The Spa Weekend

Saturday morning arrived with the sort of sunshine that made every possibility seem brighter than it really was. Vera adjusted the strap of her overnight bag and stepped out onto the driveway where Lisa was already waiting beside her car. "Ready?" Lisa asked, flashing her an easy smile. "I think so." "You think so?" Vera laughed. "It's a spa weekend, Lisa, not a military operation." "Good. Because I forgot my drill sergeant hat." The two women shared a laugh as Ben emerged from the front door carrying a coffee mug. "There you are," he called. "My favorite sister and my favorite girlfriend. This is exactly what I've been hoping for." Lisa rolled her eyes. "We're going to a spa, Ben. Not signing a peace treaty." "Same thing," he replied. "You two are important people in my life. I want you to be friends." Vera smiled warmly. "We already are friends." "Then become even better friends." Lisa opened the passenger door. "You heard the man. Get in." As the city disappeared behind them and open roads stretched ahead, Vera found herself relaxing. Conversation flowed effortlessly. They talked about music, embarrassing childhood stories about Ben, favorite movies, old dreams and new ambitions. Somewhere along the highway Vera realized she was having far more fun than she had expected. And every time she glanced toward Lisa, she found Lisa already smiling at her. The surprise came at check-in. The receptionist smiled politely. "One king suite for Lisa Morgan." Vera blinked. "One room?" Lisa nodded casually. "Was that okay?" "Sure," Vera said. "I was just expecting two beds." "They were booked." The explanation sounded perfectly reasonable. Yet when they entered the suite, Vera found herself staring at the enormous king-sized bed dominating the room. Lisa noticed. "Problem?" "No." "You look like there's a problem." "There isn't." Lisa laughed softly. "Good." For reasons she couldn't explain, Vera suddenly felt very aware of how close they were standing. The afternoon passed in a blur of massages, hot springs, and endless conversation. By late afternoon they sat together beside the resort pool wrapped in white robes. For a while neither spoke. The silence felt strangely comfortable. Lisa finally turned toward her. "You know," she said quietly, "you're different than I expected." "Is that good?" "It's very good." Vera felt heat rise into her cheeks. Lisa continued. "I always thought Ben was lucky." "Lucky?" "To have you." For a moment neither moved. The world seemed to shrink. The water shimmered in the sunlight. A breeze stirred through the trees. Then Lisa reached over and gently touched Vera's hand. Vera's breath caught. "Lisa..." "I know." The kiss was soft. Brief. Careful. Yet when it ended, nothing felt the same anymore. That evening neither woman mentioned Ben. Not at first. They ordered dinner. Shared dessert. Talked for hours. Eventually Vera found herself asking the question she had avoided all day. "What does this mean?" Lisa looked down. Then back up. "It means I should have told you sooner." "Told me what?" "That I've been falling for you." The honesty in her voice left no room for misunderstanding. Vera stared at her. "This wasn't planned, was it?" Lisa smiled sadly. "The spa weekend was." "And the rest?" "The rest happened because every time I spent time with you, I wanted more." Vera felt her heart racing. For the first time she admitted the truth to herself. She wanted more too. The rest of the evening disappeared into quiet conversations, shared laughter, and long moments where words no longer seemed necessary. Sunday morning arrived gently. Vera woke before sunrise. For several moments she simply watched the sleeping woman beside her. The realization settled slowly. Then completely. This wasn't a mistake. It wasn't excitement. It wasn't curiosity. Somewhere during the weekend she had fallen in love. Later they stood together on the balcony drinking coffee. "What are you thinking?" Lisa asked. Vera smiled. "That everything is different now." Lisa slipped her hand into hers. "Good different?" "The best kind." The drive home felt shorter than the drive out. Too short. By the time they pulled into the driveway, the sun was already setting. Ben stepped outside. A smile appeared immediately. "Well?" Neither woman answered. Ben's smile slowly faded. His eyes moved from Vera... to Lisa... to their joined hands. Silence. Complete silence. Finally Ben sighed. "Oh." Nobody needed to explain. He understood. Lisa squeezed Vera's hand. Vera squeezed back. The future suddenly looked uncertain. Complicated. Messy. Yet neither woman let go. And standing together beneath the evening sky, they knew one thing with absolute certainty. Whatever came next... they would face it together. A Story by Germaine Corbeau - Click here for links to all Germaine Corbeau Stories! Quick 👏 Guide: 0 = I got lost! - 1-4 = Nice font... nice images. - 5-9=Read a bit. Nice try!, 10-14=Okay... Pretty good!, 15-19=I actually enjoyed this! - 20=Absolutely legendary!