It was well past 9 p.m. when Marian finally managed to drag herself back into her hotel room. The door clicked shut behind her with a soft thud, and for a moment she simply leaned against it, letting the cool wood support her trembling, exhausted body. Her legs felt like jelly, her shoulders ached, and her lower back throbbed in protest. A full day with Katherine—a full day after five years of not doing this—was no joke. Lady’s Day Out used to be their ritual, a monthly escape they looked forward to. But now? Now Marian felt like she had just completed a marathon she hadn’t trained for.
Even the soothing massage earlier hadn’t saved her. If anything, it had only made her realize how tense she’d become.
She toed off her shoes with a groan, tossed her bag onto the nearest chair, and half-c
