Catherine’s Saturday

Saturday, Late Morning

Catherine was lying on the couch napping while Linds was watching MTV, talking on the phone and getting ready for her sleepover when someone knocked on the door. Lindsey ran over and opened it to see a limousine driver at the door.

“I’m here for Ms. Willows.”

“MOM!!” she yelled. “Come on in.” Lindsey walked back to the living room and shook her mother awake. “Mom, there’s a man here to see you.”

Catherine opened her eyes and saw the limousine driver standing over her. “Can I help you?”

“I was sent to pick you up.” The driver was a tall man with brown hair. He was holding his cap under his head.

“By who?” Catherine sat up slowly.

“Mr. Grissom said I wasn’t at liberty to divulge that information.” He looked apologetically at her.

“Gil?”

“Yes ma’am. He said to tell you that your date would meet you later and that you were to come with me at the gentleman’s request.”

“I’m sorry but I can’t leave. My daughter is preparing for a sleepover.”

“The gentleman also requested your daughter come with us. Arrangements have been made with her friend’s mother regarding the sleepover. We will drop your daughter off on the way to dinner.”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, but unless you can give me more information I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Mr. Grissom said you would say that. Please call him to verify everything.”

Catherine grabbed her cell and pressed the button for Gil’s number. He told her that everything was on the up and up.

“Let me get a shower first.”

“Not necessary ma’am. Please, we must leave or you will be late.”

Catherine and Lindsey followed the driver to the car, where he opened the door and let them in. The inside of the limo was filled with fruit and sparkling wine. Lindsey read the note on the tray.

“Ms. Willows, I am looking forward to our dinner this evening. For now, please enjoy the day with your daughter.” Lindsey handed the card to her mother. Catherine read it with a bit of disappointment. The note was typed and unsigned. No clue as to the identity of her date. She watched as they drove through the strip, pulling into the Bellagio. The car came to a halt under the canopy and the driver opened the door for them to exit the car.

“Please follow me,” He led them through the hotel to a private elevator, where he inserted an access key to an unlisted floor. Once there he led them to the hotel’s private spa. A young woman came in to greet them.

“Hello Ms. Willows. I’m Denise. Would you and your daughter please come with me.”

“Can you tell me what’s going on?”

“A gentleman has arranged for the two of you to enjoy a full day of our facility’s services. Massages, facials, manicures, pedicures. Whatever you want. Lunch is being catered by the hotel’s restaurant.”

“Mom, c’mon.” Lindsey was tugging at her mother to hurry.

“Can you tell me who this gentleman is?”

“I’m sorry, I honestly do not know. We just received a package saying to provide unlimited services to the two of you.” Denise handed Catherine the card she had received.

“Cool. Can I get my hair done too?”

“Yes ma’am, anything you want.”

“Mom, I want my hair with different colors all in it. Can I do it?”

“Linds, don’t you think that’s a little extreme?” Catherine did not want her daughter looking like some of the kids they saw at crime scenes. She knew she was stereotyping these kids but when it came to her daughter it didn’t matter.

“Ms. Willows, we can do a simple color treatment that will come out in under three shampoos. Her hair would be back to normal before school on Monday. Perhaps this would work instead?”

“Please Mommy, please.”

“Alright, Linds. You have to promise to make sure it’s all washed out before school on Monday.”

“Sweet!!!!”

“Not so fast. Before we do your hair how about a massage for the both of you?”

“Now that sounds sweet to me” Catherine said.

“Right this way ladies. You can change in here then just lay down on the tables. The massage therapists will be with you in a few minutes.” As she left she turned on Merle Saunder’s “Blues From The Rainforest” and lowered the lighting to set the mood for their massages.

Both changed quickly and lay down on the tables. A short time later four massage therapists entered and began their work. Catherine was soon asleep. However, Lindsey was wired and talking non-stop to the therapists.

“Did you know this is my very first massage?”

“Why do you turn the lights down?”

“Do you think you could put Hillary Duff in the CD player instead?”

“Wow, that feels good. What did you do?”

“Why do you use the oil?”

“Do you have any other scents?”

“Where did you learn how to do this?”

“OMG! Can I get my cell and call Jennifer? She’ll be so jealous. She’s my best friend and I’m spending the night with her tonight.”

“Lindsey, why don’t you close your eyes for just a couple of minutes.” It was the therapist working Lindsey’s back and head. Lindsey complied. Within five minutes she was sound asleep. All four therapists looked at each other and smiled then continued on with their work. Two hours later they were done. Both Catherine and Lindsey were sound asleep. Lindsey’s therapist set the timer on the Tibetan Chimes to wake them in 45 minutes as the four of them walked out.

