The Sauna Part 114

“So, did I do good? I told you I could learn not to be an asshole all the time” Jon said proudly.

“Yes, baby, you did really well” I conceded, laughing. “But I’m afraid I let Missy get under my skin!” I admitted, annoyed with myself.

“Her? Hell, I thought you were far too civil considering the insults she kept baiting you with tonight. And I’m ashamed to admit it, but I was sort of hoping you’d pop her one because it’s been years since I saw a good cat fight” he chuckled.

I looked at him with an astonished expression. Here I was, feeling like I’d done really well keeping myself in check up until the end when I nearly lost it and almost invited her to take it outside. And here was Jon, wishing I’d done just that! I shook my head in disbelief.

“I didn’t want to lower myself to her level, babe, but had I known you’d have been turned on, I just might have decked her” I laughed, half-wishing now that I had.

“Next year, darlin’, if Jim’s still with her by then, but I kinda doubt it” he observed.

“Why do you say that?” I wondered.

“I think she embarrassed him, but he’s sort of hard to read” he answered upon reflection.

“He is hard to read, except when he’s really angry. But you know, Missy is just what he always wanted me to be, except for her being a bitch. But then, I always did manage to bring that out in her” I smirked.

“Yeah, what was that all about anyway? It seemed like more than just jealousy” he asked, turning to look at me.

“I represent everything Missy finds distasteful in a woman” I laughed and Jon stared at me.

“Whaddya mean?” he asked, looking completely confused.

“For starters, I like sex and I don’t hide the fact that I do. I’m sure you’ve noticed?” I quipped.

“Nothing I find distasteful there” he grinned.

“Missy thinks sexual behavior is crude and ‘unladylike’, hence all the tramp comments. Secondly, I’m a pagan and she’s a radical Christian, so therefore, to her, I am the devil incarnate. Add on the fact that Jim and I were a couple for years and that I never was particularly polite towards her, and you have the source of her venom” I finished.

“So what’s Jim see in her then? He still seems to have a great deal of affection towards you” he said, still not understanding the attraction between them.

“She’s cute and she’s blond for starters. But more importantly she’s ‘refined’ and best of all, she’s not Wiccan” I added bitterly.

“I see, so that was a sticking point, huh?” he nodded, finally understanding.

“It absolutely was, as you can imagine” I said, yawning.

“We’re almost home, babe. Did you want any coffee?” he offered as we approached the new Tim Horton’s on the way home.

“No, I just want my bed and you beside me in it” I said as I laid my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

“That can be arranged” he murmured, slipping his arm around my shoulders as I promptly fell asleep.

It seemed like only minutes had passed as we pulled in the driveway. Jon shut off the engine and shook me awake gently. I was so sleepy now that even the jostling movements as he shifted the car hadn’t roused me.

“We’re home” he said softly as I yawned again.

Poor Jon, he wasn’t used to seeing me quite this intoxicated and I had to admit that I’d drank far more than usual and it seemed to kick in all of a sudden. Jon helped me out of the car, and I stumbled, falling clumsily against him. He staggered a bit himself, but he caught me and we made it inside safely.

He steered me straight into the bedroom and I stood there obediently as he removed my clothes. Floyd jumped on the bed and stood there waiting impatiently while Jon undressed me and chuckled softly to himself.

“It’s okay, boy. No need to worry, I’ll put your Mom to bed safely” he said to my furry little protector and I smiled weakly.

Jon pushed me gently onto the bed, which didn’t take much doing, and he carefully removed my shoes. He convinced me to get up and get under the covers and I grunted, a little grumpy that I had to move. He tucked me in snugly before stripping off his costume and joining me, but I was already fast asleep. He leaned over tenderly and kissed my cheek.

“Goodnight, my love” he whispered as he turned out the lights and rolled over.


I woke with a banger of a headache and the sun hurt my eyes. I reached for Jon, but found a cold, empty spot where I expected him to be. I looked at the clock and it was almost noon, and I groaned, forcing myself to roll over to the edge of the bed before I attempted to stand.

I made my way painfully to the bathroom and noted the damp towel hanging in the shower and realized that Jon had been up for some time. I searched the medicine cabinet, desperate to find aspirin and shook out a handful, downing them without any water. I nearly crawled back to bed, hoping to make it before my head exploded. I’d just gotten back under the covers when I heard the back door and moments later Jon was standing by the bed with a fresh cup of coffee.

“How is it that you can look so chipper and I just want to roll over and die?” I asked irritably.

“I guess I can handle my liquor, babe” he gleamed in a most annoying way and the light dancing off his teeth as he smiled felt like daggers behind my eyes.

“Turn that off” I said miserably, burying my head into the pillow.

“Turn what off?” he asked, genuinely confused.

“That damn mega-watt smile” I muttered and he laughed loudly, but today the sound hurt my ears.

