Lobby Boy

2. All For A Boy

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                                     CHAPTER TWO:

                                     A L L   F O R   A   B O Y

         The arrival of Lucien Bueller was like preparing for the arrival of the Queen. My Mother, for the rest of that day, hurried to get all of the staff together to make sure they would welcome Lucien with the kindest and most warmest greeting. The way she was using all of her efforts into this small favour just made me wonder if she actually just wanted to impress Samuel. And that scared me.

                "Change the flower arrangements. No, not like that! The pale pinks must stay subtle against the white. Like this, see?" Mother rearranged the petals of the Peonys in the glass vase before stepping back and gesturing with her hand towards the perfect arrangement. We were standing near the main entrance of the hotel and she insisted on making the opening as "spectacularly classy" as possible. Unfortunately, that resulted in releasing her obsessive and compulsive behaviour. Basically, the Claudine within her was unleashed.

               "Ma, is all of this really necessary?" I asked her as she paced up and down the decorated hallway. She stopped to look at me and seemed hesitant.

                 "I need this hotel to become a success again Clara," she said. "If that means selling part of it to Monsieur Bueller, then that is what I shall do," she concluded, with a stern and determined look upon her face. I could practically feel my Grandmother fidgeting with protest within her grave. My heart rate sped up, but I did not let the panic show.

                  "But why do all of this?" I gestured around me. "You already know how interested he is in the hote-"

                 "Clara," Mother cut me off. "Please do something productive. We only have the rest of today and we need to make it spotless round here," she said before turning away and continuing to lecture a maid. I stood still for a moment, but trudged to the kitchen nevertheless.

            Luckily, it was the same as ever.

           Bernard seemed to be making some sort of sauce as he continuously dipped his finger into the saucepan, adding more and more herbs and spices. Danny, who's face was covered with complete and utter boredom, noticed me and jumped off of his stool.

                      "What's with all the fuss?" A large hint of annoyance in his voice. I shrugged in reply and slumped against the wall. Danny sighed and took a small sip from his plastic water bottle. "Well it's like preparing for the bloody Queen," he replayed my thoughts from earlier.

                "Turns out Mother is actually all for it in selling the hotel to Bueller's company," I said. Danny raised his eyebrows and he looked as surprised as my mind was when I found out.

                      "Jesus..." he muttered.

                "I mean, maybe it's a good thing," I tried to convince myself more than anyone. Danny showed no sign of agreeing nor disagreeing as he continued to sip at his water.

          Behind me, I could hear the faint grumble of Bernard's complaints about God knows what.

                       "Clara!" The man himself called me. "Come taste this for me!"