Aisling's Summer Diary

Chapter 8 | The Bet

Some party this turned out to be!  Lotus Lady was interrogating my best friend, Ali was MIA, and I’d broken another promise!  Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, uncle Ciaran had to open his big mouth...and stand up for us all.

    

9:30 p.m.

Siobhan was reeling from Celia’s sharp-pointed finger when I rushed in, uncle Ciaran two steps behind.  She’d pulled a statuette from Siobhan’s purse—an elephant god with four arms—and was spouting about negative energy.  “How DARE you even TOUCH my Ganesh,” she hissed.  “It’s not like that,” Siobhan said, and this time I knew she meant it.  She’d probably just slipped the statue into her bag for safe keeping while she rifled through the guest book.  Not that THAT explanation would go over with Lotus Lady. 

“Leave her alone, Celia,” Ciaran the Space Hound stepped forward.  “She’s just a kid.”  I stood by his side, bristling.  Celia sized us up.  Fiona and Slater fell in beside her.  “Who are you to tell me what to do in my hotel?” Celia barked.  Ciaran drew off his mask, and Lotus Lady flinched.  “Ciaran.  What are you doing here?”  Oh boy!  Here comes the incense.

“I’ve bought Sea Crest,” Ciaran said, standing his ground.  “You,” Celia smirked, “but what for?”  She gave her rival a wry smile.  “Oh, for one of your BLAND hotels.”  Ciaran smiled a back at her, playing along, while Siobhan’s jaw dropped clear to the floor.  “And you sent these kids in to do your dirty work, did you?” she asked.  “To spy on a PROPER hotel.”  Celia took a deep, anguished breath.  “No wonder my chakras have been playing up.” 

“But it WASN’T like that,” Siobhan blurted.  “Then why,” Fiona trilled, “was our Ganesh in your pocket?”  Before Siobhan could answer, Ciaran stepped in.  “We’re leaving,” he said, but Celia couldn’t resist one last jab.  “You came dressed as a dog—very fitting, Ciaran.”  He should’ve let it go at that, but he didn’t.  “Celia, if I make Sea Crest one of my hotels,” he said, “your days of being the best hotel in town are numbered.”  Without a moment’s hesitation, Celia thrust out her hand: “Care to put a bet on that?”  “As much as you like,” Ciaran answered.  I could NOT believe what I was hearing.

“How does €10,000 sound?” Celia purred.  Ciaran winced the slightest bit about the eyes.  “Come on, uncle Ciaran,” Siobhan crowed, egging him on.  “There’s no way we can loose.”  If she only knew!  Ciaran gave her a sad, sweet look.  She nodded to him—GO ONE—and he put a hand out to Celia’s.  “Fine,” Celia said as they shook.  “Whoever books the most rooms at the end of the summer holidays will be a very rich woman.”  “We’ll see,” Ciaran  said weakly.  Celia glowered at the three of us.  “I think you should LEAVE my hotel.  Now!”  Ciaran led us, hangdog, to the door.  When I turned back, “Prince Charming” was gone, and Fiona was staring me daggers.

9:50 p.m.

All the way back to the Sea Crest, I tried to explain myself to Siobhan—how I HAD been looking out for her, but then I’d gotten distracted...  She gave me a sharp, knowing look.  Had she seen Slater?!

Ali was perched on the planter out front, reciting some kind of mad poetry.  I hope he’s not planning on working that into his new act!  “What are you doing back?” he stammered.  “Siobhan, I WAS looking out for you,” I said again.  “That’s alright,” she said, “at least Ali was there to back me up.”  Ali reddened.  “About that, em...I can explain.” 

Before he could answer, Ciaran chimed in.  “Come on, Siobhan.  All things considered, I’d say the night went extremely well.”  Siobhan lit up like a Christmas tree.  “You were great, uncle Ciaran!  The way you took Celia’s bet—”  “It wasn’t exactly a real bet,” he said.  “YES IT WAS!  You should’ve seen her face when you said, ‘If there’s only going to me one hotel in Dún Mártain, it was going to be yours.’” 

Ciaran shook his head.  “No one actually believed the bet.”  “I did,” Siobhan said, a bit crestfallen.  “I think Celia did,” I said.  Ciaran sighed and looked about.  “This place would make a great hotel, but it’s just not a main priority at the moment.  People don’t need hotels in recession.  I should tell Celia the bet’s off.”  Siobhan jumped to her feet.  “You’re not even going to try?!”  “It’s not about NOT trying,” Ciaran said.  “It’s about NOT failing.”  “But you were Irish Business Brain of the Year,” Siobhan said, reeling now.  “Things were different then—that was all in the past!” Ciaran tried to reason.  “But you are ten times better than Celia!  You can’t let her win!”  Ciaran shook his head.  “Siobhan, I never invited you to come out here and meddle!”  Uh-oh.  Siobhan hung her head.  I think I could actually hear her heart-breaking.  I wanted to reach out to her or say something at least, but what could I say?  She ran off inside and left the three of us there staring at our feet.       

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