The Hotel

by Melanie Jones Brownrigg

  “Oh yes, thank you so much.” When he looked up, there was a surprised expression in his eyes. “Oh wow, you look fantastic. Please tell me I haven’t forgotten something ... birthday, anniversary?”

  “No, nothing,” I assured him. “I was just in the mood for wearing something nice.”

  “Well, you look ... really good.” His voice was lowered and full of attention. As I took a few steps in his direction, he stood from his chair and rounded his desk to meet me. “Thanks for the coffee.” He took the cup and placed it on his coaster. Then he took my cup and placed it next to his. “Come here, you,” he mumbled, taking me in his arms and planting a multitude of kisses on my lips, neck and shoulders. “I’m getting through this work stuff. What do you say to a little romp about an hour from now?”

  “Sex” took on the word “romp” years ago when Ava was young. She was probably getting old enough now to figure the meaning out, however, old habits die hard.

  “I’d love to,” I agreed, pressing myself firmly against Greg’s muscular body and feeling a growing happiness in his pants.

  “One hour,” he repeated. “Maybe sooner.”

  “I’ll be waiting,” I encouraged.

  Leaving Greg to finish his work and taking my tea with me, I trotted back upstairs to shower, thoroughly rinsing off my girl parts, shaving my legs and lathering every inch of my skin in a coconut scented body lotion. A romp, I thought, causing the corners of my mouth to turn up. I still had what it took to capture Greg’s attention. Take that Taylor.

  Less than forty-five minutes later, Greg came in our bedroom and softly closed the door behind him.

  “The munchkin is fast asleep,” he reported. He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it toward a chair beside the bed, it promptly landimg short on the floor. His pants followed, landing on the arm and then also sliding to the floor.

  Closing my iPad from the book I was reading and placing it on the bedside table, I watched as my naked husband crawled into bed beside me with a hungry gaze in his lust-filled eyes and an expanding male appendage joining him.

  “I love you so much,” he whispered into my hair.

  “I love you so much too,” I repeated scooting myself next to him.

  “I thought today was perfect, but I believe it just got better,” he crooned.

  “Like icing on a cake,” I murmured as my fingers stroked along his back.

  Greg took his time, letting his hands explore the silky fabric of my now favorite gown. I returned the favor, treating him with equal desire. At first it was all about caressing hands and plenty of passionate kisses, but before long we were in a heart-pounding, earth-shattering, headboard-banging, full-on sexual engagement, one to put in the record books as a plus ten. Yes, I still had what it took to get my husband’s attention.

  Next to my hubby, who had just made beautiful love to me, I tucked in for the night, realizing there couldn’t possibly be anything more comforting than going to sleep wrapped in each other’s arms.

  CHAPTER TWO

  (Monday - Eight Days Before)

  The early morning sun filtered through our house at promptly six-thirty a.m., immediately followed by Monday morning madness. Greg hit the shower as was his normal routine while I scurried to cook breakfast. By the time I had divvied the plates — scrambled eggs, bacon and biscuits — he appeared in the kitchen carrying our tired daughter. Greg and I were in robes, while Ava was still wearing her clothes from yesterday.

  “Momma, do I have to go to school today? I’m super tired.” Ava dragged herself into her chair with the same effort it would take to climb Mount Everest.

  Timewise, Ava had slept longer than she normally did, having not only fallen asleep on the way home, but having gone to bed early. But because she hadn’t had a bath last night, Greg had rousted her up after he was out of the shower so she could have a bath this morning before taking her to school.

  “Don’t you want to tell Sarah about your big day yesterday?” I reminded her, placing her breakfast in front of her. “I’ll bet she’ll get a kick out of hearing about the crawdad.”

  “Yeah, and I can hardly wait to tell her about my interesting rock. Do you think I can take it to school with me?”

  “Honey, you should hold it back for show-and-tell. Let everyone enjoy your adventure.” I wasn’t sure the school would appreciate Ava bringing a rock without purpose. These days it might be construed as a weapon. Sadly, we lived in scarier times than when I grew up.

