7am Sauna

By T. S. Landry

Meet six women who shouldn't have anything in common.

Cristal - Flamboyant and self-indulgent, she's working on her third husband and a biological clock that's gone into overdrive.

Melvina - An aging academic's wife watching her reality crumble.

Morena - Always searching for Mr. Right, she starts to think that maybe her life is missing more than a man.

Leanne - A Southern Belle raising a brood of kids and trying to fit in with her old-world Italian family.

Janice - The perfectly put-together professional with a nagging sense that something in her life needs to change.

Clarissa "Red" - A recent college grad searching for a practical job, but not quite ready to give up her dreams.

Six lives that might never have crossed, forever changed by unlikely bonds of friendship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: T. S. Landry
• Release date: Jan 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781465957337

T. S. Landry

My name is Teresa. I am a full-time writer and mother, as well as a part-time aerobics instructor and figure skating coach. My background includes everything from business owner to sales rep to entertainer to church secretary, with a lot of in-betweens. After having crossed one of life's many speed bumps (there have been many), I decided to concentrate my energy on a lifelong love of writing. Before turning to full length fiction, I published articles in newspapers and magazines.My first novel, Silent Tears, is the story of a teenage girl born with extraordinary powers. Unfortunately, the powers are changing and her lifelong struggle to appear normal becomes more difficult...and dangerous.My second novel, 7am Sauna, follows the struggles of six women who have little in common except that they belong to the same health club. Through conversations in the sauna following their morning workouts, they discover new aspects of themselves, as well as the impact they can have on each other's lives.

Book preview

For Nancy -

Your friendship adds color to my life

The conversations of six women, otherwise unconnected, who use the same gym and share a sauna after their early morning workouts.

1. Monday, April 12

Can you believe he told me I fart in my sleep? Indignation vibrated on the sharp edge of Morena’s voice. I mean that’s something you might mention after twenty years of marriage, not after two weeks of hot sex.

Leanne snorted and slapped her thigh, the skin on skin crack echoing in the small room.

Janice covered her mouth and discreetly cleared her throat.

Men are tactless balls of slime, declared Red.

Exactly! Morena shifted her weight on her towel and leaned back against the wall, her posture both contrasting and emphasizing her words. It was the first time we spent the whole night together, and he drops that bombshell across the kitchen counter while I’m making coffee.

I hope you didn’t make him breakfast, said Cris.

Leanne snorted.

Morena’s lip twitched. I thought about making him a tobasco omelet, but I tossed him a loaf of bread and pointed to the toaster, instead.

You’re too kind, Cris said.

Easy for you to say. You’ve got a good man. Morena scooted to the edge of the bench. What do you think, Mel? You haven’t said a word.

Melvina lifted her hand to push a damp strand of hair back into an elegant gray bun. She hesitated. Times have changed. In forty-five years of marriage, my husband and I have largely avoided all talk of bodily functions.

Leanne erupted in one last snort before she found her voice. Ya’ll crack me up.

Well, what would you do in my place?

Johnny’s been in the delivery room with me four times, and the last one left me with a slew of stitches and a bad case of ‘roids. There’s not a bodily function we haven’t shared up close and personal.

Morena slumped back against the wall.

Janice smiled and closed her eyes. I’m going to miss all of you next week.

Red perked up. Something wrong?

No, it’s spring break and my daughter will be home. I doubt I’ll make it to the gym at all.

You’re not going to go soft on us, are you? asked Leanne. A whole week without a workout and you might look like me.

There’s nothing wrong with your body. And I’ll still be working out. I just won’t have the benefits of this wonderful sauna. My daughter’s a runner. She tones her daily jog down to a slow two miles when she’s home, so I can keep up.

Cris raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. Awfully considerate, but I like to confine my sweating to non-public areas.

Does that include the bedroom? Red wanted to know.

It’s not public – to the best of my knowledge.

2. Wednesday, April 13

Red placed her hands on the edge of the bench and rocked forward. I should be happy today, but I’m not.

Okay, I’ll bite. Why should you be happy? asked Morena.

I have a job interview this afternoon in New York with Brandt Consulting. Good company, good starting salary. It’s even doing what I studied in college.

That sounds wonderful, said Mel. I wish you luck.

It would be wonderful if I actually liked what I studied in college, but I have a business degree with an emphasis on corporate accounting. It’s about as dull as it gets. I was just going after the piece of paper, you know?

You’re making me feel bad, said Janice. I work with those corporate accountants all the time.

Really?

Yeah. I’m a financial consultant. Big corporations, a lot of number crunchers.

I knew you had an MBA, but I didn’t know what you did with it, said Cris.