“Go back to sleep, baby. I’ll check on you later” he said, wisely choosing to leave me alone.

I woke up again a few hours later and I felt slightly more human. The headache had subsided and I could sit up without the room spinning. Wine hangovers were the worst and this was no exception. It was late afternoon and I really needed to get up, and I figured that a shower might help.

I heaved myself out of bed and went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. As I waited for the water to warm up I heard a noise outside and I went to the window and looked out. Jon was outside, surrounded by a pile of clutter, and I realized he’d decided to tackle the garage on his own. Now I was feeling guilty as well as hung-over.

I stepped into the shower and groaned, but the warm water felt good as it soothed my aching muscles. Slowly, I began to feel more human and the aspirin had helped my headache. I stepped out of the shower and began to towel off; finally feeling I was ready to handle coffee. Jon appeared just at that moment, a fresh cup in his hand and a grin on his face.

“The garage is almost done, darlin’. Come out and see when you get dressed” he beamed, proud of his accomplishment.

“Jon, I’m so sorry! I don’t usually drink like that. I should be helping you, I’ll be right out” I answered sheepishly, feeling ashamed for having spent the day in bed while he was outside working.

“No apologies, babe. Just come outside when you’re ready” he said as he disappeared.

I dried my hair and threw on my jeans and a sweatshirt and refilled my coffee on the way outside. I blinked in the bright sunlight, and the crisp air was bracing, but refreshing. Jon was in the garage, surrounded by boxes, neatly stacked into piles and I was amazed to see the garage floor again after so many years.

“Wow! How did you do all this? Where did everything go?” I asked, staring in disbelief.

“There’s still a lot outside, but I put a bunch of stuff up on the shelves and there’s a pile over there of stuff to throw out, but I wanted to be sure you didn’t need anything in there before I dump it” he explained, pointing to the pile.

“Thank you, love” I said as I walked over to him and slid my arm around his waist.

“I trust your judgment. And it’s better if I don’t know what’s in there” I laughed, grateful he’d done all this for me as it was a job I’d been putting off and dreading for years.

“Look here, come see what I found” he grinned and he led me over towards another corner of the garage where I saw a pile of my old paintings stacked on an antique table.

“Oh Gods, I’d forgotten about that table, I meant to refinish it some day” I said, running my hand across the dusty surface.

“I figured that and I could use a project while you’re at work. It’ll do me good to do something with my hands. But what about these? Why are they out here?” he questioned, motioning towards the pile of old paintings.

“Oh, they’re old and not very good. We can throw them out now, I guess” I said, wondering why I’d bothered to keep them at all.

“What! Are you kidding? No way! I was thinking we could get them framed and put them in the house and maybe take a few to Jersey. I’d like this one in our bedroom there, and this one here. I know a perfect spot for it in the den there” he said, showing me his selections.

“Jon, they aren’t very good. It’s when I was first learning. I’m sure we could buy some much better stuff if you don’t like what’s in the house now” I offered.

“Baby, I love these. And I think they’re beautiful. I’m fine with what is in the house now, I just don’t want these out here collecting dust, don’t you understand?” he said, gripping my shoulders and turning me to face him.

My ex-husband had made me feel ashamed of my attempts to paint and so I had looked at each piece critically, seeing every flawed brushstroke. But Jon saw something else and made me feel like perhaps I had become my own worst critic. Or maybe he was just being kind, the way a father displays his child’s artwork on the door of a refrigerator. I knew it wasn’t simply a lack of taste, since his home had been designed beautifully and he seemed to like a similar style as I did. I thought about it for a moment and decided not to question it, and just appreciate his suggestion for whatever it meant.

“Okay, if you’re certain you want them” I agreed.

“Absolutely!” he replied emphatically. “Besides, I think Tico should see these” he added.

I looked at him now, wondering. Tico was a real artist, with his own gallery. I figured he’d take Jon aside and explain that not everyone had talent, no matter how much they wanted or tried to cultivate it. He clearly saw something in those old paintings that I didn’t.

“Okay then. I’ll let Tico tell you how bad they are” I replied.

Jon frowned, but said nothing, deciding it was pointless to argue with me over it. And he’d gotten his way anyway, so that was enough for now. He began going through each one and dusting it off, shaking loose the cobwebs when I heard the phone ring.

I went inside and ran to grab the phone, tripping over Eddie who was right at the door. I reached it in time and picked up, just before the machine clicked on.

“Hello?” I said breathlessly as I answered.

“Hi Trish, it’s me. Why so out of breath?” I heard Richie’s smooth voice on the other end.

“Hey Richie, I just ran in from outside. What’s up?” I asked, strolling back to the garage with the phone.

“You’ll never guess where I am” he said with an air of mystery.

“Are you here? Are you okay? Where are you Richie?” I said, feeling a little unnerved.
“Scotland” came his reply, followed by a wicked chuckle.