Page 111 of Insidious

In the end, we find the dress almost by accident. A vintage-style skater dress tucked near the back. The soft cream fabric is scattered with tiny red flowers. It cinches at the waist without squeezing and flares gently over my hips instead of clinging.

When I step out wearing it, Isaac stops talking for Amelie and whistles.

“Oh,” he says.

“What?”

“That’s the one.”

I look in the mirror, and I feel beautiful.

***

The spa smells like eucalyptus and lemon. Soothing music hums through hidden speakers as women in cream uniforms glide around water with a slice of lemon and tiny rolled towels while we wait.

Isaac looks deeply suspicious of everything.

“This place definitely harvests organs on the side. I guess we are going to have to chance it,” he whispers in my ear as we walk in.

I snort.

A woman with perfect skin appears and immediately falls in love with Amelie.

“Oh, my goodness,” she breathes. “Who is this precious?”

Amelie stares at her blankly, then looks towards Isaac, as if to say, stranger danger.

“She is giving me Golem vibes,” he mumbles, before smiling at her and fishing his booking voucher out of his pocket. “We have booked the family package.”

***

The massage makes me feel like my every muscle has turned into mush. I didn’t realise how much tension I’ve been carrying until skilled hands started kneading it out of my shoulders.

Meanwhile, Isaac spends the first five minutes of his massage sounding deeply uncomfortable.

“Am I supposed to make noises?”

“No, sir.”

“What if I accidentally fall asleep?”

“That’s fine.”

“What if I drool?”

“Also fine.”

I can hear the therapist’s professional patience thinning like paper with every new question.

The pedicure comes next.

Isaac holds Amelie, who becomes fascinated with the bubbling foot bath. Twenty minutes later, he’s reclined in a chair, looking personally betrayed by how relaxing it is.

“I hate that I enjoy this,” he mutters as a woman massages lotion into his hairy calves.

***

The facials are where things truly fall apart. We’re lying beside each other with green face masks slathered thickly across our skin and cucumber slices over our eyes.