Mandy

Chapter 34

Our God is greater,
Our God is stronger,
Our God is higher,
Than any other.
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Mandy smiled as she looked around the lobby of the inn. Since they had opened two months ago, this was their first weekend being fully booked.

"Mommy, Daddy wants to know where the ladder is." Amilee said as she ran over to me.

"It's in the storage room, as far as I know." I replied, grabbing a pen and sticky note.

"Ok!" Amilee scampered back down the hall.

I smiled. Caleb and Jason were working on finishing two more of the rooms, and we were hoping to have them done by next month.

   "Are we going to throw a Christmas party?" Ethan asked.

   I looked over at my son, who was drawing a picture of what looked like a cake. "A party?" I asked, not quite sure what he meant.

   "Cause people are going to be here and it's going to have lights and a tree." Ethan tried to explain.

   I held back a laugh. "No, not a party. Most of the guests that will stay at the inn will probably be at their own parties." I told him.

   "Oh." Ethan considered that for a minute. "But what if they don't have a party?"

   Mandy shrugged. "Then they will probably go somewhere in their own. I'm not sure Bud."

"When are we going to get out the tree?" He asked.

Mandy grinned. "Maybe sometime this week." She told him.

"Where are we going to put the tree?"

"Well, we will probably have two. On in our room, and one out here in the lobby."

   "Cool!" Ethan exclaimed.

   "What's cool?" Jason asked as he walked into the lobby.

   Mandy tried to hold back her giggles. Jason was covered in paint.

   "We get two Christmas trees! Two!" Ethan told him, holding two fingers up for emphasis.

   Jason grinned. "That is cool!" He replied, then turned to Mandy. "The celling is drying. Caleb moved on to the walls."

   Mandy smiled. "Are you sure you painted the celling? It looks like you painted yourself."

   Jason frowned at her. "Do you want to try?" He asked.

   Mandy backed away. "Umm, no. I think I'll let you paint yourself. I mean the celling."

   Jason gave her a glare as he grabbed a pen, then walked out of the room.

   Mandy watched as he left. It took a little while, but Jason had finally warmed up to them. Now he was just like another piece to the intricate puzzle of their little family.

   "Hello." A guest walked up to the desk.

   Mandy smiled at her. "Hello! Do you have a reservation?"

"Yes." The lady answered. "Cadence Lowery."

Mandy looked at the spreadsheet in front of her. "You're right here, in room 103. How many room keys do you need?"

"Only one please."

Mandy grabbed a plastic card and slid it into the machine, then handed it to the lady. "Enjoy your stay!" She told her.

The lady smiled as she took the key card. "Thank you." She replied.