World Tour From Home

Jessica comes down the stairs and nearly runs into Hazel stepping out of the bathroom, the door snapping shut behind her. The surprise on Jessica’s face is clear, and Hazel can’t wait another second. She tells her stepmother that all those years saving for tuition deserved more than thanks—deserved a real thank-you. So she’s drawn a bath. No loan. No credit card. Just hot water, steam, and anything Jessica could want. Then Hazel grins and says the bath is only the opening act. Since a vacation never fit in the budget, she’s created a world tour without leaving the tub. Candles, scent, and sounds shift with each imaginary stop—salt on the air for the coast, rose petals drifting for a French garden, distant drums that sound like they’re rolling across some moonlit desert. Jessica slips into the water wearing her favorite bikini, back resting against porcelain, the last hour dissolving into something silky and slow. After several stops, Jessica’s eyes flutter open and find Hazel still standing there, fingers curled around a folded towel. Jessica’s smile widens. She holds out a dripping hand and gives the slightest tug. The invitation is wordless, unmistakable, and Hazel’s toes are already curling at the edge of the tub.