Even After All

                “So you need me to manage the place this weekend?” She asked, drawing herself back to the here and now. Paul had given her direct assistant and the current Marketing and Sales manager Sarah the same weekend off as her, and had promised to fill in for them both.

                “I’m sorry; I know it was your weekend off. I’ll make it up to you.”

Mattie sighed, “I know you will. I hope all is well with Cara soon.”

With a thanks for her concern and a promise to her email her everything, he hung up. Mattie slumped at her desk and rested her head in her hands, sometimes her work took over her life, and sometimes she had no life at all. Then she’d remember three years earlier when she was broke, barely able to make ends meet. Paul had shown confidence; trust and belief in her, at a time when she’d almost lost the belief in herself. It was a small price to pay, and she didn’t really have a life outside of work, not anymore.

A knock at her door caused her to look up, “come in!”

The door swung open and Martin stood there, he was the guest manager, in charge of the reception, bookings, security and housekeeping. Arguably the hardest job in the hotel.

When she smiled he smiled back awkwardly, “we’ve got a double booking at reception, just need to let you know that I’ve upgraded a couple of guests.”

                “Where did the error come from?”

He grimaced, closing the door behind him, “Paul. They’re friends of his.”

She nodded knowingly, that was a typical problem with Paul, he interfered, promised everyone everything, and was disappointed when things didn’t go his way, but he also didn’t do things by the book. Clients with apparent reservations but not registered on the computer booking system were common occurrences, it was a bonus that they weren’t fully booked. But that wasn’t always the case.

                “Send them complimentary champagne if they are aggrieved at the hold up, send me the bill. Ok?”

He nodded, “so we’ll see you Monday?”

Mattie shook her head, “no, Paul’s been called away on business, and Sarah’s probably in the air as we speak flying to Cyprus, so you’ve got me!”

Martin rolled her eyes, “lucky you’re single as you’re married to this place! You need to stand up to Paul. You’re entitled to a life.”

She laughed, “Martin, we’re not all party animals like you!”

Whilst there was an element of truth in her comment, Martin was truly the life and soul of every party, he was a traffic stopping man, six four, blonde with beautiful blue eyes, and an equally beautiful boyfriend. Much to the chagrin of most of the female staff and guests.

                “True. But you should be enjoying more than these four walls. Ok?”

She laughed until he left, then closed her eyes and groaned. Things were so much better than they had been, but there was truth in Martin’s words. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone out for a drink or a meal. All work and no play she could almost hear the words in the voice of her late mother. Taking a deep breath she pulled herself to her feet and started a recce of the place. She had a lot to do.

The hotel was reasonably sized, a hundred rooms, mainly filled with punters on golf weekends wanting to hit a couple of rounds of eighteen holes, never the glamorous clientele that Paul desired. She had a team of capable managers working under her, and they, like her, were trying to get blood from a stone. Things needed to change, but Paul was banking on a movie star or a titled bride promoting them to the high life, but it wasn’t happening, and wasn’t likely to. She had so many positive ideas, so many ways to make the place a greater success, but Paul was resistnat to them all. Maybe this would be her opportunity to make a change.