  “Yeah, okay,” she agreed but her tone was deflated.

  “How many more days before school recesses for the summer?” Greg asked directing the question at Ava, followed by him scooping eggs into his mouth.

  “Only two more weeks,” Ava said, her smile lighting up her dirt-ridden face. “I can’t wait. I seriously need a vacation.” Greg chuckled, and I giggled.

  “Well, we could all use a break now and then, can’t we?” Greg agreed, taking a tentative sip of his steaming hot coffee. “Maybe we’ll plan something fun for the summertime. What do you say, Ava?”

  “Yes,” she chirped. “What?”

  “I don’t know, sweetheart. Why don’t you put on your thinking cap and write down some options? Your mom and I will go over the list and we’ll choose something from it.”

  “Really? You’d seriously let me choose and you’d pick from my list?” Ava gave him a doubtful look, a strip of crispy bacon waving in the air while she narrowed her eyes at him.

  “Well, I don’t see why not. But nothing too expensive and no more than a week, or a few weekends. You know, your mom and I need to watch our pennies. But, if it’s reasonable, I believe we can consider your input.”

  “Okay, I’ll think about it.” Her eyes glistened at Greg and then she chomped into her bacon. “Thanks dad. I appreciate you having so much confidence in me to plan our family vacation.” She smiled and took in a big drink of her milk, leaving herself a mustache which she wiped on her shirt. “Wait until I tell Sarah I have promoted responsibilities.”

  “Yes, our family vacation now rests on your tiny shoulders. Just be down-to-earth about your selections,” Greg warned. “We can’t break the bank by traveling around Europe or spending a week in the wilds of Africa.”

  “I get it. I’ll be budget mindful.” She nodded her head. “I’ll bet Sarah’s parents would never trust her like this.” Her face beamed. “I’ll make up one of those things ... what do you call it when you have things to do for each day?”

  “A daily itinerary,” I answered, completing my breakfast and pushing back in my chair to enjoy my hot tea.

  “Yeah, that. I’ll do one of those,” Ava suggested.

  “I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with,” Greg told her.

  Wrapping up our breakfast, each of us finished our respective coffee, tea and milk. Greg bounded up the stairs to finish getting ready and I prodded Ava up to her room. While I ran her bath, Greg came in to brush his teeth and shave while Ava went to pick out her clothes for the day.

  “Maybe by the end of the year we’ll have saved enough money to turn the storage closet into a master bath for us,” I said with a scowl on my face.

  “Yeah, I hope so too,” he responded.

  While Ava was young, I didn’t mind Greg being in the bathroom with her. But she was eight now, going on nine in only a few more months. And I didn’t want them seeing each other any longer and Greg was aware of my foot having been put down.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll only be a jiffy,” he assured me. “I’ve gotta get a move on anyway.”

  Ava waited in the hallway for the five minutes it took Greg to groom himself.

  “I’m finished honey,” he told her on his way out. “Give me a kiss because I’ll be gone by the time you’re through with your bath.”

  “I love you Daddy,” Ava said clinging to her dad and kissing him on the cheek.

  “You have a good day,” he said, returning her kiss.

  “You too, Daddy.”

&n
bsp; “Emily,” Greg addressed me.

  I moved up next to him, our daughter standing to his side. “Go get the bad guys,” I said, giving him a kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “I’ll get ’em,” he affirmed with a cute grin. “If we get off to a good start today, maybe you and I can get in some more time, eh?” He gave me that look, like he wanted a repeat of last night.

  A smile lit up my face. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

  As Greg went to don his power suit, Ava hopped in the tub and I went to sit on the commode lid next to the tub. Not only was Ava afraid of the dark, for the last few months she had developed a phobia about taking a bath alone. When I pushed for an explanation, she claimed to have seen a scary movie at Sarah’s house, one where a man killed someone in the tub. I hoped she would soon grow out of it. But ever since, she refused to take a bath by herself. Staying with my daughterwhile she bathed was time consuming, not to mention concerning. And before Ava spent the night again with Sarah, I intended to have a word with Molly, Sarah’s mother, about what should be considered child-appropriate movies.

