The Sauna Part 120

Monday morning came and I woke to a snow-covered, frosty morning. There wasn’t much accumulation; just enough to blanket the ground. I was glad that this was my last week of work and thankful not to spend another winter driving through blinding snow storms trying to get to the office. I was loathe to leave the warm bed and Jon’s sleeping form, but I dragged myself up and shivered in the cold morning air.

I threw on my fuzzy robe and padded out to the kitchen, Eddie and Zeke in tow, mewing for their breakfast. I filled the food bowls and started the coffee as Floyd appeared around the corner, yawning, but hungry. The cats were munching happily and I headed for the shower. The steaming water felt good on my skin, chasing away the chill.

Jon was still asleep as I dressed hurriedly, trying to stay warm, but he woke with a stretch and motioned me over to him. I sat on the edge of the bed as he pushed himself up to a sitting position and yawned.

“Is it morning already? Damn, it’s cold in here. Did it snow much more last night?” he inquired, yawning again.

“No, not a lot. Just enough to cover, but not enough to shovel” I replied, thinking I hadn’t called the contractor who usually did my plowing.

“Can you get out of the driveway okay?” he wondered, not really awake yet.

“Yeah, babe, don’t worry. Do you want coffee? It’s ready” I offered, seeing no reason for him to get up just because I had to leave shortly.

“Mmmhhmm, that sounds good. But I’d rather have you back in bed” he grinned lasciviously and he reached for me.

“Oh no you don’t! I just got showered” I teased as I evaded his grasp and stood up. “Stay there and I’ll bring you a cup”

I returned with a steaming mug and chuckled as I noticed Zeke and Eddie had returned to the bed, snuggling alongside Jon. I envied them greatly as I sat back down, sipping my own cup.

“Looks like you won’t be alone after all” I teased.

“Yep, I just wish their mom was as easy to convince” he smiled.

“One more week” I reminded him and myself.

“I know, I know. Hey, I was thinking …” he began and I rolled my eyes.

“No, seriously. It’ll be Thanksgiving soon and I was thinking we should go out and see Richie for a week and then fly back to Florida for the holidays. What do you think?” he added, quirking his brows.

“Sounds like a plan” I agreed.

I finished my coffee and kissed Jon goodbye and headed out the door before I changed my mind. I wanted nothing more than to crawl back in bed with him, but I knew this would be a busy week as I wrapped things up at work and I would have plenty of time to be lazy when it was all over.

The week flew by as I struggled to finish all the projects I had started. I also spent a fair amount of time training a number of folks to take over the various parts of my job as the agency was unlikely to find someone who was able to do all the pieces as the position was something I had somewhat created there.

Jon managed to keep busy while I was at work and made the arrangements for our trips to California and Florida. He even called Cherie to arrange for her to cat-sit while we’d be gone and he set up a gig in Florida just after Thanksgiving. The hardest part for me was saying goodbye to my clients, but finally it was Friday and I was finished.

The staff had planned a going-away party, but I teased them that it was really their way of celebrating. We had reservations for five o’clock at the Hamburg Grille and Paul had closed the restaurant for the evening as it was a large crowd and the place was small.

In addition to all my staff and many of the people I’d worked alongside for years, including my boss, there were a few others. Jon was coming, of course, and Paul had invited Cherie and Dave, as Cherie had been my colleague for many years despite the fact that we worked at different agencies. Angie had even called a few of the folks I’d been close to over the years who had since left the agency.

I was in my office, packing up the last of my trinkets from years of practice and feeling a bit nostalgic when Jon arrived. I looked up to see him standing at the doorway to my office, smiling.

“Babe, they can’t start the party without you” he said as he walked closer to where I was standing, holding a stuffed cat.

“This stuffed cat with the bandages all over it was such a comfort to so many of my clients who had been wounded themselves. There are so many memories here, Jon” I tried to explain as my eyes welled-up with tears.

Jon put his arms around me, trying to comfort me, but he was at a loss for words. I had been pretty quiet during the last week, saying little about work and he had thought that I was just anxious to get it over with. He understood now that I was having a hard time letting go.

Sandy appeared in my doorway then, prepared to tease me about still being the last one to leave, when she stopped short seeing Jon holding me as I cried. I glanced over his shoulder and saw her as she turned to leave and called to her.

“Sandy, come back! Here, I want you to have this” I said thickly as I handed the stuffed cat to her.

“Oh, Trish, no, I can’t. Not your trauma cat!” she said, her eyes becoming moist now too.

“Please, Sandy, take him. It’s only right since I’ve transferred most of my most difficult cases to you” I pleaded, pushing it into her hands as Jon stepped back.

“You’ve earned him, and you’ll need him!” I added, trying to laugh and lighten the mood.

“He’ll be a comfort to your clients who are going to miss you so much. You know I can never take your place with them” she said as she reluctantly accepted my offering.

“I wish you weren’t leaving too” she added and Jon shifted uncomfortably.

“Sandy, I want you to meet Jon” I said, finally introducing him as I sniffed back the tears.

“I’m glad to meet you. Trish has told me so much about you” Jon said, trying to sound more chipper than either of us felt at the moment.

“It’s nice to meet you too. I’ve been hearing about you almost as long as I’ve known Trish” Sandy laughed. “But I’m sorry, we’re all going to miss her, you know” she added pointedly.

“I realize that, and I’m beginning to feel responsible” Jon replied apologetically.

“Well, as long as you make her happy and she promises to come back and visit now and then …I really can’t blame you, you know” Sandy giggled looking more at me than at Jon then.

I had to laugh. Sandy was sixty-five, but Jon’s charms were not lost on her either. Who could resist those piercing blue eyes or that boyish grin? Certainly not any woman with a pulse, I thought proudly.

“Okay, I think I’m ready now” I said finally as I picked up the last few pieces of memorabilia from a lifetime of clients and colleagues and added them to the box.

It took a couple trips to the car, but with Sandy’s help, we finally packed up everything and got it loaded up. It was just past five-thirty as I walked up the stairs for the final time and turned off the lights in my office and silently made peace with my decision to leave. Jon squeezed me about the waist and nuzzled my neck and I knew I had made the right decision.

I wasn’t sure what the future held, but I knew that Jon would always be there. He was my constant now, my rock. I closed the door to my office and we walked down the back stairs and locked up the building. I was ready to begin a new chapter in my life.