Page 32 of A Scottish Christmas Hideaway
‘Will do. Thanks, Emmet.’ Her mum turned to Jessica. ‘Just leave your stuff here and take in your towels,’ said Catriona, who quickly pulled off her jogging bottoms, trainers, sweater and coat. She’d come with her swimming costume on underneath. ‘And here are some flip-flops to put on.’
Jessica groaned. ‘It’s cold though.’
‘Tsk, come on. Once you’re in the sauna, you’ll be nice and toasty, and in fact, you’ll be desperate to get in the water to cool off. Honestly,’ she said briskly.
Jessica begged to differ. But she did as she was told and pulled off her clothes, glad she had followed her mum’s instructions to come wearing the costume she had lent her. Then she slipped her feet into the flip-flops and followed her mum into the sauna. The scent of fresh warm wood immediately greeted her and she sat down, transfixed by the view across the water, which this morning was as still as a pond. ‘It’s just like glass,’ she said, nodding towards it.
‘Isn’t this so peaceful and therapeutic,’ said Catriona. ‘It’s a bit of a treat, too, when you get the place to yourself like this. Sometimes the sessions are fully booked and you can bump into all sorts in here. The other week it was rammed. But there were quite a few people from the Christmas fair committee and we managed to get some things done.’
‘That sounds interesting.’ Jessica pulled a face.
‘Let’s just say it was a meeting with a difference. I never thought I would be sitting in here with Iris chatting strategy. Goodness knows what the other folks must have thought.’
Jessica shuddered at the idea of a work meeting in a sauna. Although she knew it was all the rage in Scandinavia. Some of her colleagues had recently visited Finland on a business tripand after dinner they had been invited to enjoy a sauna and dip in the lake afterwards. Evidently, Ivan had been horrified when he’d had to strip and sit naked opposite someone he had just been discussing strategy with. She chuckled as she remembered Freda telling her about it and swearing her to secrecy. Ivan would have been mortified if he knew his state of undress was the talk of the office. Freda had, of course, relished it and been more than happy to sit completely starkers with the other women who had been debating a case with her in a boardroom an hour earlier. She chuckled at the thought.
‘It’s nice to see you smile, Jessica.’
Now they had been sitting in the sauna for at least ten minutes, she could feel the tension ease from her shoulders. ‘Well, Mum, I have to say that this is better than I thought.’
‘It’s far nicer to do something like this in the outdoors than be crammed in a gym like hamsters on wheels.’
Jessica agreed. Although there was a gym at work, which was open twenty-four hours, it was windowless and the bright lighting always gave her a headache. She much preferred running outside along the river. Although she had packed her running things, she hadn’t felt like going out since arriving home. Maybe her mum’s suggestion of trying the sauna and going in the loch would be more refreshing and an easier way to boost her endorphins. She was about to find out as her mum had just clocked the timer on the wall above her head.
‘Time to cool off,’ said Catriona. ‘That’s our fifteen minutes up. Come on, Jess.’
Seconds later they were both immersed in the freezing loch.
‘Remember to take slow breaths and that will help you feel less panicked.’
Jessica tried it. Her mum was right. It definitely helped calm the fear of being in the baltic water. ‘Can we go back in now?’ she said after she’d managed to count to about forty in her head.
‘Of course. It will be easier the next time. I promise.’
Jessica wasn’t convinced. Back inside, she was grateful for the warmth again and the sweet smell of cedar. ‘Belinda came by to see Reuben last night,’ she said suddenly, curious to see her mum’s reaction. ‘I was there getting the tour.’
‘Oh,’ she said, pursing her lips. ‘That’s strange. She works in Dubai. They’ve been separated for a while. Maybe she’s back for a flying visit. Let’s hope so. Tell me about Gillian — how is she doing?’
Jessica noted her mum’s change of topic. She clearly didn’t want to linger on the subject of Reuben and Belinda. Jessica had briefly mentioned she had run into Gillian at the fair. But that was all she had told her mum. ‘We’re going to go for a coffee in the morning and catch up properly. She seems a bit stressed.’
Catriona nodded. ‘She has a lot to deal with — her own mum, wee Millie and being on her own and juggling all she does at work. She has poured a lot of her time and energy into that bakery.’
Jessica pondered for a moment and tapped her feet excitedly on the wooden floor. Whenever she thought about the bakery, she got a ripple of excitement. She wanted to help Gillian, and the thought of doing something positive for the community was actually making her feel enthusiastic. It was a feeling she hadn’t had for such a long time. ‘It’s got me thinking that I may try out my bread-making skills again,’ she said. ‘I’d love to be able to help out and volunteer. Even if it’s just a short-term thing.’
Her mum arched her eyebrows. ‘Hmm, yes that could be interesting.’
‘In fact, if it’s okay with you, I’ll have a wee play around in the kitchen this afternoon.’
‘Sounds good to me, dear. And I think we should have everything you need in the cupboards.’
‘I suppose I need the sourdough starter . . . which will take a while to make. But I’ll just see how I go today with what you have. It’s just an idea. I can talk more to Gillian tomorrow.’
‘Sounds a good plan, dear. Gosh, I’m hot,’ she said, wiping the back of her hand against her forehead. ‘Time for another dip.’
This time, Jessica breathed slowly as she entered the water and stayed in longer than the last time. She managed to count to eighty. Her mum was right. Thiswasexhilarating and she could feel the endorphins start to take effect. What a lovely way to spend an hour. By the end of the session, she felt calm but also invigorated. ‘You were right, Mum,’ she said as she quickly got dressed. ‘That was wonderful. I feel like I’ve had a really long workout.’
‘I told you that you’d feel amazing! But I’m glad you liked it,’ she said, pulling her hat on. ‘It’s a great way to start the day. Especially when you go home and have a nice warm shower and a tasty breakfast.’
They walked back to Thistle Cottage in a companionable silence. Then her stomach started to grumble, reminding her she was looking forward to tucking into her mum’s pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. As they turned into their lane, she watched a robin hopping along the fence towards Reuben’s cottage. It was almost as though it was trying to talk to her. It stopped just by the door of Primrose Cottage. Jessica smiled at it and realised how relieved she was that Belinda’s car was now gone.