  “I’m off,” I heard Greg calling from outside the door.

  Jumping from the toilet seat, I ran to the door. “Okay,” I called to him as he strode down the hall toward the stairs.

  He paused for a moment and looked back at me. “I love you, Emily ... a lot.”

  My feet flew down the hallway and my arms flung around his neck. “I love you, Greg ... a lot.” Our lips smashed together in a goodbye kiss.

  “Well, I have to go,” he said, peeling me off.

  My sad eyes gazed into his. I didn’t want him to go to work. Even discounting Taylor Anderson, Greg’s new job was taking up far too much time. I didn’t want the weekend to end. “I love you,” I repeated.

  “I love you too.” With one last kiss, his footfalls thumped against the stairs and then I heard him racing down the hall to the study. A few moments later, the garage door rolled open and then closed as Greg left for work.

  Back at my designated seat beside Ava, I wondered if there was really anything to worry about with Taylor. Yes, Greg had been working long hours. Yes, he had repeatedly led me to believe Taylor was a man. And yes, we were both exhausted at the end of the day and had probably let our affection for each other wane. But did any of this mean I had anything to worry about? Greg had just told me he loved me on the heels of having made amazing love to me last night. As always, Greg presented himself as the loving, caring, and considerate man I had always known and loved. On the surface, everything appeared normal, like there was nothing going on behind my back. But then again, I’d been known to be wrong before. Was I now?

  ◆◆◆

  “Give me a goodbye kiss,” I requested of Ava as she gathered up her school bag and her lunch kit.

  She eyed the parking lot for anyone watching her and then hurriedly smacked me on the cheek. “Okay, goodbye Mom.”

  “Have a nice day, sweetie,” I said as she opened her door and slid from her seat. She gave me a small wave as she mingled into the group of tiny people, pre-K through fifth grade, all making their way into Lily B’s Elementary School. Lily B’s was a public school but rated seven out of a possible ten and well above average state-wide in teachers and staff. When Greg and I had resolved private school wasn’t an option on our meager incomes, we were pleased with our decision after enrolling Ava at Lily B’s.

  My eyes trained on Ava, wearing a brilliant yellow T-shirt and dark jeans, as she blended into a group of about ten other kids approaching the entrance to the one-story, tan brick building. Once Ava reached the level of second grade, I was forbidden to walk her to the door. But it didn’t mean I couldn’t watch from a distance to make sure she entered safely. As she disappeared into another world, one I wasn’t part of, a piece of my heart broke when I could no longer see her.

  Just as I was pulling away from the drop-off lot, four cars in front of me I noticed Molly Jensen. Molly was Sarah’s mother, and Sarah was Ava’s best friend. While I knew Ava was all about Sarah, I’d never really taken to Molly. She always came across as snooty and overbearing, one who was far better than me. She was driving a spanking brand new, shiny silver Lincoln Navigator, one of the high-end models most likely costing a small fortune. The dealer tags were still prominently displayed from the rear. Ava had mentioned their recent purchase one day last week, whining something about how she wished we could get a new car too. Didn’t we all?

  Molly’s husband, Paul, a real know-it-all, was a high-powered investment broker in his own agency. On more than one occasion, he had suggested we should be investing our money and letting him call the shots so he could “make us rich,” according to how he put it. “Look at us,” he’d bragged. “You can’t argue with success.”

  “Maybe once I’ve settled into this new job, we’ll be in a better position to invest a little money,” Greg had told him. “You know, baby steps for us.”

  In other words, we didn’t have the pot to pour it out of, let alone funds we could invest in the stock market — and risk losing.

  Molly had looked at us from down her nose, a perfect rhinoplasty courtesy of her favorite plastic surgeon, who’d also shot Botox into her face, plumped up her lips, performed a tummy tuck, and enhanced her boobs. “I wouldn’t wait too long,” she scowled. “From the looks of things, you could use some extra money to fix this place up.” Then she had condescendingly eyed my outdated kitchen.

