Waltzing on the Danube Page 8

  “In my defense, can you blame me? I’ve just admitted I like things to be reliable. Can you think of anything with more unknowns than a relationship? I can’t. It’s nearly impossible to assess the risks. My sister, on the other hand, disagrees with my stance. So she booked the ticket and then persuaded me to go.” Eleanor rolled her eyes, but the affection she had for her sister was clear. “Enough about me. How about you?”

  “I’m a history teacher at my hometown high school. It's in a very small town, not too far from Poughkeepsie.”

  “Really?” Eleanor looked surprised. “Sorry, it’s just that’s kind of the middle of nowhere. I always assumed a place like that would be too closed minded to live unless you were the type to marry the star quarterback and have a dozen kids.”

  “Middle of no…You know we're just a few hours from New York City, right? And we have a world-class university just up the road. My alma mater, in fact.” Jeanie shot her a saucy look.

  “You went to Vassar?” Eleanor looked suitably impressed, though Jeanie was pleased that she didn't seem to find the notion too difficult to believe.

  “We’re not completely unenlightened upstate.” She shrugged. “But just like you, I grew up there. I lived in the city for a while in grad school, but it didn't work out, so I moved back. A small town may not be as tolerant as Manhattan, but then I’m not exactly parading my lifestyle down the streets these days. It’s not like there are a lot of options. At least not ones I haven’t already dated, and who haven’t gone on to date most of my friends.”

  “Oh.” Eleanor gave her a sympathetic smile. “So that’s why you booked the singles cruise.”

  “No, actually.” Jeanie bristled at Eleanor’s sudden look of pity. “That was more of a lucky bonus. I’ve dreamed of traveling for years. I was the only art history major who didn’t spend a semester abroad. In fact, I’ve never traveled outside the country, until now.”

  “Art history? I didn't realize they teach that in high schools.”

  “They don't. I teach regular old history, I'm afraid. When I first got out of school, I figured I'd be a curator before I hit thirty. I was top of my class and got a few internship offers, but I lacked the right social connections to really move ahead. My parents have never lent their name to an endowment, I'm afraid.” Jeanie sighed as the disappointment of her post-college job search flooded back. She shrugged, her smile returning. “Before I went to grad school, I did the requirements for a teaching certificate to make my parents happy. I didn't think I'd ever need it, but then I ended up leaving and it came in handy. I can’t complain. I earn an okay living, get summers off, and I’m on this trip, right?”

  “Are you always this upbeat?”

  Jeanie nodded. “Pretty much.”

  “Huh.” Apparently unable to think of anything else to say, Eleanor leaned her head back against her seat and shut her eyes, remaining that way until they pulled into Tapolca station.

  As the bus came to a stop in the middle of the town square, Jeanie studied the landscape with growing alarm. Faded paint and concrete buildings weren't at all what had been described in the tour book. Eleanor’s going to kill me, she thought as they stepped off the bus. Her only hope was to pretend like nothing was wrong and pray the spa itself wouldn't disappoint. Jeanie took a deep breath. If there were ever a time to try channeling some of Eleanor's quiet confidence, this was it.

  Chapter 10

  The bus dropped them off in a muddy square in the middle of town. There was no real station or shelter, just a sign next to a bench amid the crumbling Soviet-era concrete architecture. Eleanor took in the drab green paint of the closest building, anxiety pricking the skin at the base of her neck. It wasn’t how she’d pictured it, and glancing at Jeanie, she wondered what she’d gotten herself into. Her companion’s look of concern did little to reassure her.

  “This way.” After a brief survey of the landscape, Jeanie pointed east, and Eleanor was at least relieved to hear more confidence in the woman’s voice than she’d seen on her face.

  They walked along a main thoroughfare, past buildings with cracked plaster and cars that were mostly a decade or more old. There was little for Eleanor to look at along the way, with the notable exception of Jeanie’s legs. They’d been pressed against her for the entire two hour ride, putting her so on-edge that she’d barely been able to concentrate. Now they were on full display in a short denim skirt as she strode a few paces ahead. Every so often the view left so little to the imagination that Eleanor could feel her temperature spike as she desperately searched for someplace else to look. But try as she might, Eleanor’s eyes just kept being drawn back. What kind of tourist destination is this, without any sights to see?

