A Night at the Spa.

Posted on Mon 15th Feb, 2021 @ 5:37am by Maiek s'Ethien & Mary Elizabeth Gregory

1,076 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Business Not At All As Usual
Location: Veruna Spa

Everything was as settled as it could possibly be, and yet Maiek felt as if the deck plating beneath his feet was spinning away from him. He'd spoken to Lieutenant Redding who actually owned the spa, where he was intending to propose to his lady. It was fitting to ask the question in the place where everything had begun. He'd rented the place so that he would have it all to himself for the evening and had asked Mary Elizabeth to join him for a night at the spa. He also asked that she wear her bathing suit, and be prepared for a bit of pampering from him- her lover. He'd sent her a sarong that she could wear over her bathing suit, a silk one that shimmered with earths sunset colors, burgundy, deep blue and violet.

He knelt to place a hexagonal box the size of a dinner plate in a break in the foliage by the cascading pools. The tiny silver feet of the hexagons points disappeared into the grass, leaving only the gleam of the glass itself there in the leaves. The glass that made up the box had spirals impressed into the glass, and they shimmered with a faintly silver sheen. There was a strip of blue glass decorating the top of the box, and on either side of that there was a centimeter wide strip of crushed diamond glass that glittered brightly. Another strip of colored glass was above the patterned glass of each side, to draw the eye to the gleaming top of the box. The clasp that held the top onto the box was a larger silver spiral with a rounded quartz crystal in the center. A tiny drawer in the front of it was pulled out and held the trio of rings that he was presenting to her in proper Romulan fashion. On a bed of black velvet inside the main body of the box lay his clan bracelet, dwarfed by the empty spaces in the box.

Would it be too much? Would it not be enough? Would she accept his suit?

Pacing the length of the path, Maiek stroked his fingers through his short hair. He was scheduled to meet her in the atrium of the spa, so that he might take her to the pool personally. He was intending that she not stumble upon the box before he'd had a chance to feed her some of the nibbles that her staff had so lovingly created for them. Those, he had in plain sight, upon tiny silver platters and pressed glass plates of the same pattern as the box. Maiek knew that her nose would lead her to those easily enough as they were hot, fragrant and delicious smelling.

It was nice to get away from the Noose this evening, Mary Elizabeth thought. For about a week now, her staff had all been acting as if they knew some secret to which only they were privy. Countless times she'd heard whispers and giggles among her staff that ceased the moment she approached. Today had been the absolute worst of it--just maddening. Maiek's invitation to the spa for this evening was a welcome distraction.

Mary Elizabeth approached the Varuna Spa cautiously, clad in her bathing suit and the beautiful silk sarong that Maiek had given her. Usually, the spa was brightly lit and bustled with patrons going in and out. Tonight, the lobby lighting was subdued, almost to a candlelight dimness. As she approached she noticed a sign that read, 'Spa closed tonight for private party until 0001."

Mary Elizabeth checked the date. Yes, this was the evening and the time when Maiek had asked her to meet him here. But surely he wouldn't have rented the entire spa for just the two of them and for that long a time. It made no sense.

Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead, she told herself as she pushed open the glass door and walked to the receptionist counter. "Good evening. I'm here to meet Mr. Maiek s'Ethien. Has he arrived yet?" Or am I just going nutters? Mary Elizabeth wondered.

The receptionist positively beamed at her. "Yes, he has, Ma'am. You're Miss Gregory?"

At Mary Elizabeth's nod, the receptionist came from behind the counter. "He's expecting you. Come with me, Ma'am."

The receptionist led Mary Elizabeth through the spa, at last to the atrium area. "He's in here. Have a delightful evening, Ma'am," the receptionist said.

"Thank you," Mary Elizabeth replied, feeling baffled but curious. "What is that delicious-smelling food?"

"That is the result of an offhand comment of mine..." Maiek answered her, as he approached in a black and violet pair of swimming trunks and a shirt with silver spiral buttons. "I mentioned when I checked your schedule, that I was going to attempt to cook for us this evening, even though I wasn't good at it. Your Barbara proceeded to say..." and he paused to affect both her accent and her tone "Don't you worry young man...I am a good cook."

Grinning at her expression he continued "It seems that our date night is not allowed to be ruined by my paltry attempt at cooking...or your ladies think you need some pampering. Or perhaps both."

Mary Elizabeth walked up to Maiek and slid her arms around him. "Just seeing you is to be pampered enough." She tilted her head upward to kiss him. "I've been looking forward to being with you all day."

"Saying such things makes all of my preparation seem inadequate," he said thoughtfully, his arms stealing around her. Their kiss was gentle, before he tugged the tie of the sarong so it fell from her curves in a puddle of silk. Then sweeping her up into his arms, he carried her to the display of food, handily arrayed beside the pool which he entered.

"Inadequate? Nonsense! They're lovely! I was so stunned--still am! So this is what the staff were whispering about all day."

Maiek chuckled "There is something special about sneaking around preparing a surprise for the boss while the boss is there." A thrill he was sure that he would allow them to feel again, if they agreed to cater the wedding. If she accepted. He settled down onto the stone seat in the pool and the warm water pooled atop their legs. "Would you like to examine their work?"


-To Be Continued-

 

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