Today I will celebrate my birthday with my two closest friends.

 

That thought energized her.

 

Throwing back the covers, Hanna tucked her feet into soft padded slippers, and moved toward the ensuite. Reaching into the large walk-in shower, she turned the handles to start the spray, moved back for a moment, selected a tube of scented soap and stepped into the jets of warm water spilling from three different nozzles.

 

After a quick soaping and rinsing, she turned off the side jets and for several minutes stood under the rain shower nozzle. She relished the soft tactual touch of warm water.

A memory interrupted this pleasant moment – thoughts of the many times she had dipped her fingers into the baptismal font at the rear of the church and touched her forehead in an act of penitence and baptismal renewal.

 

She visualized the Hindu brothers, as she had seen them, submerging and rising from the waters of the Ganges River while murmuring prayers in acts of absolution. Of late, she too entertained the need for forgiveness and renewal. She turned off the refreshing warm water and stepped out of the shower. 

Cohen’s sultry voice now intoned his wonderful “Hallelujah.” Wrapped in a large towel she rubbed her hair and body and hummed along hearing of Bathsheba bathing on her roof and David watching her in the moonlight.

 

Guilt etched her thoughts as she recalled her own sexual indiscretions prompted by jealousy.

But this was her birthday; she had wonderful plans for the day. Selecting and laying aside slacks and blouse for the morning, slipping on a gown, she hurried to the door to receive her breakfast from Carmen.

Her coffee was cooling, her toast almost eaten.

 

Her two long-time friends, Rebecca and Ruth, were also celebrating birthdays this week. It was a remarkable thing that they had initially met years ago and now after a long period of separation found themselves living in the same city.

 

She had volunteered to host today’s birthday party and planned to share a well-kept secret. 

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