  “So, exactly where is it that we’re going?” She cringed at her own tone. The accusatory edge to her words betrayed her growing unease. Eleanor realized she’d never asked for details, an oversight that was beginning to worry her as she took in the frayed edges of this working class town.

  “The cave baths. They’re thermal springs, like a spa.”

  “A spa?” Eleanor looked around again somewhat dubiously. This is what passes for a spa town in the old Eastern Bloc? “Wait,” Eleanor felt her shoulders tense as she realized she’d overlooked an important detail. “Thermal springs? I didn’t bring a bathing suit. Why didn’t you tell me I needed one before we left?”

  “Well, Eleanor, there really wasn’t enough time. Remember how early the bus left? If you’d run back to the ship, you might’ve been late.” She said it pleasantly enough, nonetheless Eleanor wondered if Jeanie was taunting her for her obsession with punctuality.

  “But, I—”

  “Besides, you don’t have to worry about it.”

  Eleanor’s muscles began to relax. “Of course. Spas provide that sort of thing, don’t they?”

  Jeanie laughed. “No, silly. But they separate the baths by gender, so suits aren’t required. Good thing, too, since mine was stolen.”

  “Suits aren’t…” Eleanor froze. She blinked her eyes shut against the sudden mental image of Jeanie without a swimsuit, but her imagination wasn’t so easily extinguished. “I’m not sure—”

  “You seem especially tense today, Eleanor. The baths will do you good. Oh, especially if they offer a Watsu treatment.”

  “A…what?”

  “You’ve never heard of Watsu? I figured you would have, being from the city and all. It’s a relaxation treatment where your body is cradled and massaged and stretched while you float, weightless, in the warm bath. It’s marvelous!”

  “What, while naked?” Eleanor swallowed roughly.

  “Well, obviously.” Jeanie gave her a look as if to say that she really wasn’t as sophisticated a city girl as she’d let on. “You know, I learned a few rudimentary moves last summer from one of the other counselors at the camp where I was working. Strictly after hours, of course.” The memory seemed to add a lustiness to Jeanie’s smile, and Eleanor found herself curious to know just how pretty this other counselor had been. “If they don’t have any practitioners of it at the spa, I can show you.”

  “I…I…” Eleanor’s words dissolved into a coughing fit.

  Jeanie rummaged in her backpack and pulled out a bottle of water. “Here.”

  Eleanor took the bottle gratefully, taking a few cautious sips as she fought to steady her breathing. She handed it back to Jeanie, who lifted it to her own mouth to drink. Once again, Eleanor’s gaze was transfixed, her pulse ticking up as she watched her companion’s full lips wrap around the bottle’s opening. A single drop of water escaped Jeanie’s lips, and Eleanor followed its path with her eyes. It glistened on the edge of her chin, then plummeted to the bronze skin of her chest, snaking its way toward the deep furrow between Jeanie’s breasts. Plump and inviting breasts, that would soon be on full display once they arrived at the spa. Sweat beaded on Eleanor's forehead.

  Suddenly her chest constricted in the first sign of impending panic. She blinked, hard, and wrenched her head
away to stare at the park across the street. Her body was so tense she could feel something in her neck threaten to snap as she did. “Look over there.” There were tents and booths set up, and it appeared that some sort of festival was taking place. “You know, Jeanie, I don’t see anything in this place that looks at all like a spa. Maybe we should go check out that fair, instead.” And remain fully clothed. Oh God, I can't breathe!

  “Oh, well…I suppose we could. But it has to be around here—oh, there! I see a sign.”

  “A sign? What sign? All the signs are in Hungarian.”

  “Yes, I know, but see there, next to the entrance to the festival? I recognize the word for cave. It looks like it’s right down this street. How lucky that you happened to look over there when you did!”

  “Yeah,” Eleanor muttered. “Lucky.” She battled to maintain control.

