Chapter 3 The paradox of service
Lily
“My apologies on Xavian’s behalf, Lily,” says Renata, smoothing her already-perfect hair as we walk back to the office.
Then she taps her smartwatch and speaks into it.
“Damien, bring two of your guard to the office floor and escort Xavian Night off the premises, please. Make sure he’s gone and then check in with me. ”
I can hear Damien’s snort from the watch’s speaker. Damien Cross is the head of the hotel’s Night Guard, the group of vampires and other magical people that act as security for the hotel from sunset to sunrise. “That slimy bastard. You shouldn’t even have met with him, Renata.”
“I know,” Renata sighs. “But Celine insisted. She seems to think we can talk some sense into those assholes.”
“They’ve been operating this way for centuries,” Damien responds. “They’re not going to change now. Not until someone stakes them.”
“I would love to have that pleasure,” Renata replies with a smirk. “But it would cause too much of a mess to clean up. And I have enough of those.”
“Don’t we all,” Damien says. “I’ll be right up, Renata.”
“Good.”
Renata taps her watch to hang up the call, just as we get to her office. I take my seat at my desk and she moves toward the door.
“Lily,” she says. “If you need to take an early break, I would understand.”
“I’m all right,” I reply. I still feel a little shaken up, but I put a smile on my face to ease her concern.
She doesn’t look convinced, but she accepts my response. “Whatever you say.”
Before she goes back into her office, I surprise myself. “Um, Ms. Espina?”
“Yes?” she asks, looking back at me with a tilt of her head.
I fiddle awkwardly with a button on my cardigan, not sure how to phrase this. “Thank you. For defending me.”
She waves her hand. “It’s nothing, Lily. You shouldn’t have to deal with such men, especially not in a professional environment. You’re my employee, and it’s my job to ensure you’re safe while you’re working for me.”
For some reason, a feeling of disappointment blooms in my chest. “Of course, Ms. Espina.”
She catches the note of defeat in my voice and gives me a curious look. But she doesn’t address it. “If you could review the upcoming wedding details and have a full summary on my desk by midnight, that would be excellent.”
I nod, and she disappears into her office. With a sigh, I turn back to my computer. All this before I’ve even had my coffee! I know there are lots of people who think I’m crazy for working for a family of vampires. But it certainly keeps me on my toes.
And ever since I met Renata Espina…well, nobody else has ever made me feel this way. Every time I’m in her presence, my stomach flutters and my heart beats quickly in my chest. She’s just so…commanding. Powerful. Confident.
I admire her deeply.
That’s what it is. Admiration. I wish I could be more like her. My whole life, I’ve always been a little awkward. The quiet one, the one who’d rather be a supporting player than a main character. My sister was the star child, beautiful, good at everything. I was more than happy to take a back seat.
And I’m so proud of my work as an executive assistant, especially to someone like Renata Espina. It’s impossible not to be impressed by her. Of course I get a little flustered when she’s around. Wouldn’t anybody?
When I cover the night shift, I work shorter hours so I can get home and get some sleep before the day starts. I send off one final email and say goodbye to Renata, who’s so focused on the report on her computer that she barely looks up at me.
I exit through the hotel lobby. It’s quiet now, late at night, and there’s only one concierge on duty. A few guests are seated in the lobby, enjoying a glass of champagne under the beautiful chandelier.
As I pass them, I notice the couple that I met earlier tonight, the ones that I had relocated to the honeymoon suite after Mrs. Harrigan insisted on staying in their suite. They spot me, and immediately wave me over.
“I’m so glad we saw you!” one of them says, putting a hand to her heart. “We want to thank you so much for upgrading us. Our room is absolutely breathtaking!”
“It’s bigger than our condo,” her new husband says with a chuckle.
“And the dinner, oh my god, I’m never going to need to eat again!” laughs his new wife, a genuine expression of gratitude on her face.
“Thank you for making this stay so special.” He gives her a loving look.
She matches his gaze. “Yes, it means so much to us.”
I’m touched by the moment between them. “It was our pleasure! Congratulations again, and if you need anything else, please call for the concierge and they would be more than happy to assist you.”
“We will,” they say. “Thank you!”
With a nod to the night porter, I exit the lobby.
I’m glad that I was able to turn things around for that couple.
In the hospitality industry, that’s what we call the paradox of service.
If you stay at a hotel and nothing happens, it’s fine, but you don’t really remember it.
If something really good happens, or something really bad happens, that stays in your mind.
And even though we never want anything bad to happen for our guests, if it does, it’s an opportunity to demonstrate to them how we can make it up to them.
And those tend to be the best customer service moments, and the ones that guests remember.
It’s a paradox, but one I’ve learned to navigate in the past year and a half.
There’s a little chill in the air on this early June evening, and I pull my cardigan tightly around me.
As I walk to the bus stop, I can’t help but feel a little bittersweet pang as I think about the love in those newlywed’s eyes.
They seemed to truly care for each other, but marriage is so complicated.
It seems wonderful and promising when it starts, but it’s hard to know who someone really is until you’re experiencing life together.
I feel a little wistful on my bus ride home. I doze off for a moment and almost miss my stop. When I turn the key to my apartment door, I’m ready for bed. But the final surprise of the night is waiting for me.
My apartment is small, so I immediately spot my five-year-old son sitting on the couch, surrounded by a pile of pony dolls. His pale skin is flushed pink, and his straw-blond hair sticks up at all angles. He grips a tiny pink pony in his arms like it’s a life raft.
“Eli! What are you doing up?” I quickly kick off my shoes and toss my purse on the kitchen table as I rush over to him. I move some of the ponies aside so I can sit beside him on the couch, and I take him in my arms. He clutches onto me sleepily.
“I had a bad dream,” he says. I can hear the tears in his voice.
“Oh, I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I reply, rubbing his back. “Why didn’t you wake grandma up?”
“No,” he replies.
“No?”
He nestles his tiny head into the crook of my arm. “She just…yells.”
I sigh. “Well, I’m going to talk to her about that, ok? But for now, let’s get you back to bed.”
“Mama’s bed?”
“No, honey, you’ve got to sleep in your big-boy bed.”
“Please?”
I stand up, carrying Eli in my arms. It’s past two a.m., and I have no fight left in me anymore.
“All right, just for tonight, ok?”
We creep into my bedroom quietly, so as not to wake up my sleeping mother. Not that there’s much risk of that. She’s snoring loudly, wearing her pink earplugs and frilly eye mask.
I tuck Eli into bed, his precious pony doll still clutched in one hand. Immediately, he drifts off to sleep. I pull on some pajamas and join him.
It’s been a long night.