“Well, maybe somethings.” Thelma laughed as Jill walked up with their order which she was carrying on a large silver platter. After Jill walked away from their table, Thelma continued. “What is it that you are looking for, Ophelia? What would make you happy, truly happy? “
“I want to have fun, I want to dance, I want all the things I have missed out on when I was living with Mrs. Johnson and forced to be a cat all that time. The only excitement I had there was when I would cough up a fur ball!”
“You had all the dances and boyfriends and fun in the world when you were living with your mother, and from everything I know about you, you were not happy then either. Maybe you need to look deeper to find what it is that you want and need. Everyone needs fun in their lives, but Enchanted is a place for reflection and understanding yourself.”
“Well that sucks.” Ophelia said.
“I’m going to go over to the Chocolate Shop when we leave here, you can come with me, or if you would rather, you could explore on your own.”
“Sebastian’s wife works there, right?”
“Catherine, yes.”
“Maybe I will just look around town on my own.”
“When you are ready to go back to the house, remember to ring the bell near the top of the hill and Caramel, Ace, or Zippy will come to take you back.” Thelma reminded Ophelia.
After eating their breakfast, the two women parted, walking in different directions. Ophelia enjoyed looking into the shop windows and when she turned the corner and saw a red building with a bright sign that read “The Spa”, Ophelia picked up her pace and walked in the front door.
The first thing she saw was an almost full sized painting of a woman with long dark red hair wearing a red evening gown with diamond straps. Ophelia had three thoughts in rapid succession. What a beautiful woman, she looks like me, and quickly thereafter, that is my mother!
A very pretty young lady walked up to Ophelia. “She is very beautiful, you take after her.”
Ophelia looked at the young woman who had shiny black very long hair. “Thank you, it is just a shock, I have never seen this painting before.”
“My name is London.” She said, holding her hand out to Ophelia. “Did you just want to look around a bit, or did you want something specific? We offer manicures, pedicures, facials, body massages and wraps, pool, just about anything you could be looking for in the way of beauty and pampering. We carry a full line of lotions and make up as well.”
“Oh, I would love the works, actually. I’m afraid I am new in town and don’t have any cash on me.” Ophelia said, disappointment in her voice.
“Not a problem, what would you like to start with? Manicure? Pedicure, massage, facial perhaps?”
“All of the above!” Ophelia said laughing.
London showed Ophelia into a dressing room and handed her a fluffy red robe to put on. “You can hang your clothes in the locker, come out when you are ready.” She said.
Ophelia looked around at other pictures and found her mother’s image in a few of them. There was a picture of Thelma and Luna as well. Everything in the room was red. There were plush pillows and comfortable looking red oversized chairs, even the carpet was a shade of red.
Ophelia walked out of the room and noticed shelves of nail polish in just about every color imaginable and some that were very unique. She picked out a flame red color and handed it to London. London directed Ophelia to the room where she was to receive her manicure and pedicure from Janet. She had her sit in a very comfortable red leather chair and had her soak her feet in a hot soapy foot bath for her pedicure. Ophelia said thank you and sat down next to a pretty blond with big brown eyes. “Hello.”
“Hello, we picked out the same shade of red for our pedicures and manicures. I am Cindy.”
“Hi Cindy, this hot water feels heavenly! It has been…” Here Ophelia paused, choosing her words more carefully. “A long time since I have had any pampering. Feels so good! My name is Ophelia.”
“You are Gertie’s daughter.” Cindy stated.
“You knew my mom?”
“Everyone knows your mother. This was actually her place of business when she was here.”
“How could you know that? It has been so many years since she was last here. I didn’t even know about this place until I noticed that it was a spa and walked in. It was quite a shock seeing her picture by the front door.”
Cindy looked at Ophelia and smiled, but offered no explanations. “Are you going to get a massage today? Ashton is fabulous! There is also a pool and in the back there is a full beauty salon where you could get all dolled up with hair and makeup treatments.”
“Sounds good, but what for? I mean, we look to be about the same age, where do young people here go for fun at night?” Ophelia asked.
“The town has dances now and then and during the holidays we go all out. We recently had a very big Halloween festival and dance at the recreation center. Not a lot outside of that though. It is funny that you asked about that. I’ve heard that your mother used to go searching for the same kind of fun.” Cindy said.
“Same kind of fun? I just meant dancing and laughing and maybe having a drink or three. Is alcohol banned here in Enchanted?”
“No, it is not, but we do not have bars here. We do have a very nice wine and cheese shop though.”
“Oh. So, what do people do for fun?”
“In the winter there are sleigh rides and ice skating. If you like dancing, I am sure that we could get something together at the recreation center.”
“What do you mean?” Ophelia asked.
“Something like a welcome home party.”
“For whom?”
“For you, of course.”
“But I have never lived here. You mentioned that my mother liked to have fun and went looking for more of it than you have here. Where would she go? Are there any stories about Gertie? She was my mother, but she was a real firecracker.”
“As I imagine you are as well. I know that Gertie would sometimes go beyond the borders of Enchanted. I believe that is where she met John.” Cindy said.
