Work Text:
Cathy sighed as she closed the book she’d been reading, feeling the weight of the week settling on her shoulders. Lately things had been stressful, and she hadn’t had much time to relax. As she reached for her phone, she noticed a message from Jodie.
Hey love, can you meet me at the Wash & Blow today around three?
Cathy furrowed her brow in curiosity. Jodie worked at the Wash & Blow, so it wasn’t unusual for her to ask Cathy to stop by, but this felt different. She was never usually this cryptic. What could she possibly be planning?
At precisely 3 p.m., Cathy walked into the salon, greeted by the familiar sight of her brother Rory chatting animatedly with Dino behind the front counter. The moment they spotted her, their grins widened mischievously.
“Ah, Cathy! Just in time,” Rory exclaimed as he came around to give her a quick hug.
Dino followed suit, only confusing Cathy more. “Jodie told us when to expect you. Everything is all set.”
“All set for what,” Cathy asked, the secrecy of what was going on was starting to agitate her.
Rory placed a hand on her shoulder and steered her toward the back of the salon. “Just go along with it. Trust me, you’re gonna love this.”
Jodie appeared from behind a curtain, her smile warm and inviting as she approached. “Hey, you made it!”
“Of course, I did. But seriously, what’s all this about,” Cathy asked, looking between Jodie, Rory, and Dino, who were all clearly enjoying themselves.
Jodie gave a soft laugh and took Cathy’s hand. “You’ve been working really hard, and I figured you could use a little pampering. So, I’ve arranged a spa day for you right here. It’s all on the house, thanks to your very generous brother and Dino, and of course yours truly.”
“We were more than happy to help,” Rory chimed in. “Besides, you need it.”
Dino nodded in agreement. “Absolutely. Jodie’s been planning this for days. We’re all in on it.”
Cathy blinked in surprise. “A spa day? For me?”
Jodie grinned. “Yep. Massage, facial, mani pedi, the works. I’ve got everything booked just for you.”
Cathy couldn’t help but smile, her heart warming at the thoughtfulness. “Jodie, this is so sweet. I didn’t expect anything like this.”
“Well, that was sort of the point,” Jodie said with a wink. “Now go get changed, we’re starting with a massage. Rory’s ordered in some champagne.”
Cathy shot Rory a grateful look as she was handed a robe and led toward the treatment room. The next couple of hours melted by, every bit of tension in Cathy’s body slowly worked out by the expert hands of Jodie, the shop's massage therapist. After that came a refreshing facial, and by the time she was sitting with Jodie for their manicures, Cathy felt like a brand new woman.
“This really was a perfect idea,” Cathy said softly, reaching out to take Jodie’s hand as they sat side by side. “I didn’t realize how much I needed this.”
Jodie leaned in to kiss her cheek gently. “I just wanted to take care of you for once.”
Cathy smiled, squeezing Jodie’s hand. “Thank you. And remind me to thank Rory and Dino too.”
“Oh, I think they're just going to be happy to have all this planning and secrecy over with,” Jodie replied with a laugh. “But for now, let’s just enjoy the rest of this pampering, yeah?”
Cathy relaxed into the chair, feeling completely at ease as Jodie’s plan unfolded perfectly around her.