Home For Christmas

XVI

"It feeeeeeels liiiiiiiike we've been driving foreeeevvveeeeeerr. I'm reeeeeaaaally booored and I don't wanna driiiiive anymooore!" Newt sang to himself, writing his masterpiece as he went. "But I guess that's kiiiiinda okaaaay because we're getting close to Leeeiiiiipziiig! Leipzig!" He continued his song. Just then he glanced to the side and saw a sign welcoming him to Leipzig, the city of his song! "Eyyy! Leipzig!" he cheered. "Now we gotta find a hotel, we're just looking for a hotel, we're searching for a hotel, we're on a hotel hunt!" He sang excitedly.

"I've only stayed in here once and I believe I stayed in a place called the Blue? The Rad Blue?" Hermann squinted, trying to remember.

"If that's the real name of the hotel I'm gonna go nuts." Newt laughed.

"Radisson!" He shouted abruptly, startling Newt to the point of him making the car swerve. "The Radisson! The Radisson Blu!"

"Shit uh okay, could you look up directions?" Newt glanced over him. Just driving down main roads with no real sense of direction.

"Okay so it looks like we just have to keep following this road... This is wundtstraße, isn't it?" Hermann looked over at him hopefully. Newt squinted trying to find a road sign.

"Yeah, yes." He smiled, triumphantly.

"Just keep following this road and then when we get to the intersection of Harkortstraße and Karl-Tauchnitz-Straße you're going to make a right onto Karl-Tauchnitz-Straße." Hermann directed from his phone.

"Rad!" Newt smiled as the turn Hermann had mentioned came into view. "What now?"

"Keep following this road, in a bit the street name is going to change to Roßpl and from there it should bring us right to the front of the hotel." Hermann locked his phone at that point and put it down.

"Do you think they take kindly to walk-ins?" Newt smiled jokingly. Hermann looked a bit surprised for a moment then his expression changed to a smile. He let out a small laugh.

"Only one way to find out." Hermann sighed. He and Newt both turned to each other and smiled. Hermann wasn't a very adventurous person, showing up at a hotel unannounced with no plan was not his style. And while Newt was more lax with his planning he had never attempted to show up to a well known hotel let alone one with 4+ stars; he'd crashed at motels and made last minute 'airbnb' or 'innclusive' reservations but never anything like this. They pulled up and a valet walked towards their car. Newt and Hermann grabbed all of the bags and Newt handed over the keys.

"So far so good." He shrugged with a smile. They walked towards the front doors and Newt smiled again as the doors were opened for them. "Oh shiiiiiit." He whispered, leaning over to Hermann as they walked in. "You went here when you were a kid?" He whispered again.

"I don't remember it being this... grand." Hermann spoke as he looked around in awe.

"Oh hold on!" Newt stopped them abruptly in their tracks. "Here," He was rooting around for something in one of his bags. "Put this on." He pulled out two rings and handed one to Hermann. Hermann furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and Newt just held the ring out expectantly. "Trust me." He added, seriously. They then made their way towards the receptionist's desk and Newt shot Hermann a wide nervous grin before taking a breath and approaching, holding Hermann's hand and pulling him along.

"Hi!" Newt smiled cheerfully.

"Hello there!" The receptionist smiled just as cheerfully. "Is there anything I can help you two with?" She asked twisting side to side in her little swivel chair.

"Yes actually! I think there is!" He smiled with a hopeful look in his eyes. "My fiance and I," He held up their interlocked fingers, showing off the rings. "Had reservations at a hotel a little ways down from here but they had some crazy thing happen with their system and they accidentally booked another couple for the same room!" He said in a shocked and exasperated tone.

"My goodness! That's terrible!" The receptionist matched his energy.

"Isn't it?" Newt shook his head. "At this point I think you can see our situation." He said with a sigh. "I know it's absurd to ask at this point but would you by any chance have any rooms still available?" Newt asked with an anticipating smile.

"I'm not sure if we do." She smiled sympathetically. Newt frowned and nodded in understanding. "But!" She added quickly. "But I can look!" She held a finger up as if asking for their patience and used the other to quickly look through the computer. "Oh my gosh!" She clapped her hands together excitedly. "Okay listen!" She smiled brightly up at them.

"Listening!" Newt smiled, bouncing onto his toes.

"I've got you guys a room!" She smiled doing a little dance in her chair. "And!" She drummed her fingers on her desk. "It's the honeymoon suite!" She squealed.

"Oh my goodness thank you so much!" Newt grabbed onto Hermann's arm with his free hand and shook him lightly.

"Oh!" She smiled again. "And I think I can get you two a discount." She then put her hand to the side of her mouth and lowered her voice. "But we've gotta keep it between us." She said with a wink. Newt smiled and nodded, winking and pretending to lock his lips with an imaginary key. Hermann just watched as they interacted in complete awe. "Alrighty." She stood up, flattening out her skirt. "Don't you two go anywhere I'll be right back with your keycard." She walked into the room behind her desk.

"Isn't she an peach?" Newt turned to Hermann smiling as he looked at the door where she disappeared. He didn't wait for a response before continuing to speak. "What a sweetheart." He shook his head, still smiling.

"Okie dokie!" She reappeared. "Here you go!" She smiled, handing over the card.

"Thank you so so much!" Newt took the key and grabbed her hand, holding it in both of his shaking it in gratitude.

"No problem, Sweetpea! You two are going to be on the 8th floor." She laughed, batting her hand dismissively. "Do y'all need help with your bags?" She tilted her head to the side and pointed towards the three bags Newt was holding.

"Oh no we're fine. Thank you so much though." He smiled, glancing over at Hermann to make sure he didn't just deny Hermann help if his bags were too heavy. Hermann was also smiling apparently needing no assistance.

"Well then," She sat back down in her chair. "I hope y'all enjoy your stay."