Blindfolded Surprises

The doorbell of my apartment keeps ringing, forcing me to turn towards the bedside clock, which shows it's only seven in the morning on a Saturday. Who dares to disturb me on a Saturday? I think to myself as I put on my navy blue satin robe over the matching nightgown and wake up Juan because I'm afraid he might fall off my bed. My son puts up a little drama but eventually comes into my arms, and together we head to the entrance, where I open the door, irritated.

"Who dares to wake me up so early?" I question as I forcefully open the door. My expression changes instantly, and all I can say is, "But what is this?"

"Surprise," says my father, entering my apartment accompanied by my mother and then my sister.

"Excuse me, but did I schedule something with you today?" I ask, nervous. I've always had an excellent memory, but perhaps with the pressure at work, I might have overlooked something.

"No, you didn't," my father replies, walking towards my living room. He sits in the middle of the couch, settling in with an air of mystery, something I particularly hate when he does. "Carlos."

"Carlos?" I ask, not understanding. "Well, he probably must have forgotten about this commitment. Let me just change Juan, and then I'll call him."

"No, daughter," my mother declines, smiling. "Carlos sent us here."

"Carlos sent the three of you to my house? For what?" I question, confused. What on earth was happening there?

"Well, he gave us some instructions, but first..." my father says, taking out his cell phone. He dials a number and then hands it to me. "Talk to him."

I take the phone from my father's hands and put it to my ear while rocking a nervous Juan in my arms. It's not just my son who is impatient with this whole situation, but me too. My mother comes and takes him from my arms, and finally, the call is answered:

"Hello, Dália Penedo," my husband says from the other end of the line.

"What is this madness, Carlos?" I ask, seriously.

"Just fulfilling what I said: I'm taking care of your life as a single mother for a day."

"What do you mean?"

"Trust me?"

"No, of course, I don't trust you. Forgot that technically I don't even know you?" I whisper the last part almost under my breath.

"However, you know your family and love them. So trust in what they'll do for you today."

"And what about you?" I ask, curious.

The phone goes silent again. I look at my family, who are there anxiously waiting to know what was decided between us:

"He asked me to trust you," I say, rolling my eyes. "And I'll do that."

"Great," my father says, looking at my mother. "Your mother and I will take Juan. Valéria, the rest is up to you."

"Rest?" I ask, looking at my sister, who approaches with a blindfold for my eyes. "What rest?"

***

I'm sitting in the living room with a blindfold over my eyes while I hear my sister rummaging through my closet. I have no idea what Valéria is plotting on Carlos's behalf, but I can only hope it's something really good. I hear my sister's high heels briskly hitting the hallway until they become muffled by the carpet in the living room.

"Okay, all set," my sister informs.

"So, can I take off the blindfold now?" I ask my sister.

"No. The orders are to take you blindfolded," my sister explains, lifting me off the couch.

"You know I'm wearing a nightgown and a robe, right?" I ask, seriously.

"Believe me, where I'm taking you, you won't need any clothes," my sister replies, enigmatic.
***
Curves and more curves, that's all I can identify with Valéria driving. "Are you taking me to a strip club?" I ask, turning my face toward my sister.

"Oh, God, no, of course not!" my sister emphatically denies. "Why would you think that?"

"Because it's the only thing I can think of where I can go in just a nightgown..."

"A pool club would have been a good choice," Valéria comments.

"In a nightgown at a club, Val?" I question, worried about my sister's suggestion.

"Well, what's the problem?" my sister says, hitting the brakes. "A nudist beach?"

"Are you crazy if you think I'm going to a nudist beach today?"

"We're here," my sister says. A nudist beach? It can't be...

***

"Welcome," says a female voice, welcoming us somewhere.

I take a deep breath, trying to smell the sea breeze or anything that might help me understand where I am.

"This is Dália Penedo," my sister says to the woman.

"Ah, yes, Dália Penedo," the woman repeats. "Come with me."

The woman holds my arm and leads me into a place that I'm now pretty sure is not a nudist beach. However, it's further solidifying the idea of a strip club. We walk for a while until I hear a door open, and then she takes me towards the sound.

"Miss Dália Penedo, you can remove your blindfold," the woman asks.

I admit I feel a rush of nerves not knowing where I am or what they are up to. I slowly remove the blindfold, and then the light fills everything around me for a few moments until I can identify the place where I am: a white room with various floral decorations and lots of greenery. In the middle of the room, there's a massage table. However, the blonde woman who was accompanying us is not dressed as a masseuse.

"The person responsible for your treatment will be here shortly," she informs, walking to a suspended shelf and grabbing a towel. "Please undress and lie face down on the table."

I undress my intimate clothes and lie on the table. The woman covers half of my body with the towel, and then I see her shadow moving towards the door, leaving the room. I'm alone for a while until I hear the door open again, and a larger shadow appears on the floor.

The person approaches the table, and I hear them pick up oil and rub their hands together. Then their hands are placed on my neck, creating a relaxing warmth. The hands continue massaging my neck for a while before descending to my shoulders, pressing to release tension, making me almost fall asleep. I didn't know I needed a massage until that moment. My arms are massaged to the fingertips. Their hands slide along my back in circular movements until they enter under the towel, reaching my lower back, which sends shivers down my spine. They press the area for a long time before stopping and stepping away.

Then I feel their hands on my feet. Each point touched on the soles of my feet alleviates a different part of my body. Their hands then move up my calves, knees, and thighs. I shiver when I feel their hands reach inside my thighs. Like with my lower back, I just wait for the touch to end, but the bold hands move a little higher. Their fingers lightly touch the curve of my buttocks, instinctively making me lift my torso. The person pushes me back into the position I was in:

"Relax, Dália Penedo," Carlos whispers near my ear.