye to look at me.

            “Saydie? What time is it?” she asked sleepily and rolled over to look at the clock. “It’s only nine is everything okay?”

            I smiled my brightest smile for her, “I have a big surprise for you so you need to get out of bed and come downstairs.” I said with excitement in every fiber of my being.

            “This doesn’t have anything to do with the auction does it?” she asked warily eyeing me, she knew me too well.

            “Maybe a little bit but not really.” I admitted slyly. “Just get dressed and come downstairs as soon as you can alright?” Just then the doorbell rang and I sprang off the bed to go answer the door. “Hurry Flan, today is going to be great!” I called as I sprinted down the stairs, not completely sure that my feet had actually touched the ground before I reached the bottom.

            I pranced happily over to the door and opened it to find Hadley, a few of her friends and someone in a uniform that I didn’t recognize. I stood aside and signaled for Hadley and her friends to come on in.

            “Flan is getting dressed and maybe taking a shower, she’ll be done soon.” I told Hadley before turning back to the uniformed man.

            “Can I help you?” I asked politely.

            “I’m here to deliver salon supplies.” He said in a bored voice, looking at his clipboard and I thought to myself, Hate your job much?

            My eyes widened slightly as I comprehended who he was. “Do you have anything that can’t make it through this door?” I asked, wondering if he should come around back instead.

            “No, this should be fine, if you can just leave it open, show us where you want the stuff…” He trailed off as he finally looked up at me and his mouth fell open. I just rolled my eyes and stepped back again.

            “Come on in and I’ll show you where it goes.” I said chuckling to myself. He followed me into the theater room like I had him on a leash.

            “I’m not sure where the stylists want everything so let me see how long it will be before someone gets here. There’s no point in piling everything into the room if we have to move it all again anyway.”

            He nodded looking at me in awe, “You’re absolutely right.” He said and I wondered if my Charisma was a little higher than I’d thought. I focused on turning it down a bit and he seemed to act a little more normal but still ogled me when he thought I wasn’t looking.

            I called the salon manager to ask how soon I should expect someone and just as she was about to put me on hold and call one of the stylists the doorbell rang again.

            “Oh there’s the door, maybe that’s one of them, hold on just a minute.” I told her as I walked to the door.

            A pretty girl with bouncy blonde curls and a bright smile was standing there with a large duffle bag over her shoulder.

            “Hi!” she said brightly, “My name is Molly, the salon sent me.” I smiled back at her and motioned for her to come in.

            “We’re doing everything in here,” I said, leading her toward the room, “Can you tell him where you want things to go? I don’t want themm to have to rearrange everything.” She nodded in agreement and strode into the room dropping her duffle bag off just inside the door.

            As the doorbell rang again, I saw Flan coming down the stairs and stopped to talk to her while motioning for 3 more men in movers uniforms to come on in.

            “Saydie what is all this?” she asked in surprise.

            “I thought we’d have a spa day!” I replied enthusiastically as she watched the movers walk by with tables, chairs, trays and boxes full of beauty supplies.

            “You thought you needed to bring the entire spa home just for us?” She asked uncertainly and I smiled.

            “Well no, she thought we might enjoy it as well.” Hadley spoke up and Flan’s head snapped up to look in her direction. Hadley was standing there with a half smile as two movers walked past her with a pedicure chair. As soon as they’d passed, Flan rushed into her arms and for a moment they were lost in the kiss they shared. I watched them with a smile and wished Rhys was here but he had a lot to do to get ready for the fundraiser. I could just imagine that he would be on the phone with Todd all day, reporting to him how it was going.

            I spent the next hour directing traffic from the door to the theater room, turned on some quiet music for people to listen to while they got pampered, answered multiple texts from Rhys and got people’s costumes set up on a rack in the guest room since none of the Port Harbor bunch would have the time to drive back before the fundraiser.

            By an incredible stroke of luck, Flan and I ended up lying next to each other for a massage, detox wrap and salt scrub.