“How would you know any of that?” Ophelia asked. Just then two ladies sat down at the stools in front of each lady and started their pedicures so Ophelia didn’t pursue the subject of her mother and how Cindy could know anything about her time in Enchanted. The hot water and foot rub felt so good that Ophelia shut her eyes and when she opened them she noticed that Cindy was no longer there.
After her nails were dry, London reappeared and asked her how her manicure and pedicure went.
“Fantastic! It is amazing what a bit of pampering can do for your spirits!” Ophelia smiled. “What is next?”
London led Ophelia into a room that had a comfortable looking table, was lit by candles that smelled like lilacs and had soothing music playing softly. “Lay down on the table and make yourself comfortable, Ophelia. You can cover up with the sheets. Ashton will be in shortly and we can talk when you are done.”
Ophelia laid on the table face down and soon she heard a man’s voice. “Hello, Ophelia. I am Ashton, ready to get all the kinks out?”
“Hi Ashton, oh yes, I love massages, but it is had been way too long since I have gotten to enjoy a professional massage.”
Ashton named several types massages for her to choose from, all treating different needs and providing various benefits. Shiatsu, which is an ancient technique from Japan, we offer deep tissue as well. We also have hot stone treatment and Reflexology, just about every kind you can think of.” Ashton asked Ophelia if the music that was on was the type she wanted to hear before continuing on with this list of options.
“We also offer various ointments and lotions for you to choose from. Some that feel heated on your skin, others that are icy or make your skin tingle.” All of the lotions and oils are also moisturizers, full lotions designed to help your skin and each one smelled wonderfully. Ophelia chose one of the hot oils that offered a greater amount of moisturizes and told A
shton to work his magic with a full body Swedish massage.
“I can’t get over how much you look like your mother! You know that this is her place, don’t you?” Ashton said almost immediately after he started kneading her back muscles.
“Oh that feels so good! Yes, London said that mom used to own this spa, I wasn’t aware of that before.”
“Are you going to manage this place now? I mean, London does a good job, but she does not own it.” Ashton said.
“Neither do I.”
“Of course you do, Ophelia, It is your mother’s legacy, why would you think that it is not yours as well as Gertie’s?”
Just then a voice came over a speaker that up until then had music playing. “Ashton, could you come to the office for a moment?” They heard a female voice say.
“Excuse me, I will be back in a moment.” He said.
Ophelia laid there thinking about his words. I wonder if I really do own this place now. If I do, then I don’t have to get a job, I can use the funds The Spa brings in. Problem solved! Ophelia thought, stretching out her legs and arms. I can work my way down the list of services they offer here. Despite herself, Ophelia purred. The music was back and that, along with the dimly lit room and scent from the candles lulled Ophelia to sleep.
“All set now, you can sit up slowly.” Ashton’s voice. “Oh, I must have fallen asleep. Thank you for the wonderful massage. I will be back, and soon!” Ophelia said, feeling just the slightly bit light headed as she stood.
Ashton handed her a cup of water for her to drink. “There are showers if you want to freshen up, some people do after having oils rubbed into their skin.” Ashton said.
Ophelia decided to check out the entire salon, now that she knew that there was a possibility that she might actually be the owner. She did take a shower and used the great smelling shampoo and soaps. Instead of getting dressed, Ophelia walked over to the swimming pool and climbed in. Oh yeah, I could get used to this real quickly.
After yet another shower, Ophelia continued her self-guided tour. The office door was partially open when a female’s voice caught her attention. “You have to be more careful. You know that she does not know or understand the entire story here, Ashton.”
Ophelia crept closer to the office door so she could better hear what was being said. “Sorry, I did not get the memo that she was coming here today.” Ashton answered the female voice. “None of us did, but we all knew that she was here in Enchanted. Everything has to go according to plan, you know that, Ashton. For everyone’s good.”
“It will. She sure is a beauty. Just like her mother.”
They ARE talking about me!
Ophelia thought about showing herself and asking more questions, but she decided against it. I need to know more.
Just then, Cindy walked up behind Ophelia. “Did you enjoy your day at the spa?” She said. The office door closed fully. “Oh, yes, it was fantastic. I’d better be going now though, I have been here for hours. Apparently you have been as well?” Ophelia asked Cindy.
“Not really, I left and then came back. I wanted to check up on something.” Cindy said, not mentioning what. “Are you going back to Thelma’s now?”
Ophelia didn’t appreciate that. She was not used to being questioned. “Maybe. Maybe not. I think maybe I will look around town a bit more before I go back.” She told Cindy.
“Just remember to ring the bell near the top of the hill when you are ready. Have a good day.” Cindy said, smiling and waving good-bye. Since the office door was now closed, Ophelia decided to get dressed and see what else the town had to offer.
Ophelia went to the dressing room and changed back into her jeans and sweater. After peeking up and down some hallways that she had not gotten to as of yet, Ophelia walked out of the front door of The Spa. Although her initial plan was to continue to explore, the heat from the oils as well as the relaxing massage, and the laps she had swam in the pool had Ophelia eager to take a nap. She slowly walked to the hill and then rang the bell.
