Fiction on Friday: The Bathing Suit

            Karen rubbed baby oil into her skin. She closed her eyes listened to the water as the sun warm her body. She tried to forget about the diner with its greasy food and greasier customers. She ignored her sore feet and the little burns dotting her arms and hands from the grill and the fry vat.

            She turned over on the folding chaise and tugged the royal purple Jantzen one piece over her behind. She loved the way the bathing suit showed off her curves and made her blue eyes look violet.

“Why are you wasting your money on a bathing suit?” her mother yelled when she bought it.

 “Mum, it was on clearance at Edgar’s. It was less than half price!”

“I don’t care how much of a bargain it was. You’re waiting tables six days a week and we don’t have a car. You’re living in a fantasy world Girlie if you think you’ll get to the beach any time soon.”

“You’re right. I’m working my tail off and I spent some of my hard-earned money for myself. I give you almost every dime I make for the rent. I bought this one thing for myself. I deserve it.”

“Might as well flush that money down the toilet. Besides, you’ll look like a bunch of grapes in that purple.”

But Karen knew the bathing suit was worth every dime. She felt like a movie star, not a waitress. The diner seemed miles away for now. The lousy tippers couldn’t touch her here. Here in the sunlight there were no complaints and no greasy dishes. The warmth soothed her no achy back and fraying nerves.

Sweat beaded up on her forehead. She stood and stretched and then dashed through the lawn sprinkler. Maybe getting to the beach was a fantasy, but for now a fantasy was better than nothing.

This week for the Write on Edge prompt we were given this quote for inspiration, ““The cure for anything is salt water….sweat, tears or the sea.” ~ Isak Dinesen, pseudonym of Baroness Karen von Blixen-Finecke. Word limit 300.

For more about Karen click here.