Catherine opened her eyes slowly. Her body felt so good that she never wanted to leave the spot she was in. Unfortunately for her she had a teenage daughter who felt differently.

“Hurry up Mom. Denise said lunch is ready and I’m starving.” Lindsey had already wrapped herself up in one of the spa’s robes.

“You go ahead. I think I’m going to stay here.” Catherine had no intention from moving from the spot. Ever.

“MOM!” Lindsey tugged at her mother’s arm.

“OK, OK. I’m getting up.” Catherine pulled on a robe and they walked to the reception area where Denise was waiting for them.

“I was beginning to wonder if you were coming.”

“The massage was wonderful. I’m just not used to having time to relax.”

The followed Denise to the dining room and were seated by a window overlooking the city. An attendant brought them both salads to start their meal.

“So, mom, you’re going on a date tonight?” Lindsey was excited for her mother. She stayed home entirely too much when she had a day off.

“It sure looks that way.”

“Who with?”

“I don’t know. It’s a blind date.”

“Who hooked you up?”

“Gil.” Lindsey had a funny look on her face.

“Spit it out Linds.”

“Aren’t you afraid it’s going to be some guy who raises termites or something?”

“Not really, no.” The thought hadn’t occurred to her before, but now she had to wonder. Gil had several friends who were as into bugs as he was.

“I would be.”

“Gil raises cockroaches and you aren’t afraid of him.”

“But that’s different. That’s Gil.” She took a bite of her salad. “Hey mom.”

“Yeah?”

“How come you and Gil have never gone out?”

“We go out all the time.”

“No, I mean like go out like boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Linds.”

“No, I’m serious. Why not?”

“More eating, less talking.” She pointed her fork towards Lindsey’s plate.

“OMG! You have.”

“Lindsey Willows, eat.”

“Did you kiss him?”

“Lindsey!”

“Answer the question.”

“Young lady that part of my life is not any of your business.”

“Daddy said you did.”

“What?”

“Daddy used to say you and Gil were seeing each other behind his back.”

“Unbelievable!” Catherine put her fork on her plate. “I never cheated on him.” It was hard enough raising a daughter as a single mother but having to compete with the ghost of Eddie Willows was impossible.

“Mom, dad lied a lot didn’t he.”

“Lindsey, can we not talk about this.”

“I remember stuff. You know, when I was little.”

“You really want to talk about this?”

“Yeah, I do.”

“Tell you what. Why don’t I pick you up early tomorrow and we’ll spend the whole day talking about it if you want. That way we can enjoy the rest of the day here.”

“Promise?”

“I promise. Now eat!”

“So is Gil a good kisser? Right, eating my lunch.”

Denise returned as they finished their meal. She then took them to have mud baths, followed by facials, manicures and pedicures. The final treatment of the day was their hair. Lindsey’s hairdo was beyond description. Five colors, braids, twists, beads…if she could think of a way for it to fit in her hair it went in. Catherine looked at her daughter and laughed.

“You look like you stuck your finger in a socket at Greg Sander’s apartment.”

“Sweet!”

“And you sound like him too.”

“Ms. Willows, have you decided what style you want?”

“Honestly, I don’t know. I have no idea where I’m going tonight so I guess something that would work no matter what.”

Denise came in at this moment. The woman had the most incredible timing of anyone Catherine had ever met.

“Ms. Willows, I think I might can be of some help here. The gentleman sent over some clothing for you to look at for tonight.”

Catherine and Lindsey looked at each other as Denise pulled the clothing rack into the room. On the rack were a half-dozen outfits in Catherine’s size ranging from casual dresses to jeans and blouses. Below the clothing was an assortment of shoes and accessories.

“Mom, I bet he’s rich.”

“Lindsey.” It was hard enough teaching her daughter that money wasn’t everything when her Grandfather was continually trying to lavish expensive gifts on her. She didn’t need a man in her life who would make it look like she was accepting the same thing.

“A rich man who raises termites.” Lindsey was laughing.

“Lindsey Willows!”

“Ms. Willows, do you have a preference?”

“I don’t know what we are doing tonight.”

“Don’t worry, the gentleman said that any of these outfits would be perfect for your evening. And that we were to have the outfits you didn’t choose delivered to your home by currier.”

Catherine looked over each outfit carefully finally deciding on a simple wrap-around floral print dress with ¾ sleeves. The stylist then pulled her hair up in a semi-casual upsweep with ringlets dangling from both sides.

“Mom, you look beautiful.”

Catherine looked in the full-length mirror. She couldn’t believe what she saw. She knew how to dress, she always had. But normally the reflection looking back at her had dark circles under the eyes and creases in her forehead from stress. The image she saw looking back at her was relaxed and carefree.

“Ms. Willows, the driver is here for you and Lindsey.”

“Thank you.”