by B Anders
"Me too," Harper hushed. "Thank you, Courtney. Thank you for bringing me with you."
“Thank you for coming along…Shit…I need to show my…”
The conversation lapsed into silence while Courtney struggled to retrieve her driver's license from the front pocket of her pants. Alternating between steering and squirming, she finally managed to tug it free seconds before pulling up to the toll plaza booth.
"Hello and welcome to Graeme’s World!" A very bubbly staff member announced. “Is this your first visit here?”
"Oh no, we're frequent fliers, but," Harper said with a wink, "first time drivers."
"Well then, welcome back," the man said without one hint of forced enthusiasm. "Are you staying at one of our hotels for your visit?"
Courtney handed her license over. "Yes, we have corporate reservations under AZTec."
"Yes, ma'am, very good. You folks are on the top of my list today!"
Harper griped, "That's why the name of the company starts with ‘A’, the only sure fire method to stay in the top ten."
The staff member either missed the remark or ignored it. "You will be staying at the Roaring Orlandian. This is your map, and the route to the hotel is clearly marked."
"Great, thanks. We have to get to the kennels. Is it better to check in first?"
"If you have a reservation number for your pet then you can go to the kennels first."
The staff member handed Courtney an additional map with directions to the kennels. He then smiled broadly and wished the women a sweet day.
"I feel kind of bad about this," Harper said.
Courtney looked to her and then doubled checked they were on the right road before asking for clarification. "What? What’s wrong, Harper?"
"Boston hasn't had a chance to get to know us and now she's got to stay in a kennel all by herself. Alone. Maybe I should find a hotel that will let me keep her with me?"
"Whoa," Courtney commanded. "First off, that dog has never been as happy as she's been in the last two hours in your lap. She knows a good thing when she sees it. And, second, this place is a doggie palace. It’s the Taj Mahal of dog hotels. Wait until you see it. She's gonna be so pampered she won't want to leave."
"I don't know," Harper was unconvinced as they pulled into the parking lot. “I think she’ll be happier staying with me.”
Courtney smiled, "Come on, just take a look at the place. If you don’t like it, we can check out a pet friendly hotel nearby, alright."
Before Harper could disagree, Boston was up and looking around curiously to see why they had stopped.
"Look, she wants to check it out. Come on. I promise, if it sucks, I'll find a hotel for us to stay together. Deal?"
"Okay," Harper reluctantly agreed.
Butchie's Prairie Hacienda was immaculate. No small feat considering it was dog central. Like the rest of Graeme’s World, the staff were overly pleasant. The young man given the duty to show Boston to her room was named Martin.
"I think," he directed his comments to the dog, "you'll be very satisfied with your accommodations."
Boston was vigorously wagging her tail as if responding to the sentiment.
"I don't know about this," Harper whispered to Courtney. "She doesn't look too happy about this."
Courtney smirked. "Right. If she were any happier, she'd be dancing on the ceiling. Give this a chance. Let's just see what they have."
The young man nodded to the women when they were halfway down the hall on the ground level, "This is the room right here."
Harper was surprised to see Martin opening a full size door. She had assumed the kennel would be a collection of small crates, which the pet inmates only left for scheduled bathroom breaks. Something like a prison for dogs. Instead, the door opened to a lovely room.
"You sure this isn't our room?" Courtney joked. “It’s perfect.”
"You should be so lucky," Martin replied with a broad grin. "Oh wait, you are that lucky. You are Glider guests at Graeme’s World. Your accommodations will be even more luxurious."
Harper was still unhappy and clung tightly to Boston's leash even as the dog tried to pull towards the overstuff dog bed across a flat screen TV. "What's so luxurious about this place? A mat on the floor?"
"Specially designed orthopedic bedding for canines and hard wood floors," Martin added.
"…a tiny yard…"
“It is a private, fenced in and electronically monitored yard which Boston will be able to use at her own discretion through her own doggie door"
"…poop probably just piles up…"
"All messes are cleaned as soon as the pet returns indoors."
