UnAlaska

10. Bergamot

August 20, Juneau

At the end of their lunch, Helen handed Laura an envelope. Walking away from the elevator, Laura opened it and read the card inside.

Laura, take some time for yourself

-Brian

Behind the note, she found a handwritten certificate for the Lotus Eaters spa, for a sizable amount of money.

I have a clear afternoon, so what the hell? Thought Laura, walking to the spa. A man stood behind the counter in a gray uniform that looked a little bit like scrubs. "Welcome. Do you have a reservation for our spa today?"

Laura hesitated. "No. Do you have anything available?"

He smiled. "Let me check. Just a second." He waved her over to a computer about two feet further down the sleek white countertop. He typed briefly and his eyes scanned intently. Laura saw the screen scrolling by in the reflection on his glasses. "Well, what type of services were you looking for today?"

"Well, I had a gift card. I was thinking of a massage."

He sucked in air through his teeth, and scanned again. "Well, it looks like all of our masseuses are booked for the afternoon." He scanned again. "But, it looks like one of our estheticians has an opening in about 30 minutes. She had a cancellation, so she could fit you in for a body scrub."

"Oh."

"It's very lovely. Here, I have a pamphlet."

Laura opened the pamphlet's thick, hand pressed paper and scanned it quickly. Bergamot and honey, lavender vanilla, or tea tree and spearmint? The employee seemed to read her mind. "If you were looking for a relaxing spa experience, I would recommend the bergamot and honey. It's my favorite of our fragrances, and it's not as... invigorating as the tea tree."

"Outstanding." Laura said. She handed him her gift certificate. "Would that be enough?"

"With a sufficient tip, yes."

Laura tried not to roll her eyes. Moments later, a woman emerged wearing the same gray wrap uniform. She motioned Laura to follow. "Please, come with me. You can disrobe and then enjoy our relaxation room while you wait."

Laura followed her to a locker room, where she changed into a flax-colored waffle knit bathrobe and soft slippers. Then they came to a warm, dimly lit room lined with cedar paneling and built in benches. Laura sat on a linen cushion and heard faint flute music. The spa employee offered her botanically infused water or herbal tea.

She returned a minute later with dark ruby-colored herbal tea in a hand-thrown pottery mug with no handle. Laura took a sip, leaned her head against the cedar, and closed her eyes.

After a short wait, a tall, athletic woman in the same gray wrap uniform with chestnut hair in a ponytail appeared. She smiled and handed Laura a clipboard. "Hello, I'm Claire. I have forms for you," she said in a northern British accent.

Laura took the clipboard and pen and flipped through the forms. They asked about allergies, preferences, and the last form about her medical history. She raised an eyebrow.

"I know. It's a lot. But we have all kinds of services here. Some are almost medical. On Fridays, we have champagne and botox parties."

"Really?"

She took the clipboard back. "Oh, yeah. It books up like that," she snapped her fingers. "Anyway, are you ready Laura? Anything I can get for you before we start?"

"Ready. That tea was enough, it's fantastic."

"Oh I know!" She touched Laura on the arm. "It's my favorite. If you ask at the spa desk, they'll sell you a box of it." She winked. They walked into a hallway lined with small rooms. "We're in this room here. If you get disrobed and lie face down, I'll be back in a moment."