I’m still confused, said Leanne. What do you do with your MBA?

Jan smiled. The company I work for does just about anything that has to do with money – investing, earning, auditing, advising, whatever. But my department gets called when a company wants to cut expenses and blame a third party. I, or a team of us, go in, evaluate spending, waste and duplication, and map out a plan to cut costs.

And you paid for two extra years of school to be a hatchet-man?

Jan nodded to Leanne before closing her eyes and tilting her head back. "Hatchet-woman, and I love it. Not firing people, but the order and rightness of efficiency. It appeals to my Type A personality."

Well, it doesn’t appeal to mine, said Red. And you have an MBA. I just have a BA. Everybody and their brother has a BA in business. In this economy, we’re a dime-a-dozen. I don’t even know how I got the interview.

I still wish you luck, said Melvina. Just stay positive and you’ll make a good impression.

I haven’t even decided if I want to make a good impression. I’m just kinda going through the motions, you know? And if the interview runs late and I hit the rush hour commute, I may miss my rehearsal tonight.

What are you working on, now? asked Morena.

It’s a dark comedy by a nobody grad student at NYU, but it’s really pretty good. This is the first one of his works to be staged, and he keeps showing up at rehearsals looking like he’s going to pee his pants. I’ll put a flyer on the Community Board as soon as they’re ready.

You’ve gotta really love acting to put so many hours into that for free, said Leanne.

It’s a great way to meet people. Red frowned and looked intently at the cement floor of the sauna. Everybody has to have hobby.

I didn’t mean anything bad. It’s just that you wait tables graveyard, spend evenings doing community theater, mornings here, and job hunt in between. When do you sleep?

Red shrugged. I sleep.

Silence filled the small room or almost a full minute.

So, Morena, said Cris, how is Mr. Tactful?

Don’t ask. He had some work thing going on last night, so we just met for drinks afterward. He knows I’m not happy, but he has no clue why, and I can’t bring myself to tell him. It wasn’t just that one comment; it’s a whole lot of little put-down type comments. You know, not necessarily insults, but not nice, either. I think his days are numbered.

You deserve better, Mel said quietly.

Yeah, I do, but I feel so empty when I don’t have a man in my life. I keep settling for losers.

You don’t keep them long, though, said Red. You know when to cut your losses. Me, I’m afraid that if I found one who showed enough interest, I would hold on to him no matter how bad he treated me. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

Jan carefully surveyed Red. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you, and you are much too young to settle for someone who doesn’t treat you like a queen.

Is that what you’re waiting for, Jan? You never talk about dating.

I don’t know what I’m waiting for. I just haven’t felt like dating. I was so angry with Jordan when he walked out on me, I guess I blamed all men for a while. And he calls me just often enough to keep me mad at men. When we split up, I went out just for spite – even slept around some – but it wasn’t me. My daughter became my whole life. She still is, she just doesn’t know it anymore because she’s away at school.

Give me your number. The next time I go out with the girls, instead of a guy, you should come with us. Getting out would do you good.

Thanks, Morena, but I would feel funny.

You? Red almost choked. You’re so confident and – I don’t know – put together. I can’t imagine you being awkward.

But you wouldn’t look awkward, would you, Jan? Cris eyed her shrewdly. You would only feel awkward, and nobody but you would know.

Janice smiled, but remained silent.

It must be nice to be able to hide your feelings, said Leanne.

I suppose it’s no longer considered good etiquette to keep your emotions private? Mel almost whispered.

Oh, Lordy, my mama did try to teach me all those old rules. Leanne rolled her eyes. It didn’t take.

I bet you were a wild one when you were younger, said Morena.

I had my moments, but my sister was the real piece of work. She tried everything, usually twice. After her, Mama knew most of the tricks, so I couldn’t get away with nearly as much. Papa, bless him, just didn’t know what to do with girls.

We should all get together sometime outside the gym, said Morena. Especially you, Mel. You don’t go out either, do you?

I really can’t get out much with my husband the way he is. I’m lucky the nurse who takes the morning shift is so reliable, or I wouldn’t be able to come here. I might go crazy without all of you.

Aw, Mel, started Red, I know you’re not used to showing emotions, but you can let them out here.

Ain’t that the truth. A bunch of girls sitting around mostly naked in pools of sweat. You could even cry and blame it on the sauna.

You have such a way with words, Leanne, said Jan. But, seriously, Mel, if you need a shoulder or want to go out, even just for lunch or coffee, one of us should be available. I mean, we’ve all got different schedules. You shouldn’t have to be by yourself all the time.

They all agreed.

Do you have any other friends who help?

Cris aimed a nasty look at Red. Mel was looking down at her hands.