"…and what about the food, probably some cheap wholesale crap."
Martin was undisturbed by Harper's comments. "I'm sensing you are really worried about Boston being comfortable here. I can assure you, I will be working days for your entire stay. She and I will have a wonderful time."
"Unsupervised at night, I suppose," Harper grumbled.
"Evenings, weekends and holidays are fully staffed. Victoria will be Boston's personal care technician in the evening and Gracie will be staffing overnight. But, you don't have to just rely on us, you can check in on her twenty-four-seven. Either in person or on your smart phone."
"Really? You have an app for that?" Harper immediately perked up and let the leash have some slack.
Pulling, Boston lunged for the bed and managed to get herself completely free of Harper's hold before Martin could answer. They watched as the little dog snuggled contentedly into the bedding. She let out a deep contented sigh and shut her eyes.
"Looks like the decision has been taken out of your hands, Harp." Courtney said.
Martin said with a great deal of cheer, "Literally."
"I like the room. Boston likes the room. She's staying here, and we have to get to our hotel. I’m starving. You need to feed me now," Courtney said.
"Okay," Harper grudgingly agreed. “And has anyone told you, you eat a lot for a tall, skinny white girl?”
“I have a high metabolic rate. I need to eat, Harp. I need to eat now.”
Martin reassured an unhappy Harper as they left the room. "I will call you immediately if she seems the least bit distressed. I promise."
"Day or," Harper choked back a sob, "night. Anything at all, just call me."
Courtney reached out and instinctively took Harper's hand in her own. "It's going to be okay. We'll check on her a couple of times a day. Nothing bad will happen. I promise."
Harper looked stricken, "Nobody can keep a promise like that. Bad things always happen to me. Everybody I love dies."
Courtney pulled Harper close as they walked from the building. "I know what you mean."
***
The women walked silently across the bustling hotel lobby with the bellman behind them dragging a full dolly. Harper could see Courtney's disappointment in the way the other woman’s shoulders started visibly drooping once they were out of the car. A lump of guilt formed in the pit of Harper's stomach.
"You okay?" Harper finally asked when they got into the elevator.
Courtney signed, "I suppose."
“It’s a nice place. I loved the lobby.”
Courtney shrugged obviously not listening to what Harper was saying. "I just don't understand how this happened. How we got switch to the Modernmillium. The rest of the team is at the Roaring Orlandian. That's such a nice hotel while this place is a piece of crap."
Harper noticed the bellman's head drop slightly at Courtney's disparaging comments. At one time, the Modernmillium was the showcase hotel at Graeme’s World. However, decades of park expansion and upgrades had left it a relic of a bygone era with a trolley car running right down the middle of it. It was obvious even to Harper that implosion could not be far off in the hotel's future.
"Well, I think this place looks fabulous!" Harper cheered. "I was here with my family in the eighties, and I promise you this place looks even better than before. They reall
y fixed it up. I think it’s wonderful we’re staying here. They have a great restaurant where you can get Graeme the Glider sugar pancakes. You like pancakes, right?"
Harper could hear Courtney sigh softly as the bellman held the elevator door open to allow the women to exit, before quickly falling into step behind them along the long corridor. Harper thought she heard a spring return to the bellman’s step, but she couldn't be sure.
"I'm gonna reserve judgment until I see the room," Courtney griped. “I’m so going to kill Beckerman when I see him. If this is his idea of payback because of the kennel thing, that man is toast.”
"Ma'am," the bellman nervously interrupted Courtney’s monologue to direct the women back to a doorway they had missed as they walked past. "Your room is 425."
He waited patiently for Harper to use her plastic passkey to unlock the door, before attempting to unload the luggage from the dolly. While Courtney walked straight into the room without a word, Harper and the bellman ended up doing a shuffle as they tried simultaneously to hold the door open and get the bags inside while staying out of each other's way. Harper ended up pressed against the wall holding the door while the bellman struggled to move the suitcases into the room and along the wall next to her. Courtney was standing at the edge of the bed shaking her head. She was about to explode.
