The five-star hotel was decorated with chandeliers. They threw yellow light all around, creating an atmosphere of the 1800s when the fire burned in the hearth and threw its sunny rays around the room. All around them was a reception so big and furnished with so many sofas that they could only imagine how big the whole hotel was. Malad had caught a glimpse of the skyscraper built of glass from the window of the coach, but it spoke nothing of the actual magnificence the building beheld. They were standing in a long queue that snaked in front of them. Luckily, they had run from the coach and secured the third place in the queue.
"Were there actually so many people on the flight?!" she asked Amdo.
But it was their turn.
"Two single beds, please." Malad insisted. The receptionist gave them the key card to a room a few floors above. Amdo grabbed her hand and rushed up the stairs into the elevator, pressed some number and voila, they were in their room. It was quite big with two single beds (which were quite huge for single beds) and a carpet blackened at places with dust. The lights were mostly off, giving the dark room a grotesque look. She noticed, however, that the bed sheets were crumpled and there was a chair with someone's jacket on it.
As Amdo's eyes followed her gaze to the jacket, they widened. He grabbed her hand again and ran back downstairs. "What's the problem?" she said, "we could just get rid of the jacket..."
But Amdo was already at the reception, complaining about the uncleaned room they had been awarded.
"We are extremely sorry," he replied and handed them another key card.
Again, Amdo rushed up the stairs, into the elevator, pressed a different number, and voila, they arrived at their second room. This room was similar, except the sheets were neatly made, and there was no jacket on the chair. On the bedside table, however, their was a half drunk water bottle and an umbrella. She looked on her side to find Amdo even wider-eyed and grabbing her wrist. "Ugh," she groaned, "not again."
And again, they were in front of the reception counter, cutting through the queue to get their complaint heard. At first, the receptionist's eyebrows creased to a questioning frown, but then, he smiled playfully and replied, "As compensation to our mistakes, we would like to offer you... a suite!" And he pulled out another, differently coloured, key card.
Malad's lips widened into a smile while Amdo's countenance was unchanged. Only when they were in the suite did he break his façade and join her with a happy, cheery, and somewhat triumphant smile.
There was a living room and a bedroom with the largest bathroom and the finest view. They had been given a suite in one of the highest floors. Looking out of the living room walls, which were made of glass instead of bricks, they could see the sea far below, washing over the coastline.
For a long moment, they stood there, arm in arm, admiring the view, until Amdo realised it was almost the middle of the night and he hadn't taken a bath yet! Of course it was going to be much more fun with the biggest bathroom they had ever seen with a bathtub AND a shower and loaded with the shower gels, shampoos, bath lotions and what not from the best brands around the world! Malad gave his excited look an understanding smile. She followed him to the doorstep, only to get her own slippers and bathrobes separate from his.
As soon as he was inside, she sneaked a peak at the bedroom. It had a king-sized bed and a huge TV. Even the bedroom had outer walls made of glass! She walked out towards the living room, turning several lights on and off on her way. 'So this is where all the businessmen and celebrities reside when on holidays...' she thought. On her right was a dining table for two with the table made of black glass while the sleek, complementing chairs were made of steel and plastic. There were two black sofas, both at right angles around a glass table that had been covered with a cream designer sheet and decorated with a vase. She went back to the window. Only this time, she felt more nauseous, as if the sea were attracting her towards it.
She quickly backed away, steadied herself by sitting on the sofa, and took out her phone. Scrolling through her texts, she found a joke that she had made to her sister earlier today and her reply, "Aw, my cutie pie, you even made mamma laugh with your jokes!"
She could only imagine how tensed her mum must be with her 'little' daughter so far away from home. How her sister was doing without her 'partner-in-crime'. And lying there, on the dark sofa, she realised that she missed them too. As if a dam had been holding them back all this time, her tears came rushing out from her eyes. She turned over, buried her face into the cushion, and cried herself to sleep.