  They crossed the street and immediately an impressive stone building with flags in front came into view. That must be the place. Eleanor’s anxiety increased exponentially with each step. By the time they stood in front of the entrance, her body had become an oven and sweat dribbled down the back of her neck. She struggled to control her breathing, counting slowly in her head to keep the panic contained. The rational part of her brain told her that she was getting herself worked up over nothing. No big deal, just like showering in the locker room at the gym. But her rational brain wasn’t fully in control. Eleanor knew that if she didn’t reign it in now, she’d end up in the middle of a full-blown panic attack.

  “Eleanor?” By now, Jeanie was several yards ahead of her and holding open the spa’s heavy glass door. “You coming, or what?”

  With every ounce of concentration focused on keeping her anxiety contained, Eleanor nodded and joined Jeanie in the lobby. It was a bright and airy space with large photographs of the caves displayed on its walls. The caves were just as beautiful as Jeanie had described, and Eleanor studied each detail carefully as her pulse began to slow. Feeling more in control, she went to catch up with Jeanie, who was walking toward an information desk. The woman at the desk looked pleasant. Maybe she'll lend me a swimsuit.

  “Jó naput!” The woman behind the desk called out. “Good morning! You speak English?” she added when the women exchanged confused looks. “Welcome to Tapolca cave! You’re in luck. It’s quiet here this morning with the festival going on. I think you’ll have the place to yourselves.”

  It was becoming increasingly clear to Eleanor that she did not share the same definition of luck with the people around her. Having the place to ourselves is a good thing? She tamped down another tremor of nerves. Just what I need. A naked woman in my bath, and nothing to distract me. “So, we pay here?” she asked with as much calm as she could muster.

  “Yes,” the woman replied. “It’s two thousand forint.”

  Jeanie sucked in her breath. “Two thousand?” she whispered to Eleanor. “I didn’t realize it was so much.”

  Eleanor’s lips twitched with amusement. “It’s about seven bucks.”

  “Oh.” Jeanie’s cheeks flushed and her posture became defensive. “Everything around the ship has taken euros, so I didn’t realize. In that case, it’s much more affordable than I expected.”

  They handed over their payment and the woman gave them back receipts and a brochure. “You can look around up here as much as you like, then you take the stairs down to the boats when you’re ready.”

  “Boats?” Jeanie’s face clouded. “Do we have to take a boat to get to the baths?”

  “Baths?” The woman’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, no, no. The water in our cave is completely pure. It’s forbidden to touch it!”

  “But, but…” Jeanie spluttered. “The tour book specifically recommended bathing at the Miskolc-Tapolca cave!”

  “Ah, yes.” The woman nodded. “But you see, you’re at Tapolca, not Miskolc-Tapolca.”

  Jeanie’s jaw dropped. “There’re two different caves with the same name? How do we get to the ones with the spa?”

  The woman laughed as if Jeanie had told a particularly funny joke. “It’s about four hours from here. On the other side of Budapest. But since you’re here, our caves are very nice!”

  “Oh, God.” Jeanie groaned, looking helplessly at Eleanor. “I seem to have made a little mistake.”

  “You think?” The tension inside Eleanor snapped. After the emotional turmoil of fighting off a panic attack, Eleanor’s nerves were raw. All that worrying for nothing? She could feel her temper rising, bleeding into her anxiousness. We’re in the wrong place? The realization made her blood pressure spike. She glared at the woman behind the counter, but it was hardly her fault that this cave shared a name with some other cave. How did I let myself get taken to the wrong place?

  “I’m sorry. But these things happen.”

  She stared at Jeanie, dumbfounded by her ability to take this monumental mistake in stride. How could she not be bothered by this? They were two women alone in a strange country, with no idea where they were. Anything could've happened to us! “These things happen?” The word came out as a shrill squeak. Every muscle in her body ached from stress and she couldn't rein herself in any longer. “No, Jeanie. When you actually pay attention and put some thought into what you’re doing, they don’t. First you book the wrong cruise, now you go to the wrong town? These things only happen to you!” As she said this, Jeanie rolled her eyes and started to walk away. “Where are you going?” She couldn't tell if what she felt now was anger, or fear, or remorse, or something else entirely. She was so confused.

  “To the boats. Stand around and complain if you like, but I want to see this cave. And I don't like being yelled at.”