"HOLD EVERY GOD DAMMED FUCKING THING!"
The bellman paled and backed up to the doorway like a frightened animal preparing for a quick getaway before asking, "Is something not to your liking, Ma’am?"
"How many people do you see standing now in front of you in this room? Hmm, how many? Her and me. That’s one and two. Two!" Courtney held up two fingers for emphasis. "Now, let's see how good the Florida school system is. How many beds do you see? One. So, how many beds short are we?"
The bellman stammered, "One?"
"Brilliant! What the fuck kind of shit are they pulling at reservations? First, we get booked into the wrong hotel," Courtney missed Harper's blush. "And, now some dumb ass gives us a room with a single queen sized bed..."
"King," both Harper and the bellman replied in unison.
Courtney was unmoved. "One crummy bed for two adults! What the fuck were they thinking?"
"Well, they probably thought..."
Harper stepped in front of the young man forcing him to back up out of the room, "that was a rhetorical question, kid. Trust me, she doesn't expect an answer."
"Oh yes, I fucking do expect an answer!"
"She doesn't really want an answer from you," Harper clarified for the bellman in a whisper. "She wants an answer from whoever knows why she's here instead of at the fancy hotel. And, you don't know that answer, do you?" The young man shook his head no. "Right, so let's get the rest of the stuff into the room before she flips out completely, okay?"
"Works for me," the visibly shaken young man answered before whispering to Harper. “Is she always like this?”
“Kid, you don’t even want to know.”
Courtney, oblivious that the pair was ignoring her, was still shouting about poor customer service and bad business sense while Harper and the bellman moved the remaining bags into the room. After a little more muscle, the dolly was finally empty and the bags neatly piled on top of the cooler. Harper quickly shoved five bucks into the bellman’s sweaty palm with a tight smile before sending him on his way.
"Time to deal with Courtney," Harper muttered as she locked the door.
Walking back into the room, Harper discovered Courtney had resorted to calling and berating the front desk because Harper and the bellman ignored her. "Look, I don't know how to say this any clearer, the accommodations are completely unacceptable. Why? You're asking me why? For starters, this has got to be a big, fat mistake. I don't have anyone named Jackson working for me, and second, there is no reason for anyone to change my hotel reservations from the Roaring Orlandian to the Modernmillium. Look, who the fuck would stay here if they had a choice? Oh, save that shit for your promo guide. Nobody in their right mind picks the Modernmillium over the Orlandian."
Harper walked to the windows and pretended to look out at the view until she was sure the blush on her cheeks had died down.
"And, thirdly there is only one bed in this room for two adults. I don't care if it's a king. It's one bed for two persons on a working business trip. What sort of hotel are you people running?" Courtney paused and listened. "Seriously, this place is bigger than the Smithsonian, and you’re telling me you don’t have another room with two separate beds in the entire complex? Oh, you need twenty-four hours to check. For God's sake, don't you folks have computers down here in Florida? Look, why can’t you get what’s-his-name to wiggle his whiskers or something and get me a proper room? Right, another room. And no, I am not being obnoxious."
Taking a deep breath, Harper took the phone from Courtney. "I’m sorry. Let me apologize for my boss. It's been a stressful few days for us coming down from Boston. Is it possible for you to send up a rollaway cot? Oh, that's even better. Yes, thank you. Its room 425 and no, that won't be necessary. Thank you, for your time."
Courtney glared at Harper, but said nothing.
"Look, we're in Graeme’s World, and it’s a beautiful day out there. We still have all of today and tonight to do stuff at the park or go chill out by the pool. I’ll even buy you a tall, cold drink with an umbrella in it."
"Harp, did you change the reservations?"
"Yes," Harper admitted. "My bad. It’s just that we stayed here the last time, and I wanted to stay here again...with you. Sorry about the bed. That was a mistake. I should have specified I wanted double beds. I didn't think they would give us a King."
