items that were in Keniki’s employee locker. There may be something here that she’ll need. If you don’t mind, could you take this bag out to her? I hate to ask you to do it, but the rest of us are going to be working double shifts today. I’m not sure…”
“No, no. That’s fine.” I reached for the bag. “I’m happy to help.”
“Thanks. You’ll find the directions on a slip of paper in the bag.”
I pushed the door out to the main reception area and signed myself out in the guest book.
“Are you leaving us already?” asked the pretty girl behind the desk.
“I’ll be back,” I said. “Is there any way I could leave a message for my friends? They’re all still in the spa, I think.”
“Of course. Just a moment and I’ll look up where they are right now. Can you give me a name?”
“Holly Nichols.” I didn’t want Holly to think I’d abandoned her. I’d leave her a note and let her know I was coming back soon.
“Holly Nichols is currently getting a Lomi Lomi massage.”
“What’s that?”
“Lomi Lomi is a traditional Hawaiian massage that connects the heart, mind, body, and soul,” she recited flawlessly.
“Is it as good as the Dead Sea Mud Mask Body Treatment?” I asked, ever the comparison shopper.
“Oh, it is quite a different experience,” she said, smiling. “But each is magical. The Lomi Lomi is quite popular here, as it is a sacred healing art, passed down from generation to generation in Hawaii.”
“Ah.” I wondered if there would be time enough when I returned to get me one of those. I might yet find relaxation possible.
“Yes, the Lomi Lomi utilizes rhythmic strokes integrating the use of the forearms and elbows.”
“Pardon?”
“The masseuse uses her forearms and elbows. Very relaxing.”
Indeed.
“Your friend, Miss Nichols, will begin her Lomi Lomi in five minutes. You might actually be able to catch her in the inner waiting room if you want to try.”
I thanked the receptionist and went back into the women’s locker room, walking straight through to the spa waiting area. By now I was thoroughly accustomed to the scent of spicy herbs that saturated the air and the sound of tinkly sitar music over the sound system. Three other women were seated, reading magazines, awaiting their treatments. The clock said 9:55. Just then Liz and Holly came in, both wrapped in the standard batik robes.
“Mad!” Holly yelped, happy as a pup to see me.
“Hey, Madeline,” Liz greeted me. “I finally woke myself up. I’m usually an early bird, but what a night we had last night!” She shook her head. “I am now ready to get spa-ed. So how come you’re dressed? Where are you going?”
“Must run a little errand,” I said, raising the large green shopping bag in some vague reference to “things to do.”
“We’re both getting Lomi Lomi–ed,” Liz said, speaking softly so as not to disturb the other spa patrons, who were trying to relax.
“Wonderful.”
Holly looked more blissed out than ever. “Oh, Mad! I’m having such a good time.”
“Excellent. Perfect. I’ll be back in an hour or two. Don’t worry about me.”
Holly pulled me over to the side of the room, away from Liz and the other women. “Where are you off to? What kind of errand?”
I held up the bag. “Remember Keniki from last night?”
“Of course.”
“I’m just going to run something out to her house. No big deal. I have the rental car and I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Oh, okay.” Holly smiled. “Sounds good.”
She didn’t need to hear all the grisly details of Kelly’s death quite yet. After all the time and effort these good spa people were putting into relaxing us, I felt it wasn’t fair to undermine every one of our states of bliss. Liz and Holly took seats and waited to be led away to another hour of beauty.
I took a few steps away and opened the bag I was holding, making sure I had the driving directions Ineeded. Inside were several small items. A
“No, no. That’s fine.” I reached for the bag. “I’m happy to help.”
“Thanks. You’ll find the directions on a slip of paper in the bag.”
I pushed the door out to the main reception area and signed myself out in the guest book.
“Are you leaving us already?” asked the pretty girl behind the desk.
“I’ll be back,” I said. “Is there any way I could leave a message for my friends? They’re all still in the spa, I think.”
“Of course. Just a moment and I’ll look up where they are right now. Can you give me a name?”
“Holly Nichols.” I didn’t want Holly to think I’d abandoned her. I’d leave her a note and let her know I was coming back soon.
“Holly Nichols is currently getting a Lomi Lomi massage.”
“What’s that?”
“Lomi Lomi is a traditional Hawaiian massage that connects the heart, mind, body, and soul,” she recited flawlessly.
“Is it as good as the Dead Sea Mud Mask Body Treatment?” I asked, ever the comparison shopper.
“Oh, it is quite a different experience,” she said, smiling. “But each is magical. The Lomi Lomi is quite popular here, as it is a sacred healing art, passed down from generation to generation in Hawaii.”
“Ah.” I wondered if there would be time enough when I returned to get me one of those. I might yet find relaxation possible.
“Yes, the Lomi Lomi utilizes rhythmic strokes integrating the use of the forearms and elbows.”
“Pardon?”
“The masseuse uses her forearms and elbows. Very relaxing.”
Indeed.
“Your friend, Miss Nichols, will begin her Lomi Lomi in five minutes. You might actually be able to catch her in the inner waiting room if you want to try.”
I thanked the receptionist and went back into the women’s locker room, walking straight through to the spa waiting area. By now I was thoroughly accustomed to the scent of spicy herbs that saturated the air and the sound of tinkly sitar music over the sound system. Three other women were seated, reading magazines, awaiting their treatments. The clock said 9:55. Just then Liz and Holly came in, both wrapped in the standard batik robes.
“Mad!” Holly yelped, happy as a pup to see me.
“Hey, Madeline,” Liz greeted me. “I finally woke myself up. I’m usually an early bird, but what a night we had last night!” She shook her head. “I am now ready to get spa-ed. So how come you’re dressed? Where are you going?”
“Must run a little errand,” I said, raising the large green shopping bag in some vague reference to “things to do.”
“We’re both getting Lomi Lomi–ed,” Liz said, speaking softly so as not to disturb the other spa patrons, who were trying to relax.
“Wonderful.”
Holly looked more blissed out than ever. “Oh, Mad! I’m having such a good time.”
“Excellent. Perfect. I’ll be back in an hour or two. Don’t worry about me.”
Holly pulled me over to the side of the room, away from Liz and the other women. “Where are you off to? What kind of errand?”
I held up the bag. “Remember Keniki from last night?”
“Of course.”
“I’m just going to run something out to her house. No big deal. I have the rental car and I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Oh, okay.” Holly smiled. “Sounds good.”
She didn’t need to hear all the grisly details of Kelly’s death quite yet. After all the time and effort these good spa people were putting into relaxing us, I felt it wasn’t fair to undermine every one of our states of bliss. Liz and Holly took seats and waited to be led away to another hour of beauty.
I took a few steps away and opened the bag I was holding, making sure I had the driving directions Ineeded. Inside were several small items. A
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