It was just past two o'clock when Tully pulled into the driveway of their destination. "We're here. The doorman is looking at you funny so you might want to remove the blindfold."
Kate whipped it off just as the doorman welcomed her to the Salish Lodge and opened her door. As if from everywhere at once, they could hear the distant roaring of Snoqualmie Falls, but from here they couldn't actually see it. The ground vibrated with the force of the falling water. The air was heavy and moist.
Tully led the way to the front desk, checked in, and followed the bellman to their room, which was a corner suite with two bedrooms, a fireplace in the sitting room, and view of the rushing, whitecapped Snoqualmie River as it moved toward the falls.
The bellman gave her their spa schedule; she gave him a healthy tip, and then she and Kate were alone.
"First things first," Tully said. She'd been on television long enough to know when a script was needed. She'd devised a format and schedule for the entire duration of their stay. She opened her suitcase, pulled out two limes, a shaker of salt, and the most ridiculously overpriced tequila she'd ever seen. "Straight shots."
"You are insane," Kate said. "I haven't had a straight shot since—"
"Don't make me shoot you. I'm running out of water."
Kate laughed. "Okay. Pour up, bartender."
"One more," Tully said right away.
Kate shrugged and drank up.
"Okay. Bathing suits. Put yours on. There's a robe in your bedroom."
As usual, Kate did as she was told.
"Where are we going?" she asked as they walked down the glossy slate floor of the lodge's main floor.
"You'll see."
They came to the spa and followed the signs to the hot tub.
In a back corner, they came to a beautiful steaming pool surrounded by Northwest and Asian styled accents. The air smelled of lavender and roses. Lush green plants in ceramic and bronze pots made it almost feel as if you were outdoors.
They climbed down into the hot, bubbling water.
Kate immediately sighed and leaned back. "This is Heaven."
Tully stared at her best friend, seeing now, amid the softening curtain of steam, how tired she looked. "You look terrible," she said gently.
Kate opened her eyes slowly. Tully could see anger flash across her face, but as quickly as it flared, it died. "It's Marah. Sometimes when she looks at me, I actually see hate in her eyes. I can't tell you how much that hurts."
"She'll grow out of it."
"That's what everyone says, but I don't believe it. If there was just some way I could force her to talk to me, and to listen. We tried counseling, but she refused to participate."
"You can't make a kid open up. Only peer pressure can get them to do anything, right?"
"Oh, they'll open up. You just can't believe anything they say. According to Marah, I'm the only mother in the world who's so grossly overprotective."
Tully saw the deep unhappiness in her friend's eyes and although she tried to believe it was just ordinary motherhood stress, suddenly she was afraid. No wonder Johnny was so worried. Last year Tully had interviewed a young mother who was overwhelmed and depressed. A few months after the interview the woman had swallowed a bottle of pills. The very thought of that terrified her. Shehadto find a way to help Kate. "Maybe you should see someone."
"You mean a shrink?"
Tully nodded.
"I don't need to talk about my problems. I need to be more organized, that's all."
"Organization is hardly your problem. You don't have to go on every field trip or make costumes for every kid's play or cookies for every bake sale. And they can ride the damn bus to school."
"You sound like Johnny. I suppose now you're going to tell me that everything would be better if I did all this and wrote a book, too. Well, I tried. I've been trying." Kate's voice broke. Tears welled in her eyes. "Where's the tequila?"