"How did you do it? I had Security deactivate your passwords and system access, and who is Jackson?"
Harper smiled, "Emily Jackson is that shitty stoner of a receptionist you met at the Boston office. I put up with that frigid bitch for years. She'd never get the supplies I wanted, so I stole her password. Idiot never figured it out."
"Harp, using someone’s passwords can get you into serious legal trouble. I should be furious with you," Courtney said. "But, I'm too hungry. Let's eat."
“Have I told you, you eat a lot for a skinny white girl? What are you hiding, an alien parasite?”
“Yes, now shut up and feed me. I’m hungry.”
"Room service? They have a full menu available with all the stuff you like."
Courtney winked, "How do I get one of those giant turkey drumsticks the kid in the lobby was munching on?"
“Yucky, those things taste like dead cat. They’re disgusting.”
“I don’t care, like you would even know how dead cat taste like. Wait, stop I take that back. I don’t want to know. Harp, I want a giant smoked turkey drumstick. How do we get me one?”
"Wild West Land," Harper answered. "It's the first intersection on Sugar Cane Boulevard."
"Wild West Land? What does that have to do with a government bureaucrat cartoon character?" Courtney asked.
Harper replied easily, "Luka, a Russian Wolf of the Steppes, was given political asylum by Graeme. Luka became Larry a border guard in Wild West Land."
"Okay," Courtney shrugged. "Are you good with having that?”
“Hmmmmmmm, okay, but I want…” Harper's own appetite peaked with two words, "Fried Doughboys."
"Where are those?"
"In Wild West Land, at War Memorial Park. You can get a powdered wig there if you really wanted."
"Let's go!" Courtney bolted for the door, "Race you to the trolley. Last one there buys."
The two of them tore down the hall like a couple of screaming school kids. Rounding the corner for the elevator, any pushing, and shoving was stopped dead by the cold looks of disapproval radiating from a tall man in black wearing a minister's collar and his dowdy wife in an ugly pleated skirt. From the grim expressions on their faces, Harper thought they and the three grim kids they had in tow were more likely going to see the dentist for a series of root canals than the ha
ppiest place on earth.
Winded from their sprint down the hallway, Courtney leaned hard against Harper as she tried to catch her breath.
"Children, avert your eyes! The Devil is showing us his evil works." The mother commanded and herded her children away from Harper and Courtney.
The man sneered at them, "Can't you people act like civilized human beings in front of little children? Is your agenda to debase the sanctity of marriage so overriding you have to exploit every opportunity to spread your filth?"
Harper could feel Courtney push away from her as the other woman started shaking, "I'm sorry..."
"What my beautiful girlfriend is really trying to say is that we're sorry that two people enjoying themselves at Graeme’s World offends your narrow view on life. I'm even sorrier your kids only have your sad excuse of a marriage to look at as an example of love being patient, kind, and slow to anger. What a shame they won't grow up seeing that love endures and will never fail."
With that, Harper gently pulled Courtney back towards her. There was no resistance from Courtney when Harper wrapped her in an intimate embrace, and the wave of righteous fury and indignation from the minister and his wife faded into the background as Courtney welcomed Harper's kiss with parted lips. After the ding of the elevator, Harper and Courtney lingered minutes longer savoring the kiss.
Pulling away for air, they remained in each other's arms. The closeness seemed so natural, their bodies fitting together so precisely that they were reluctant to let go of each other when the elevator arrived again.
"You girls going to the park?" An older woman with a sweet Yankee drawl asked with a bright twinkle in her eye as an older man beside her held the elevator door open. Harper noticed the woman was squeezing the hand of the very stoic looking man next to her. He gave Harper a nod, but didn't speak.
"Yes, we are," Harper answered, blushing with the realization that their activities had been conducted in full view of an unintended audience. However, a wordless compromise to hold hands allowed Harper and Courtney to step into a far more tolerant group of people in the elevator.
"First time here?" The woman asked. “Isn’t the hotel lovely?”
