The next day, I woke up early to go to work. My working time in the motel is earlier that Danny's schedule so I woke up earlier than her. I prepared toast and fried egg for breakfast. Athena came out from the room before I was done preparing breakfast.
"Good morning my princess." I kissed her cheek and hugged as part of our morning routine.
"Good moning mommy. I'm hungly." That is also always the first thing she says when she wakes up so I make sure to wake up early every day to prepare breakfast. She still cannot pronounce the sound of 'r' properly and I found her so amusing every time. I carried her and put her on her chair to eat breakfast.
"Should I wake Aunt Danny up? She is also hungry." She asked
"We can wake her up later, sweety. Aunt Danny was tired yesterday because of your birthday. She will eat breakfast later." I gave her a cup of hot choco and put toast on her plate.
"Will you go to wok today? Will I stay with glanny Dolothy?"
"Yes. After breakfast, we will take a shower then I will bring you to granny okay?"
After breakfast, I gave Athena a bath and prepared some of her clothes just in case she gets sweaty. I also prepared some snacks for her. I dropped her to Dorothy's place and left for work. I always feel sad to leave her but knowing that she will be happy playing with Dorothy, Danny and others make me feel relieved.
John always brings me to work every morning and as a return I give him some cash when I get my salary. He refused to accept it at first but I was able to persuade him in receiving it.
"Don't forget about the new guest, okay? You don't need to talk to him, just observe him and tell me what you think about him." John said as I got off from his car.
"Don't worry. I'll see what I can do."
I found Sarah, the motel owner at the reception desk as I entered the motel. She looks very tired and sleepy.
"Good morning, Sarah. How are you? I was expecting you yesterday." I greeted.
"Oh, I'm glad you're finally here. I was planning to go to your place but something is holding me up in here. Our new guest. I have never met someone as demanding and grumpy as him. He kept me awake all night by asking and complaining about a lot of things." She explained. I guess he is the same guy John was talking about.
"When is he leaving?" I asked. I was hoping he would leave soon so Sarah doesn't need to worry about him.
"He said he would stay here for a week. If there are other motels in our town, I would love to send him away after last night."
"You can go home now. You need to take a rest. I will take care over the motel from here."
"Thank you Joan. I'm really happy you are here."
I checked the guest list and found out that we currently have two guest. One is a couple, staying here until tomorrow and the other one is a solo occupant without registered as Tony. He asked for room service 5 times: ordered a bottle of vodka, steak for dinner, cleaning the room, complained about the bathroom and asked to exchange the linens while the other guests asked for nothing. This is the first time we got 5 requests from a guest only for the first night. I was busy checking the guest list when the phone rings.
"Reception. How may I help you?"
"Give me toast and coffee for breakfast. Also, give me newspaper and also, I need the room to be cleaned." He hung up right after he said what he needed. Everyone would agree that he is indeed arrogant.
This motel only has 6 rooms being rented out to visitors so Sarah didn't employ anyone but me. In the past she used to do all the task on her own. She is the one cleaning the rooms, changing the linens and was also the receptionist. Before, she just stayed in the motel during the day and leave the motel at 9 or 10 at night, depending on whether there are guest or not. Now that I work here, I stay in the motel during the day and she looks after it at night but sometimes when there are no guest, she doesn't come anymore. I made toast and coffee in the kitchen, got the newspaper in the lobby which was delivered this morning and brought to room 201. He opened the room immediately after I knocked.
"Good morning, sir."
"Come in, put them on the table." It seems he just finish taking a shower and he is wrapped with a white towel. He is now topless which makes me feel uncomfortable. He looks sexy and despite his age, he has abs.
I came inside the room and laid the things I brought on the small table next to the bed. "I will come back to clean the room."
"Don't you have other staff? Don't tell me you're the one who prepared this toast and coffee?"
"This is a small motel sir and it is only who is working at this time."
He sipped the coffee and coughed after. "This is too bitter. Bring me another one. Add sugar and milk."
"Why don't I just bring milk and sugar and you can add them to your coffee, sir?"
"It would already be cold at that time. Don't worry, you can charge me for the two cups of coffee. You can leave now."
I left the room feeling irritated. How arrogant of him! Staying in this motel doesn't mean he has the right to just give any order he wants. I went to the kitchen directly and made another cup of coffee. I put milk in a small container and sugar in another then went back to room 201.
Again, he opened the door immediately after I knocked. "Here's your coffee sir." He is now wearing t-shirt and short pants.
"Put it inside." Again, I put the tray of coffee, milk and sugar on the table next to the toast. He had a small bite on the toast.
"Give me another order of toast. That one is quite bland. Put more butter."
Why didn't he just called the reception so I don't to come back here again for the toast. I wanted to tell him what I feel but all I said was, "Yes, sir." I got the plate of toast and left his room, went to the kitchen, prepared another set of toast for him, put it in a tray and headed back to room 201.
He again opened the door immediately after I knocked. "Here's your toast, sir."
"Put it inside."
I laid the tray of toast on the table. "Is there anything sir?"
"Clean my room now. You should know what to do next."
I wanted to yell at him and tell him how arrogant he is but I tried to stop myself. He is still a customer and I need to respect him. I left his room and got the cleaning materials and went back again to room 201.
I cleaned his bathroom first. He just dumped the towel on the floor and it is wet everywhere. I tried to clean the bathroom as fast as I can. All I was thinking was I want to leave this room as fast as I can. After cleaning the bathroom, I moved to the bed area when he started saying something.
"Are you going to use the same mop for cleaning the room and the bathroom? Are you insane?"
"I didn't use the mop in the bathroom sir. I used a brush to clean it." I explained.
"I don't care. You brought that mop in the bathroom. Get another one in cleaning the bedroom."
Wow! Does he think he is so clean? If only I can kick a guest out, I already did.
"Sorry sir." Even though I was angry, I still tried to be nice to him. If only I can kick him out from the motel, I already did.
I went downstairs immediately to get a new mop when the phone in the reception desk started ringing. I was sure it is that arrogant man who is calling.
"What else do you need sir?" I asked when I answered the call.
"Excuse me?" A woman asked on the other line.
"Oh sorry, ma'am. I though the guest in room 201 was the one calling. How may I help you?"
"Can you give us two cups of black coffee please. Thank you."
"Yes, ma'am. I will bring them in your room." After hanging up, I prepared the coffee immediately and brought them to room 301 then went downstairs again to get a mop and a bucket and headed to room 201.
The door opened immediately after I knocked.
"What took you so long? Do you want me to keep waiting for you until you finish cleaning my room?"
"Sorry sir. I had to do something."
"Something more important that your guest? Who is the owner of this motel? I will make sure she would know what kind of employee you are!"
"I'm sorry, sir." I cleaned the room as fast as I can and after cleaning, I headed for the door immediately without asking if he needs more things when he spoke.
"Change the linens and bring me two bath towels."
"Why don't you just tell me everything you need instead of asking them one by one?! Do you think I'm your slave?! We also have other guests in this place and they are not as demanding as you!" I couldn't stand it anymore. After yelling at him, I left his room. Luckily, he didn't say anything back. My heart is pounding. I never shouted at anyone for a long time and it's making me feel so uneasy. I hope he would leave soon.