Page 25 of Wood You Knot

It was hard not to feel a little envious of my cousins. They all had incredible careers, their own houses, and Livia and Madeline had men who seemed to support their every move. They’d gone about things the right way and had a lot to show for it, while I…

I’d gone about things ass backward, becoming a single mother before I’d solidified a career for myself. Sure, I worked—and hard, at that—but my paycheques had always been peanuts compared to what my cousins brought home with their careers.

I was thankful for my aunt and uncle, thankful for my new job at the hardware store and the apartment. But it was hard not to feel like a failure when I thought about my life in comparison to my cousins.

Comparison is the thief of joy, I told myself, repeating Theodore Roosevelt’s famous quote. It was something I tried to tell myself frequently as an adult, because as a child, I’d spent a lot of time wishing things were different.

Now I knew if I wanted things to be different, I had to make changes. It took finding Warren with another woman and breaking up with him to rediscover myself and realize I’d inadvertently done exactly what my mother did. I’d changed myself for a man’s love and affection.

Inwardly, I sighed. Outwardly, I smiled and kept the casual conversation going until it was time to head out. Auntie Em loaded us up with leftovers and the rest of the brownies she’d made, then we left.

Daphne was so exhausted she fell asleep on the short drive home, and I had to carry her inside. She didn’t wake when I transferred her into bed and took off her shoes.

* * *

The next morning, Daphne and I headed over to Lilah’s spa for a day of much-needed pampering.

Girls’ days were something we used to do frequently in Guelph. Sometimes Nellie would join us, but it was usually just Daphne and me.

I’d been taking her since she was a toddler, mainly because I’d wanted to get manicures and pedicures for myself and didn’t have many people who would watch my daughter for me. I figured it was something she could partake in. As it turned out, toddlers can absolutely be coaxed into soaking their feet and getting their nails painted pretty colours. Daphne loved it, and she behaved, so the estheticians always loved having her in their chair.

Since I’d walked in on Warren with his secretary, things had been chaotic, and I certainly hadn’t made any time to pamper myself—or Daphne. That was about to change.

Lilah’s spa was in the downtown core, beside the florist shop.

We found parking out front and went inside to the Serenity Shores Day Spa.

Lilah’s face lit up when we walked in. “Hi, girls!”

“Hi, Lilah, thank you so much for squeezing us in,” I said, approaching the reception desk with a smile. “You have no idea how badly we need this, huh, Daphne?”

“Oh yes, we are overdue.” Daphne’s eyes widened comically, and Lilah and I both chuckled.

“Why don’t we start with the facials, then move on to the manicures and pedicures?” Lilah suggested.

“That sounds perfect.”

Lilah’s spa was clean, with soft, wispy white sheer curtains allowing privacy from the bustling main street while still letting in plenty of light. The walls were painted an earthy grayish green and were lined with more soft sheer curtains, giving the entire space a wispy, whimsical feeling.

The music selection was soft and instrumental. The moment I stepped inside, I felt the weeks of stress start to melt away.

Lilah led the way past several spa chairs and manicure tables. She walked through an open door into a spacious room with two beds made up in white linens.

“All right, Daphne. I’m going to need you to hop up on this bed. Can you do that?”

“Yup,” Daphne said, proudly showing off her skill as she climbed up. I set my purse down and climbed onto the other one.

“Is this your first time getting a facial?”

“Yes. But I’ve had my nails done lots of times before,” Daphne replied.

Lilah smiled patiently and got to work. While she was getting everything set up, she asked me a few questions about any prescriptions or supplements we took, any skin concerns I had, our diet, how much water we drank, and any products I was currently using.

Once the consultation was over, Lilah set to cleansing our faces. First, she wrapped our hair in white wraps to keep the product off it. Then she cleansed our faces using cotton pads.

When Lilah brought out the bright magnifying lamp, Daphne’s eyes widened. “What are you doing?” she asked when Lilah started examining my skin.

Lilah smiled patiently at her. “I’m just doing a quick skin analysis on your mom, then I’ll do one on you. It helps me figure out what kind of skin type you have—dry, oily, sensitive, a combination. Then I can choose the appropriate products and treatment.”

---