Before she had walked down the other side of the hill, Ophelia saw the miniature pony pulling the wagon that would take her back to Thelma’s house. She wasn’t one hundred percent sure, but when she walked up the porch stairs and turned, Ophelia thought she saw bright red nail polish on the horses’ hoofs.
Chapter 5
When Ophelia woke up from her nap she felt refreshed, but very hungry. She had not eaten since breakfast. When she walked into the kitchen she found Luna and Thelma sharing a pizza.
“Pizza! Yea!” Ophelia said, taking a plate from the cupboard and grabbing a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Thelma and Luna waited until Ophelia had eaten before asking her about her trip into town.
“I understand you went into the Village this morning.” Luna said. “Did you have a nice time?”
“I had a great time! I went to a place called The Spa. I had the works! Manicure, Pedicure, massage. It made me so relaxed, but also tired, so I figured I would wait on the facial and instead I came home to take a nap. By the way, who owns The Spa?”
Thelma got up to put the pizza and salad dishes into the sink. Luna answered Ophelia. “The Spa was your mother’s specialty. She owned and operated it. Do you think you would like to take it over now that you are here? It is a great idea to spend your days where you have a passion for the work.”
“Then it really is mine now? I think I will change the name – how does SCARLETT’S sound to you?”
Thelma dropped a dish into the sink making a loud noise causing Ophelia to jump and Luna had a strange look on her face.
“Luna, you look as if you just saw a rat eating your pizza and what’s up with you, Thelma? If I own The Spa, can’t I change the name to anything that I want? Is there some law against changing things here in Enchanted?” Ophelia asked. She knew she was over reacting, but not by much. She didn’t want to see the dream of her new cash cow being taken away from her.
Luna was the first one to recover. “Of course not, dear, you can change the name of The Spa to anything that you wish. May I ask why you picked that specific name?”
“You mean other than the fact that everything in it is red? There is an almost life-sized picture of my mother near the front door – you must have seen it – and she is wearing the most beautiful red evening gown that is lower cut and has diamond straps. She is standing in front of rocks of some sort. Her hair is long and very red, she is just gorgeous and she just looks like her name should be Scarlett.” Ophelia explained.
Thelma brought over the coffee pot and poured them each a cup of cherry vanilla coffee. She then reached over and took Ophelia’s hands in her own. Ophelia, how much do you know about your mother? What did she tell you over the years you were away from here?”
“Nothing really.” She said. She looked at Luna and continued speaking. “I already mentioned this to Thelma, but when I was about three or four years old in the house where my mother took us to, I became angry about something or other and produced blue mist, which scared me and I forgot all about my anger at my mother and ran to her for protection.”
“Did your mother comfort you?”
“No, not really. She told me not to run in circles and not to mention this to anyone at school. Then that brat Donald came in and nothing was said again. I found a ring once, a bright red beautiful ring and I had it on my hand and my mother came and demanded that I give it back to her and insisted it was nothing to play with. I didn’t mean to play with it, it was pretty and I wanted to wear it. Come to think of it, we brought it with us, where is it?” Ophelia asked, turning to Thelma.
Thelma didn’t answer her, but said “And your mother did not tell you anything about the ring then?”
“She said something about the ring being our only way back to Enchanted. She took it from me and put it into a velvet jewelry box she kept on her dresser. After that, I would threaten to take it and run away and find my way back here to Enchanted.”
“Did you actually ever try to use i
t to come here?” Luna asked.
“Well, no, I took it, but I didn’t really know anything about it, so I would rub it and talk to it.”
“What do you mean, talk to it?” Thelma asked.
“Silly stuff, like oh sacred ring, take me home to Enchanted. Stuff like that, as if a Genie might pop out of it and grant me wishes or something. Nothing ever happened and when I got back home the ring disappeared. I know now that my mother hid it in that chest that found its way to where Thelma was. Luna, Thelma and I found my mother’s journal and it had a poem in there about the ring and Thelma did use it to make the rocks open and that is how we were able to come back here.”
“You and your mother were living far from here, Ophelia. You would have probably never found the correct place to use the ring yourself.” Thelma said.
“We were far away because that is where my mother moved us. Far from here because of some man named John. I remember him and he was a nice enough man, but his son was a brat and I always blamed them for us having to stay where we were and not come back here.”
“You keep saying come back here, Ophelia, but do you remember living here before? Although this is indeed your home, you need to learn about Enchanted and find your inner peace before you can fully understand everything. This is the purpose of Enchanted. Does any of this make sense to you yet?” Thelma asked.
“I know I found The Spa and that saves me from having to find a job where I actually have to work somewhere. You talk about peace, the massage and the hot oils they used made me feel fantastic! Is that what you mean?” Ophelia said and then watched as her cousins looked at each other, sorrow in their expressions.
“What?”
Thelma spoke. “Ophelia, you were told that your mother had died. We went through great lengths to bring the urn of ashes here to Enchanted. Correct me if I am wrong, but I haven’t seen any indication from you that you are grieving your mother or miss her at all, and frankly, you seem to be very selfish and have a superior inflated opinion of yourself.”
Miss Enchanter - Ophelia's Story Page 3