The Holiday Inn [COMPLETE]

Chapter 6

"...so good."

Something in what Michaela was saying finally broke through to Anya.

"Yeah, he does. Makes you wonder where he got the suit."

Michaela turned around in her seat to give her cousin a look of pure confusion from across the table.

"What? What does that have anything to do with his playing?"

"You said he looks good, right?"

"No." Michaela's confusion was increasing and she was looking at Anya like she had suddenly sprouted a second head. "I said he sounds so good. I didn't know he could sing. Or play the piano."

"Oh. Yeah. He's been playing since we were kids."

Manny's voice and his delicate touch on the ivory keys were nothing new to Anya. The very sound of his voice ringing through the dining hall fit right in with the rest of the Christmas traditions. It was the sight of him in a neat black suit and tie that was a rare occurrence.

"He's good."

Michaela's casual judgment of Manny's talent was a major understatement and the evidence was in the rapt attention of the rest of the diners.

The dining hall had filled by the time Anya returned to reality and found a way to bypass the shock of seeing Manny behind a piano once again and singing in her dining hall. His voice floated over the head of the diners and added a magical touch to the official beginning of the Christmas celebrations.

Michaela struck up a conversation with Gloria, who had appeared at her seat at the head table, wearing something other than her chef's jacket and hat, going to far as to brush the flour out of her hair and don a holiday-appropriate outfit.

It was mandatory for all senior staff to join together at the head table and enjoy a meal together with the rest of the guests for the few days around Christmas.

Gloria did a good job playing guest but Anya knew she was itching to hurry back to her kitchen and start yelling at an underling while stressing about the dessert buffet that was due to arrive soon.

While Anya was stuck staring at Manny, Frank had also appeared at his spot. Seated next to Anya, he had swapped his traditional flannels and snow boots for a nice suit and dress shoes. Anya knew he only kept a set for the holiday season but he always seemed to enjoy dressing up for the occasion, if only to accommodate Eve's wishes.

He gave Anya's arm a nudge and she turned to look at him, the faint smell of hay still stuck in his salt and pepper curls and floating down to Anya's nose.

"You good?"

As a man of few words, Anya could see the slight hint of concern in his dark brown eyes. He had taken a glance at her plate and found that none of the food she had gotten up to get from the long buffet table had been touched. It felt like it had been weeks since Anya had seen him that morning in the barn, there to do their daily check-in on how things were running.

"Yeah."

To ease his concern, Anya grabbed her fork and started to move around the food on her plate. Frank gave her a nod of approval and turned to take up a conversation with Eve about the plans for sleigh rides for the guests and the amount of snow they were due to have.

Anya was left with no one to talk to. She would have made a poor conversation partner anyway. Her brain told her hands to move some of the food to her mouth and she found she was eating without any real conscious thought. Her eyes moved around the room, looking out at the multitude of guests, the chatter of their conversations falling on deaf ears.