  Guilt flooded her. The hurt feelings were evident in Jeanie’s voice. And she had been yelling, just a little. But she's missing the point! Eleanor tried to reason away the guilt. This was Jeanie’s fault, not hers. To think how worked up I was getting on the way here, and all for no reason! The fact that her getting all hot and bothered had nothing to do with Jeanie buying tickets for the wrong bus, Eleanor conveniently ignored.

  Her pulse, which had mostly returned to normal, sped up again as she recalled some of the racier fantasies that had suggested themselves to her on the way there. What had she been thinking? With the thoughts she’d been having about her companion the whole way here, there was no telling what she might’ve allowed to happen once they were alone together in a thermal bath, au naturel.

  Honestly, I should be grateful, Eleanor thought as she followed Jeanie toward the stairs. Let this be a reminder to me that Jeanie Brooks is a living, breathing disaster! Sure, she was attractive, but she’d had more calamity strike in the three days that Eleanor had known her than anyone she’d ever met. Statistically, it shouldn’t have even been possible to have so many accidents. The woman was an anomaly, and given her line of work, Eleanor had never cared much for anomalies. But she’d learned her lesson this time. Once they were safely back on the ship, she wouldn’t seek out Jeanie again. She was just too unpredictable.

  This resolve was firmly in place as she emerged from the stone steps into a cavern of sparkling turquoise water. Eleanor’s breath caught, overwhelmed by the beauty. Had she been in a more generous mood, she would have admitted that visiting this natural cave lake was a million times better than any spa could have been. But she was grumpy and determined to stay that way, so instead she managed to keep the awe at her surroundings carefully balanced with her irrational ire toward Jeanie.

  There were metal boats lined up at the edge of the lake, and Jeanie was stepping into one as Eleanor entered the cavern. A man was helping her, and he looked up questioningly at Eleanor. “You ride together?”

  Eleanor shook her head. “No. We’ll go separately, if that’s okay.”

  “Suits me,” Jeanie mumbled, clearly just as annoyed as Eleanor over their interaction upstairs.

  “Yes, that’s okay,” the man replied. “There’s no one else here.”

  Jeanie paddled off as Eleanor ste
pped into her own little row boat. There was an aching in her chest as she watched her go, but it was soon chased away by another shot of adrenaline as Eleanor's foot hit the bottom of her own boat and it began to wobble uncontrollably. She fought to maintain her balance, praying it wasn't a losing battle. The physical effects of her anxiety had taken their toll. Her body was just too wound up at this point from the ups and downs of her emotions to assert much control as the boat dipped and swayed. “Is the water very deep?”

  “No,” the man told her as he reached out a hand to steady the boat, “but some of the passages are a little narrow. If you have trouble, there are alarm buttons in the cave walls.

  “I’ll be fine, but thank you,” she assured him, feeling a little shaky inside but needing to put on a brave face.

  She tried her best to relax and enjoy the view as she rowed . The cave lake was stunningly beautiful, beyond anything Eleanor could recall seeing before. The galvanized tin boat reminded her of an old laundry tub, but once it had stopped bobbing it seemed sturdy enough, and she maneuvered it without incident through the cave’s first wide tunnel. Here and there, lights had been installed in the rock walls both overhead and beneath the surface of the water, and their reflection made the crystalline water appear to glow. At one point, Eleanor caught sight of a red alarm button in the wall and chuckled. A slight buzzing was all that was left of her earlier anxiety, and that was nothing she couldn’t control. The danger had passed. She wouldn’t need the alarm today.

  Jeanie’s boat was nowhere in sight, but Eleanor couldn’t shake the woman from her mind. Flashes of her face kept popping up in her brain, but not the flirty looks she'd secretly enjoyed on their walk from the station. All Eleanor could remember now was the stricken expression Jeanie had worn when Eleanor had snapped at her. The dull edge of guilt about her angry outburst was getting harder to ignore. Jeanie's impulsiveness wasn't entirely to blame, she belatedly realized. It was that somehow when she was around the woman, she let down her guard. And that was a problem. It opened her up to too many things that were beyond her control. But it feels so nice, in the moment.