Tempting Fantasy

She looked up at the clock. Work started at eight o'clock every morning, and Lily felt that the remaining four hours would never go by. She longed for a break, not just from work but from her life as well. Five mornings a week she rose early, got the children off to school and kissed her husband goodbye as they went their separate ways. Every night she would crawl into bed exhausted. Her face appeared as though she had traveled all day and still had many miles to cover before finding the rest she desperately needed.
Her job as wife and mother was never ending. There were daily chores to be done. Clothes seemed to always be in need of washing, and dirty dishes always wound up being piled in the sink. At least Lily had finally gotten everyone to put them in the sink instead of on the counters like they used to do. Dust covered her tables, no matter that she dusted every other day. She had to help the children with their homework, cook supper, make sure baths were given and finally send them off to bed.
She barely had any time to eat or sleep. What she wouldn't give for a good long soak in the tub. But she was at work still. Perhaps tonight she could take a long, relaxing soak. That was the only peace she could find in her day, but she usually wound up in the shower instead.
For a moment, Lily ignored the sounds of work and shut her eyes. She imagined the sound of water filling up the large, oval-shaped tub. A smile crawled onto her face as Frank Sinatra began to sing “All the Way”. The delicate fragrance of vanilla wafted up from the creamy colored candles placed in sconces on the tiled walls and on the ledge around the bath. The light from the candles danced playfully against the ferns and ivy that dangled from brass hangers on the walls, and stars twinkled through the skylight overhead. Soft, thick towels were lying on a white wicker table next to a glass of red wine.
She disrobed and sank her toes into a mass of frothy, white bubbles. Lily immediately felt a tranquility come over her as she felt the hot water against her flesh. Slowly she sank into relaxation, releasing the tension that built up in her tired muscles. She leaned back against the tub and placed a rolled towel behind her neck.
Lily deeply breathed in the soothing aroma of the candles as they worked their magic on her. She was in no hurry. An hour, then two slipped by as she soaked in the tub and sipped her wine. For this moment in time, Lily was the only being in creation. There were no deadlines, no bills, and no chores around the house. There existed only this world she had created, and it was perfection. She let the water wrinkle her skin as it grew cold. Lightly she lathered a washcloth and began to bathe herself, relishing the slippery feel of the soap on her skin. She did this slowly, tenderly massaging her body as she went.
Finally, she decided the time had come to get out of the water and dry off. She rose and reached for the warm terry-cloth robe hanging from a hook on the wall. Lily pushed her arms into the lush robe and stepped onto the rug, softly curling her toes into it. She dried off and sat on her bed to apply lotion to her skin.
Suddenly, she came out of her fantasy as the phone at her desk rang, commanding her attention. She answered the phone and looked up at the clock. To her dismay, she found that only a couple of minutes had passed as she listened to her mother-in-law drone on about her youngest son's lack of obedience. Nothing was ever simple. With a sigh, she put her fantasy away. It would have to wait for another day.