The day started off slow and lazy, much to Linus' relief. He had been dreading another long day of sightseeing or exploring, but his hopes of lounging around were quickly dashed when their mom announced the plan for the day.
"We're spending the day at the spa," Marie said with a smile, holding a pamphlet with pictures of pools, treatments, and other luxurious-looking amenities.
Linus blinked at her, incredulous. A spa? It wasn't exactly his idea of fun. In fact, it sounded pretty much like the opposite.
"Uh... that's kinda girly, don't you think?" he asked, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair, hoping to get out of it.
Marie wasn't fazed by his reluctance. "It's not just for women, Linus. It's a great way to relax after all that baseball you played yesterday," she said, her tone light and encouraging. "It'll help you recover and feel refreshed."
Linus gave a half-hearted shrug. He wasn't sore from the game, but before he could think of another excuse, his dad chimed in, grinning as he placed a hand on Linus' shoulder.
"Don't worry, son. There's more to it than just lying around and getting massages," Mats said with a chuckle. "They've got a pool, water slides, and even sports like golf, tennis, and—what was it called again?—pickleball?"
Linus raised an eyebrow. "Pickleball?"
"Yeah, kind of a mix between tennis and ping-pong. Looks fun," Mats added, clearly hoping to spark his son's interest.
Linus sighed, knowing full well there was no getting out of it. His mom had already made up her mind, and if Klara's enthusiastic grin was anything to go by, so had she. The truth was, Linus knew his reluctance wouldn't make a difference in the end. Once Marie set her mind on something, they were going, whether he liked it or not.
"Fine, I'll come," Linus mumbled, throwing his hands up in surrender. "But don't expect me to be all excited about it."
Klara clapped her hands together, practically bouncing in place. "This is going to be great! I can't wait to try everything."
Marie smiled warmly at her children, happy they'd all be spending the day together.
***
The drive to the Desert Sky Resort & Spa wasn't too long, and the resort itself was massive. A sprawling, luxurious complex of glistening pools, palm trees, and sleek modern architecture. The desert heat seemed to evaporate as they stepped inside, the cool air-conditioned interior a welcome relief.
Linus' eyes were immediately drawn to the large glass windows that revealed an impressive pool area, complete with slides that twisted and turned in every direction. There was also a massive, green golf course just outside, and a few tennis courts in the distance. He had to admit, it wasn't all bad.
"See? Not so girly after all," Mats said, nudging Linus in the ribs with a knowing smile.
Linus shrugged again, though this time he was a bit less grudging about it. "Yeah, I guess."
They started with the pool, Klara already in her swimsuit and diving into the water before Linus could even change. She popped back up a second later, calling out to him.
"Come on, Linus! The water's perfect!"
Linus sighed, his sister's enthusiasm making it hard to resist. After changing into his swim trunks, he stepped into the pool and found that, for once, Klara was right. The water was the perfect temperature, cool and refreshing under the hot Arizona sun.
They spent a good amount of time splashing around, racing down the water slides, and, of course, Klara attempting to challenge Linus to swimming contests, which he only accepted half-heartedly, despite winning most of them.
Marie and Mats, meanwhile, enjoyed some quiet time in the shade, lounging with cold drinks in hand. They exchanged smiles, clearly happy to see their children having fun together.
Later, after some much-needed relaxation by the pool, the family decided to try their hand at the tennis courts. Linus and Klara grabbed some racquets and played casually, laughing and teasing each other. Neither of them had much experience, but Klara seemed more comfortable at first. However, as Linus got into the rhythm, his natural athleticism kicked in, and he ended up winning the match.
"That was fun," Klara said with a grin as they left the court. "But I'll beat you next time."
Linus smirked. "We'll see about that."
***
After their time on the tennis court, Marie suggested they head over to the relaxation section of the spa. Linus wasn't particularly excited about it, but he followed along.
The relaxation area was quiet and dimly lit, with soft music playing in the background and the faint scent of lavender in the air. They all settled into comfortable lounge chairs, and though Linus wasn't one to care for this sort of thing, it was at least peaceful.
After a few minutes of silence, Marie spoke up, her voice soft but with a hint of finality. "Since we're going home in the morning the day after tomorrow, tomorrow's our last full day here. So if there's anything either of you really want to do, now's the time to mention it."
Klara immediately perked up. "I want to do some shopping tomorrow. We still haven't gotten any souvenirs, and I want to bring something back home."
Marie nodded, looking pleased with Klara's suggestion. "That sounds like a good plan."
"Oh, and there's this food place I've been dying to try," Klara added enthusiastically. "It's really popular here in Phoenix. We have to go there."
Marie smiled warmly. "Alright, we can do that. Linus, what about you?"
Linus just shrugged. "I don't really have anything," he said. He was fine going along with whatever they planned. Shopping and food didn't sound too bad, but he didn't have anything specific in mind.
Marie smiled at his laid-back response. "Okay, sounds like we've got a good day ahead of us."
They relaxed for a little longer before finally getting ready to leave the spa and head back to the hotel. Linus hadn't exactly been thrilled about the spa day, but it wasn't as bad as he had thought.