Not really, no. We always socialized with Alfred’s friends from the university and his research group. Since he stopped working, it’s like we don’t even exist. They were Alfred’s friends, not mine. They discuss cutting edge science and develop new lab experiments. They don’t want to spend time with an Alzheimer’s patient and an old woman who doesn’t even have an undergraduate degree. It wasn’t so bad at first; it was just his memory and not too bad. Some of his closer friends stopped by occasionally. Then, he had a stroke about a year after he retired, and things have been getting worse ever since. I don’t remember the last time one of his colleagues came to visit.

And people think I’m superficial, muttered Cris.

Well, said Morena with a smile, you look it. You could have been the model for a dark-haired Barbie doll, and I’ve never seen you without makeup.

Taking care of my assets doesn’t mean I’m superficial. Cris’ voice was unusually defensive. But that’s beside the point. Mel, you can’t spend all your time cooped up in a house with someone who’s losing his mind. I know you love him, and you’re obviously there for him, but it’s just not healthy. When was the last time you did something just for fun?

I come here.

Enough, said Jan. Mel, we’re here for you if you ever do want to get out a little more. And, Red, you’re going to do just fine at your interview. Think positive.

3. Thursday, April 14

Jan leaned back against the wall and let out an exaggerated sigh. I always feel better after a workout, even if I am tired and sore.

I’m happy with just not feeling bad, and I don’t work out nearly as hard as you. Leanne opened one eye and squinted at Janice. This is more like a social engagement that makes me feel better about eating desert.

Don’t forget all that good, fattening Italian food, too.

I-talian food doesn’t have a thing on southern-fried food, Morena. My mama can turn a vegetable into a thousand calorie side dish without batting an eyelash – and she can still bat her eyelashes as good as any southern belle. I don’t think there’s anything she won’t batter and drop in hot lard.

Red made a sour face, That sounds gross.

Nah, those were the good ol’ days when my metabolism matched my appetite. Now, I gain weight just thinking about it, and that’s the last thing I need. Besides, my family doesn’t appreciate good southern food.

You have a beautiful body, Leanne, said Mel. You should stop putting yourself down.

Leanne laughed good-naturedly. Easy for you to say. You probably still weigh the same thing you did when you got married.

Very slowly, Mel’s gaze lifted, carefully assessing Leanne’s curvy legs, ample hips, numerous stretch marks, rounded middle and less-than-perky breasts. Finally, her eyes met Leanne’s. You have the body of a mother, and I would have given anything for that privilege. She shook her head and looked down. But it never happened.

A brief moment of silence followed. Jan’s forced a smile as she turned to Red. So, how did the interview go?

Not well, but at least I know why I got the interview.

That sounds ominous. Cris raised one eyebrow and looked at Red.

There must have been fifty people there to interview for one position.

Ouch, whispered Morena.

Yeah. Ouch, all right. They just wanted to know who would do the most work for the least pay.

Unfortunately, that’s the way a lot of companies are. That’s the way they think they have to be, said Jan.

Well, don’t they? asked Morena. I mean, the bad economy and lack of jobs is headline news almost every day.

Actually, no. People are usually more productive if they can focus their abilities. It’s the multitasking and consolidating of jobs that I usually try to eliminate when I consult.

How is that possible? asked Red.

Well, when people are expected to multitask, it often works out that they get more things started and fewer things finished. The same goes for job consolidation. When a department has three people and it gets cut down to two, the two remaining people often duplicate the work that the third would have done, while doing all the tasks poorly.

Hmph.

Jan laughed. I know; it’s frustrating. Being eager to work is good, but trying to do everything is bad.

That last bit was easier to understand than the explanation, said Mel.

Morena frowned thoughtfully. I wonder if I could convince my boss that greeting people is not a good use of my skills?

Mel laughed, all the previous tension forgotten. Did you have another run-in with a rude client?

Of course. People who need legal help are not the happiest people in the world.

I don’t know, said Cris. The only times I’ve needed legal help was when I was getting divorced, and that made me happy.

Only you, Cris, said Jan. My divorce made me miserable.

That’s because you were too emotionally invested in the marriage.

Well, duh! said Morena. That’s the whole point, isn’t it?

It can be. I’m pretty emotionally invested now, but the first two were simply fun while they lasted.

I get emotionally invested in grocery shopping. I’m pathetic, said Leanne. I don’t know what I would do if Johnny left me. He and the kids are everything to me.

Morena laughed. How on earth did my rude client lead to talk of divorce?

Red shifted on the bench and readjusted her towel. Did this one hit on you, too? she asked.

Morena smiled. "I think he was working his way around to it, but I sort of