            She turned her head toward me in the middle of her massage, “You’re the best Saydie, thank you so much for doing all of this.” I smiled over at her as a murmur of agreement went up from the others in the room who could hear her.

            “What are friends for?” I asked and she smiled back before putting her face back down in the face hole of the table.

            Things worked out so well that we only had 2 or 3 people waiting at any given time to have a service done and they were happy to spend their time waiting in the sauna or relaxing in the hot tub. Molly and her team of 15 other stylists kindly reminded them that they’d need to shower before having anything done.

            The movers had gone out to lunch when they had finished unloading and I let them know that I’d call when we were finished. Around noon the doorbell rang again but I was still in the middle of my massage so one of the stylists ran to answer the door for me.

            “Saydie?” I looked up at the sound of my name and turned to see Flan’s friend Julie, she was an amazing chef still in culinary school. I’d almost forgotten that I’d ordered a small buffet of food to go along with the spa day.

            “Hey Julie! Do you need any help getting set up?” I asked sitting up for a moment.

            “If you don’t mind the food just being set up on the counter and the dining table, I should be fine.” Flan lifted her head to look at me again in disbelief.

            “What? What kind of spa day would it be without something to eat?” I asked innocently and she just rolled her eyes before looking over at Hadley, who was just laying down on her other side for a massage of her own.

            When my massage was over, I went to check on Julie before starting my next lap in this marathon day. I was very pleased to see the array of meats, cheeses, breads and fruits set up all over the kitchen and on the table. She had bottled water on ice as well as a few bottles of wine for anyone who could possibly need to relax a bit more, and a large drink cooler full of ice cold green tea, which was supposed to aid with the detox process.

            Since I hadn’t had breakfast yet, I grabbed a plate of fruit and threw together some meat and cheese on a roll with some mayonnaise and mustard.

            “Don’t eat too much; you have to lay back down on a table.” Julie reminded me as I reached for the items I needed to make another sandwich. With a small sigh I took my plate and put it in the fridge to keep the meat cold, I hated that she was right when I was so hungry.

            “You can eat all you want when you’re done on the table.” She told me kindly, seeing my frustration. “Why don’t you try some tea before your seaweed wrap?” She suggested, handing me a plastic cup. I took it from her and poured a little into the cup and tasting it first; it was probably the best green tea I’d ever tasted and I was quick to fill my cup the rest of the way.

            “Julie, you’re absolutely amazing, if Flan and I didn’t enjoy cooking for ourselves so much I would totally hire you as my personal chef.” I smiled at her and she beamed back looking as though I’d just given her the compliment of her life.

            “Thank you Saydie, I really appreciate that.” I nodded silently with a mouth full of her fabulous green tea.

            “You’re welcome, come to think of it I might just have you come cook once in a while when we don’t feel like it.” I laughed and she joined in.

            “Whatever you need, I’m your girl.” She assured me before I headed back in for my wrap.

            “You guys had better go get some of this green tea before I drink it all!” I announced to the room and they all laughed, but it didn’t take long before there was a line for food and tea. I made sure I invited the stylists to eat as well, they were working so hard to make this an awesome day and I was very grateful. It wasn’t long before the buffet was nearly bare and the tea was gone.

            The rest of the afternoon was relaxing and absolutely wonderful, I felt like I’d had the best idea ever and was glad to see that everyone else was enjoying themselves. I was surprised when the doorbell rang around four and there stood Rhys with his arms full of roses.

            He barely had time to drop the roses on the floor before I was in his arms and his lips were on mine but the thorn stabbing would have totally been worth it.

            When we finally let each other go, he stood back to look at me, “You look all polished and shiny and relaxed.” He teased.

            “That was the idea.” I told him with a smile as I scooped the roses up into my arms and led him toward the theater room but he stopped short about five feet from the door.

            “Is everybody decent in there?” he asked suddenly.

            “There are screens up around the people who aren’t.” I promised with a laugh as I pulled him toward the door. He peeked in quickly and then stopped short again just as he was starting to step back out.

