“David just called and invited me to go to Costa Rica with him.”
“Get out of town!” she squealed, bouncing on her toes.
“Exactly what I’d like to do, but I don't know if I should go. I just—”
“Hell, if you don't go, I will. I can be packed and ready in less than an hour. I only need a couple of bikinis and cut-offs.”
“Ha, ha, very funny,” I said. Of course it’s something she would do. And wear.
“So seriously, are you going to go?”
“I kinda want to.”
“Well, you already survived a night with him. I think you’ll be okay.” Opening the refrigerator, she scanned the shelves.
“He said I would have my own private room.”
“Yeah, well, I’m sure he has other intentions,” she winked, holding a bowl of strawberries in one hand and shaking a can of whipped cream with the other.
“Whatever!” I rolled my eyes.
After indulging in waffles and deflecting Cindy’s inquiry about my night with David, she headed to the gym, and I dressed for work. As I shoved my feet into a pair of three-inch pumps, I dreaded the thought of the next eight hours. Soon I’d be rushing around, choking on second-hand smoke, and taking orders from annoying guests. My thoughts slowly drifted elsewhere.
I pictured myself wearing a comfortable cotton sundress and strolling along the beach barefoot with a frayed straw hat on my head. I’d be inhaling salty sea air and hanging out with cute little sloths, creatures more my speed. I was burned out; I had been burning the candles at both ends.
On my days off, I had started writing again. When I was a young girl, I used to write poems and had even written a few children's books. Short stories that always included animals: dogs, pigs, frogs, birds, you name it. I had come across some of my old writings while packing for my move. Reading them brought me back to my younger days when I had more time to be creative. Maybe if I had pursued my love of writing children's books years ago, I wouldn't have ended up at some dead-end hotel job.
As I made my way toward the Crystal Lounge, dodging convention-of-the-week attendees, I saw Nicole leaning against the bar laughing with the bartender. As I drew near, she caught sight of me, lowering her head. Quickly picking up her drink order, she hurried away, and I wondered what her sudden exit was all about.
After I stashed my handbag inside the employee closet, I was pinning my name tag to my uniform when my supervisor approached me. She stood there, glaring at me with her Sky Royal emblazoned coffee mug in hand, her fingernails thrumming against it.
“Valerie, follow me. I need a word with you, please.”
Oh no, this can't be good, I thought.
I followed Natasha into her office and she closed the door behind us.
“So,” pursing her lips, she inhaled and let out a long sigh. “What’s this I hear about a dinner date at The Amethyst?” she asked, raising a freshly micro-bladed eyebrow.
Dumb Nicole and her big fat mouth—she needs to lay off the fillers.
“It was my night off and it was only dinner.” I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
“I don't need all the intimate details,” she said, waving her hand in front of my face. “I heard enough already.”
“Intimate details? Nothing happened.”
“You know the policy, right? I assume you read it before you signed it?”
“Yes,” I sighed.
“Well, considering this isn't the first time something like this has happened, I'm going to have to adhere to company rules and let you go.” Folding her long, licorice-colored fingernails over her hands, she leered at me.
“Not the first time? What are you talking about? Nothing like this has ever happened before.”
As she shuffled and reshuffled the papers on her desk, a memory popped into my mind. Last year Cindy had briefly dated a high-roller, a well-known casino guest. She had brought a change of clothes to work, and they went out one night after her shift. I warned her she was taking a risk with the chance of being seen with him at the hotel. But of course, she didn't listen.
When her car wouldn’t start that night, I had to drive back to the hotel to pick her up. She wasn't answering my texts, so I had to go inside the hotel to find her. Someone must've seen us and thought we were all together.
“Natasha, wait, I can explain everything,” I pleaded.
“Sorry, Valerie, as I said, company rules.”
I gazed at Natasha in her tight black dress, with her long, jet black hair, and dark red lipstick. All that was missing was a whip by her side to show her authority.
“But what about tonight? I'm already here, and I—”
“Nicole will cover. It’s already taken care of. She can handle it.”
That little snitch. That must've been what she was laughing about with the bartender.
“If you have any uniforms at home, please return them tomorrow. However, you won't be able to enter the employee area as you’ll be handing over your key card tonight. I'll have someone escort you out.”
“Escort me out? My goodness, you act like I’ve committed a crime.” Shaking my head, I couldn't believe what was happening.
I had no idea what I was going to do.
6
David
She said yes. It took a little coaxing on my end, but she finally agreed and obeyed my wishes.
When she called to inform me she had been fired from her job, I was sorry to hear but ecstatic to learn she would be accompanying me on my trip. Now we'll have the chance to become better acquainted, really get to know each other on a deeper level. They say when you travel together, especially with someone new, you learn every little detail about that person. You get to know that person’s likes and dislikes, their quirks and behaviors, and the way they handle unexpected situations.
Not that I'm expecting any unexpected situations, but there could be delays, a change in
