Sweet afternoons

Chapter twenty two

Walking over the beautiful marble floors of the large building Andres had brought me to, I felt my feet stuttering as they stepped. Eventually, I came to a stop, staring in wonder at the scene surrounding me. Crystal chandeliers were hanging from the high ceilings and swirls of gold framing the tall chiffon walls and pillars. People in high-end suits and outfits filtered through the room while brightly smiling employees stood at their disposal, some carrying the suitcases as they led them through the hotel.

I could not help but feel hesitant; this was far from anything I had ever seen before. The grandiosity of the hotel was bordering magical and my mind was filled with images of castles from fantasy films I had watched. It resembled, slightly, the home of the White Queen in Alice in wonderland: White like snow, shiny like pearls and tall like the oldest centurion trees.

My hesitation to move any further into the expansive room was noticed by Andres, who had turned to look at me with a curious expression. The sight, almost humorous in its oddity, made him smile while his eyes shone with amusement. My shoes were sliding backwards on the clean floors while tiny squeaks fluttered into the air, thankfully drowned out by the bustling around us.

Andres folded his arms over his chest. "Lena, what are you doing?" He asked, taking steps towards me with every small shuffle I made away from him.

My eyes, previously occupied with the scenery, found their way back to the man. "Going to our hotel, this is clearly the wrong place," The smile on my lips signalled that I was joking around but the feverish movement of my eyes told a different story. I was intimidated by the expensiveness of the hotel and couldn't shake the out-of-place feeling that sat on my chest. It felt heavy and uncomfortable, like wearing a thick coat in decent weather.

"Darling, this is our hotel. It's only four-star, I know, I hope you aren't too disappointed." Andres laughed, reaching for my hand before tugging me towards him.

Stumbling, I fell into place at his side and looked up towards him with wide eyes. While his expression was warm and pleasing, I was too fixated on the new information about the hotel to appreciate the comfort his face gave me. Four-stars? And he dared suggest I could be disappointed with such a rating? A four-star hotel was beyond my expectations and made me feel like I should have been someone important to be staying at somewhere so high-class.

Not allowing me to dwell on my thoughts any longer, the tall man led me towards the mahogany desk that sat at the very back of the large lobby. Once there, Andres let go of my hand to pull out his wallet and quickly fell into polite conversation with the small, blonde receptionist who was behind the desk.

I was standing awkwardly to the side, unsure of what to do, when my roaming eyes caught the gaze of another employee further down the reception desk. The young man seemed barely taller than me, with long, black hair that hung over the top of his grey eyes and clear, pale skin that made his features stand out. Despite his handsomeness, the man seemed incredibly nervous and shy as we looked at one another, giving him an air of vulnerability.

In an attempt to be polite, I smiled at him and raised my hand to wave.

The man's grey eyes flew open in shock and his arms jolted suddenly. The stack of paper he had been holding fell from his shaking hands and landed on the desk with a thud. Pages went flying everywhere; on top, in front of and behind the desk. The man yelped and let out a quiet curse as he watched his work spread itself around him.

Unable to simply watch the man fumble after his paperwork helplessly, I found myself jogging towards him. I picked up the pages that had flown over the front of the desk, putting them in a neat pile atop the wood that separated the two of us. The man had gathered the paper on his side, too, and soon we were face to face.