Chapter 3 - THE HOTEL STANDOFF
The Brookhaven Grand Hotel was the height of luxury in our city,
a place of marble floors and gold-leaf ceilings.
At 11:00 a.m.,
I received a call from a number I recognized as their main line.
"Ms. Claire?"
the voice was professional but strained.
"This is Julian,
the events manager."
"I have your sister,
Vanessa,
here at the desk."
"She is insisting that there has been a mistake with the billing."
I leaned back in my office chair,
swiveling slowly.
"There is no mistake,
Julian,"
I said.
"I didn't sign the contract for the ballroom."
"I didn't authorize the catering."
"And I certainly didn't agree to the sneaker station."
I could hear a muffled scream in the background,
the distinct,
shrill tone of Vanessa’s rage.
"She has shown us the invitations,
Ma'am,"
Julian continued,
his voice dropping.
"They clearly state that you are the host."
"I can send you an invitation to the moon,
Julian,"
"but that doesn't mean I’m paying for the rocket."
"Vanessa forged my name as a guarantor on the digital form."
"I’ve already spoken to my attorney."
"If the hotel tries to process my card again,"
"I will be forced to file a formal complaint against the Brookhaven Grand."
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end.
"I see,"
he said.
"One moment,
please."
The phone went on hold,
filling my ear with soft,
elevator jazz.
I waited,
checking my emails,
completely unbothered.
When he came back,
Vanessa was on the line instead.
"You bitch!"
she hissed,
her voice shaking.
"They are threatening to call the police!"
"They say if I don't pay the non-refundable deposit of five thousand dollars right now,"
"they will sue me for breach of contract!"
"Then you should probably pay it,
Vanessa,"
I said.
"You have that savings account from your divorce settlement,
don't you?"
There was a pause,
a heavy,
telling silence.
"I spent that,"
she whispered.
"On what?"
"The down payment for the new SUV,"
she said,
as if it were an obvious necessity.
"Well,"
I said,
"maybe the SUV can host the party."
"I heard it has a very nice sound system."
"Claire,
please,"
she pleaded,
switching tactics.
"Mason is so excited."
"All his friends are coming."
"I’ll tell him his aunt is a hero."
"You already told eighty-four people that,"
I reminded her.
"And yet,
here we are."
"I’m hanging up now,
Vanessa."
"I have a meeting."
"If you call me again,"
"I’ll let the hotel know that I’m happy to testify about the forgery."
I ended the call and put my phone on 'Do Not Disturb.'
I wondered for a moment if they would actually call the police on her.
Then I realized it didn't matter.
Even if she went to jail,
she’d probably expect me to pay the bail.
I went back to my work,
finishing a project that was worth twice what the party cost.
For years,
I had been working harder just to keep them afloat.
I had been trading my sleep for their sneakers.
I had been trading my peace for their parties.
No more.
The ballroom was dark,
May you like
the cake was cancelled,
and I was finally the lead character in my own life.