  Molly was a constant reminder of how unsuccessful we were. She never ceased bragging about Paul’s investment income, letting me know they could easily afford most anything they wanted. It was surprising for Sarah to be in a public school. But as Molly had put it, “We would like for our Sarah to understand the common-folk life before we upgrade her to private school.”

  At the time of this conversation, we had been out to dinner together and Paul had just topped up my glass with an expensive bottle of red wine. It was an evening almost breaking mine and Greg’s piggy bank, especially when they ordered a second bottle of the same expensive wine and then expected the check to be equally split. I remember choking to death on my last swallow after seeing the tab.

  Our lives were complete opposites and I constantly wondered how Ava and Sarah ended up being tight friends. Truthfully, I wished my daughter would’ve paired herself with someone more equal to our middle-class income.

  From my standpoint, Greg and I only socialized with Molly and Paul for the sake of Ava and Sarah’s friendship. Greg, on the other hand, managed getting along well with both Paul and Molly and had always viewed their criticism as being helpful advice to steer us to a better life. He saw me as being petty and jealous and he’d never really grasped what my gripe was, especially since, other than the Jensen’s apparent success, I’d never been able to quite put my finger on anything in particular, at least not to Greg’s satisfaction. At any rate, it had always been a real chore for me to be on my best behavior and the less frequently we had to get together, the better.

  As I pulled forward, Molly rolled down her window, prompting me to do the same. She shouted, “Hey Emily, it's a gorgeous Monday. Isn't it?”

  “It really is,” I replied, glancing up at the blue skies.

  “Did you see my new ride?” she asked, patting her hand against the steering wheel.

  “I did. It's gorgeous.”

  “Well, gotta go,” she said, cutting in front of me and pulling out.

  Watching her pull out onto the road, my mind drifted to Greg and Taylor. Last week the jury had been selected and the trial was beginning today. By now Greg would be in the midst of his opening statement or maybe even calling the State’s first witness. For a moment I considered going to the courthouse and sitting in for a while. Check Taylor out. I wondered if this was something that I needed to clear first with Greg. Would it make him nervous if he knew I was in the courtroom? After his failure at correcting me about Taylor being a woman, would he be so flustered he might mess up the tri
al? While I didn’t know much about the aspects of the case, I knew it was for the murder of a teenager. I hated to think Greg might lose simply because I caught him in his damned lie. Was that what it was? Was Greg out-and-out lying to me? Lying about Taylor? If so, what in the world was his reasoning for doing so?

  ◆◆◆

  Instead, I went back to the house and began sorting through my closet. Yesterday I had promised myself to cull through the ratty clothing and upgrade my wardrobe. Thankfully, it was only my casual clothing needing an improvement. One section of my closet was already filled with decent working apparel necessary for me to look my professional best at my job as a bank teller. My workdays were Tuesdays and Fridays, lobby hours from nine until five, with alternating Saturdays from nine until noon with another girl, Jordan Hughes, who also had a daughter the same age as Ava. In fact, her daughter, Hannah, would be a perfect little friend for Ava. Maybe I’d invite Jordan and her husband, Doug, to the house and Ava could get to know Hannah ... maybe even find they had more in common than she had with Sarah.

  Around ten o’clock, I took a break and called a nearby salon. “I’d like to book an appointment to have my hair and nails done.”

  “We had a cancellation and can work in a nail appointment today at one o’clock.”

  Lucky for me, this would give me plenty of time to pick Ava up from school at three-thirty.

  “Yes, I’ll take it,” I quickly agreed. My hair appointment was slotted for the same time on Wednesday.

  Downstairs, I rummaged through the fridge to see what we might have for dinner. Our cupboards were looking sparse as I had been putting off going to the grocery store for a while. It seemed to cost an arm and a leg every time I stepped past the electronic doors. A rush of guilt flooded through me, realizing we needed food, and here I was planning a hair and nail appointment, not to mention a shopping trip for new clothes. Was it really that important to primp myself up when I had mouths to feed? Then again, I couldn’t afford losing my husband to his gorgeous co-counsel. Now could I?