บท 40: The Single Problem
After nearly being attacked by an angry crowd, Emily had to say, the whole visit was actually kind of fun. Sure she was more tired than she had been in a while, and was looking forward to finding the nearest comfortable horizontal surface and passing out. But before that, she had the absolute pleasure of watching Derek Haven lose it, in an airport.
She really wished she did not work for him so that she could record the whole thing. But since she still needed her job, she made sure to just stand back and commit the whole thing to memory. Derek was so worked up, he had not even noticed that she had been sitting on his luggage for most of the exchange.
The whole thing would have continued being funny as he'd stalked away like an angry cat with its tail raised. But then when Emily had walked over to him, she had realised how tired he was and her good mood at his expense had dwindled. Seeing how drained he was, she had moved him over to their bags, having him sit on his expensive luggage while she arranged things.
Her first order of business was to ensure that while the flights for the night had been cancelled, the ones that she had booked for the next day was still valid. Once she was informed that it was, she moved on to the next thing, calling the driver back. Then once the driver was on his way, she set about looking for a place to sleep. The hotel where she had cancelled their reservations no longer had any rooms. And as she made calls to the various inns and motels in the town, she found a similar problem.
Apparently the reporters that had come in had taken up most of the free beds in what was already a very small hospitality industry. She was almost about to give in when she was informed that there was a motel at the edge of the town that was likely to still have some free rooms. The moment that the driver arrived, they were on their way. The fact that it was late night in a small town meaning that there was no traffic to hinder them.
When they finally made it to the motel, Emily fully understood at a glance just why the place was likely to still have room. At some point in time, maybe fifty years back when the place was still new, it had been named Nancy's. But now the sign just read Ancy, the other letters no longer lighting up in the dark. As they walked, Derek stalking up ahead like a king while she still carried their stuff, Emily noticed all the signs of decay around the place.
The windows lined with cardboard boxes and tape. Some of the doors on the higher floors were missing. Grass growing on the pavement. The smell of cigarettes and days old beer in the air. If small towns had slums, this was definitely it, had they been in the city, they would have already been robbed ten times over. But as it was, they merely just had to contend with the silence of the night being replaced by the occasional sounds of people talking and of cats mewling.
When they finally reached the front desk, they were greeted by the sight of a man so old at first Emily thought that he had died in his chair. He was deathly pale, the tips of his fingers blue, his eyes had a milky film surrounding them and he stared right at the door, not blinking. Given the way Derek stopped in his tracks, Emily was sure that he'd thought the same thing too. But then the old man took a loud whistling breath, cleared his throat took a long drag from a pipe that Emily had not noticed before.
"Are you two just going to stand there, or are you going to say something," He asked, his voice surprisingly low and deep.
"We are looking for a place to sleep for the night," She said, cutting in when Derek became too engrossed in watching a spider descend over the old man's head in disgusted fascination.
Emily nearly jumped up and down in joy when they were told that there was still room. But the joy was short lived.
Of course! Of course! After the day they'd had it was only right that they come in and find that there was only one room left.
"Do you know who I am?" The wrinkly old man behind the counnter did not know, and he did not care, that much was clear to Emily. Just like the young man at the airport, he was unbothered. It was rather glorious to watch Derek, who was used to his name alone opening doors struggle so much.
"The other rooms just got painted. I am not getting sued because some uppity city slicker was stubborn. Either take the room or leave it," She watched as Derek took a deep breath, he was clearly about to continue arguing when the sound of laughter reached them. A young couple giggling to one another, headed straight for the reception area. Emily looked over at him, and before he could protest she was moving.
"Thank you, we'll take it," She said as she grabbed the key card. She then took Derek by the arm and dragged him to the elevator. From the look on his face, she could guess what he was thinking.
Has she forgotten that I am her boss? She does know I can fire her right?
Emily knew that and she did not care. Had she not taken the room, they would have had nowhere to go for the night. Sure enough, as the elevator door closed, they saw the younger couple leaving, their mood clearly down.
Derek looked over at Emily and she was looking at him with an I told you so look.
When the doors opened again, she led the way out, the bags dragging behind her as she stomped forward.
She entered the room and stopped. Derek bumping into her from behind.
"Emily, what are you…" Then he stopped too. Finally seeing what she was seeing.
Early morning, and they were staring at yet another hurdle to overcome .
The one and only bed in the room, great… just great.
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