‘There was a meditation and a cacao ceremony at the end. I wasn’t sure about it at first, but it was so calming and grounding that I floated back to my room.’
‘I need some of that.’
‘I slept for thirteen hours straight!’
‘Thirteen hours? What the? That’s insane. How do you feel?’
‘It’s weird. I’msotired. I woke up feeling like I’d been hit by a bus. My muscles are sore today and I have this strange feeling in my neck. Anyway, I guess the massage worked out all the knots that have been there for a long time.’
‘Well, take it easy, then.’
‘Yeah, as I said, I’m going to stay around here instead of going all over the place sightseeing in this heat.’
‘Sounds like a day by the pool is just what you need.’
‘Yeah, that’s the plan. Just relax, read, and enjoy the hotel. That’s one of the reasons we plumped for it in the end. Maybe I’ll venture out tomorrow.’
‘Good idea. Just make sure you drink loads if you’re going to be in that humidity.’
‘Will do.’
‘Right, I’ll check in with you later.’
‘Miss you!’
‘Miss you, too. Speak to you soon.’
Nina smiled as she put her phone in her beach bag and got ready for a day of doing nothing but lounging by the pool, enjoying the hotel, and recovering from her spa indulgences. Exploring and sightseeing could wait. She needed to recharge.
24
The after-effects of the evening at the spa had made Nina feel very chilled. However, she also felt overwhelmingly tired despite having the lovely feeling of being on holiday. This feeling seemed to overlay her in waves as she pottered around the room, getting ready for the pool. Attributing the weariness and heavy feeling in her bones to travelling and being cooped up in the back of an aeroplane for twelve hours, she hoped it would be gone by the next day.
With a book in hand and her beach bag over her shoulder, she ambled around the cute blue pool at the back of the hotel on her way to a sun lounger on the far side. She sighed as she looked around; everything around her looked as if it had been saturated in a deep, lush green and bright tropical colours. Despite being in the centre of the craziness of Bangkok and its traffic, the pool area was a little oasis and just what she needed.
In a white bandeau swimming costume, matching shirt cover-up, and huge floppy sun hat, she walked over the exquisitely cobbled floor beside the pool and passed a line of teak sunbeds with deep green cushions and matching parasols. Deciding on a sunlounger in the shade, a member of staff was quickly at her side, appearing from nowhere, unfurling one ofthe tightly wound, jewel-coloured towels onto the sunlounger and displaying the lovely Thai smile.
Next, she was provided with another towel as a pillow and a bottle of chilled water, and she settled in for a morning of doing not much at all. She wouldn’t mind becoming accustomed to the lifestyle. She’d intended to read her book and get lost in it for a bit, but instead, found herself just gazing around at the tropical plants and the ripples of water going across the deep blue pool in front of her. Everything about the hotel, from the beautiful traditional roof to the jacuzzi area backed by a tiled wall and orchids, had been thoughtfully designed. She didn’t even need to get lost in her book. She could just sit and stare around at the plants and pool all day long.
Feeling herself sink back onto the sunlounger, she allowed herself to relax, do nothing and recharge. As she watched a woman on the other side of the pool being served a gigantic cocktail adorned with flowers on the side of the glass, she had an internal debate with herself about whether she should indulge in a cocktail, too. Deciding that it was way too early in the day, she simply sat with her sunglasses on in the shade and took in the sights and smells around her, allowing the lush vegetation and sunshine to work their wonders.
A couple of hours or so later, after dipping into her book and ordering a cold drink, she was in exactly the same position: reclined on her sunbed, chilling for England. She tuned into the conversation of a couple of women beside her.
‘I said to her, you know, darling, you just have to let it be. She does have to accept it at the end of the day.’
‘Mmm.’
‘What do you think?’
‘Not sure. Pretty hard to say from my point of view.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘Look, I'm not being funny, Lynette, but I have four children. I know they drive me bonkers, and I’ve now been divorced twice and am on my way to my third divorce, but I don’t know what it’s like not to have a baby, you know? I think you’re being quite harsh. Really harsh, actually. I’m calling it as I think, seeing as you asked.’
The other women contemplated for a second. ‘Oh, right, okay. I know what you’re saying. I suppose itiseasy for me to say having had three of my own. I just think this IVF thing has been so stressful, and it’s beenyearsnow. I really do think it’s gone on long enough.’
‘Yep, when you put it like that. Well, you know what, Lynette, who are we to judge?’