            “Wow babe you really went all out.” He said in awe as he took in the setup we had going on.

            “Would you like a massage or something before they leave?” I offered generously, “It’s already paid for, might as well you know?”

            He pulled me into his arms and smiled down at me, “Only if you’re the one who gives me the massage.” He pressed his lips to mine and there was a chorus of “Awww!” that went up from the occupants of the room; I felt my face turn red and an embarrassed smile spread across my face.

            I pulled him into the room, “How about a chair massage, you don’t even have to get completely undressed, just take off your shirt.” I said suggestively with a sly smile.

            “I second that motion!” Hadley’s friend Antoine spoke up from a pedicure station and we all laughed.

            “Well I wouldn’t want to disappoint the audience.” Rhys said and much to my surprise he pulled his shirt off and flexed his muscles for the room. I had tears rolling down my face before I was able to control my laughter and finally stop it. He made a big production of sitting in the chair in a very manly way and spreading his arms over the back so that you could see the definition in his arms.

            “Honey you are one lucky woman to get to lay down next to that hunk of burning love at night.” Antoine murmured in my ear a short time later while I was arranging my roses in a vase and I couldn’t help smiling.

            “Yes Antoine, I believe you’re absolutely right.” I replied and he winked at me before going to grab a bit of fruit that was still on the table.

            Shortly after Rhys was done with his massage he had to leave again to get ready for the fundraiser, he refused to tell me what he was going to be and so in return I gave him no hint as to what I would be. I sent him off with a kiss and a plate full of the last bit of leftover food. To be perfectly honest I was really glad the food had gone so well, I’d been hoping not to end up with a fridge full of leftovers that we probably wouldn’t be able to finish before they went bad.

            Around six the movers came back and we were just ready for them to take most of the big spa equipment. One stylist for each person would be staying to do hair but that only required items that they were carrying with them anyway.

            We all had to take turns showering, aside from the day being utterly relaxing, many of us wanted a shower before putting costumes on, especially after going in the sauna or hot tub. Amazingly enough the water heater held out enough for everybody to get a quick shower before costumes started going on.

            What I hadn’t expected was for some of the stylists to also be licensed to do makeup and they generously offered to help anyone who needed it. One woman even had an airbrush kit for applying foundation and seemed to be having the time of her life helping people out.

            I waited until last for my shower, trying to be a gracious host and as I looked around at all of my friends chatting excitedly as they got ready, I felt an overwhelming sense of comfort. This was what I’d never thought I could have, a house full of truly good friends that I could just hang out with and it was so easy to be around all of them.

            As I looked at their faces one at a time, I thought about all of the things I loved most about each of them and then just as overwhelmingly, I felt sadness in my heart that I would have to leave them all one day. For once I really wished I could just stay here and be with my friends and tears burned my eyes threatening to spill over.

            “You did a great job Say.” Hadley said quietly at my side, throwing an arm over my shoulder and giving me a squeeze. “We’re all lucky to have such a good friend like you.” She kissed my cheek and gave me a warm smile before heading upstairs for her turn in the shower.

            When the last of the big items were finally packed up, I thanked the movers and gave them each a handsome tip. A few people volunteered to help put the theater room back together as most of the hair styling was being done near the kitchen where it didn’t matter if they set a hot iron on the granite countertop on accident.

            When the room was back together, I put on a movie for people to enjoy while I finally went up to take my own shower. The day had been a complete success and I couldn’t help giving myself a mental pat on the back as I stepped into my shower to wash off the somewhat greasy feeling I felt from the oils used during my massage, apparently my skin didn’t absorb it as well as others did.

            Once I was all clean I dried myself with a fluffy towel and stepped out into my room to find my costume and wig lying out on the bed with a note on top.      

            “Thought you might need this.” Flan had written with a smiley face.

I lifted up the shirt and smiled to myself, a little tingle of excitement went through me as I began to get ready. I had no doubt in the world that this was going to be a night to remember and I was beyond excited to finally be a part of something worthwhile.