Margaritas at the Beach House Hotel

by Judith Keim

  Katherine was standing in the living room holding onto Evan’s arm. He was crying and reaching out for his mother.

  “We’re having a tough morning,” said Angela with a brightness I knew to be fake. “Katherine went to pick up Evan from pre-school, and he didn’t want to ride with her in the van. I think he’s getting temperamental because he knows the baby is coming soon, and he wants me, not anyone else, to take care of him.”

  “I can understand that,” I said.

  “He’s a willful child,” Katherine said, disapproval dripping from her voice.

  “It might be confusing to have new people in the house,” I offered. “But after he has some quality time with you, I’m sure things will be easier.”

  “Ann brought us some treats for lunch,” Angela said. “Evan, come into the kitchen with me. You can sit with us.”

  Evan pouted. “I want a picnic outside. You said I could.”

  “Evan, you heard your mother. Do as she says,” Katherine said sharply.

  Angela gave me a helpless look.

  “If he eats lunch outside, it’ll give us a chance to relax and talk,” I said.

  “Right,” said Angela. “Katherine, do you want to fix him a peanut butter sandwich on white bread with the crusts cut off? I’ll set the table and get the food set out for us.” Angela turned to Evan. “You may eat your lunch in the play yard, but no fussing, and you have to eat everything, including the fruit cup Grandmother made for you. Understand?”

  Evan, too, must have heard the desperation in Angela’s words. He gazed wide-eyed at his mother and slowly nodded.

  “Well, then,” I stated brightly. “That’s settled. Let me help you, Angela. You should be resting.”

  Angela rolled her eyes at me, took Evan’s hand, and walked outside with him.

  I went into the kitchen to talk to Katherine.

  “That child is so spoiled,” Katherine hissed at me. “And look at this! Crusts have to be cut off the bread?”

  “It’s not that unusual. And Evan is usually a sweet little boy. Super active, but nice. I think Angela is right. He’s aware of what’s happening and is fighting for attention.”

  “Angela is too easy on him. Lord knows, he won’t listen to me,” Katherine huffed.

  “Have you played with him on his level?” I asked, doubting she had.

  “I’m trying to teach him checkers, but he doesn’t want to play,” Katherine said. “It’s been years since Reggie was his age, but he played that game with me back then.”

  “At age four?”

  “He was a bright child,” Katherine declared.

  “How about playing Legos with him? Something to help with his eye-hand coordination?”

  “When I tried to show him how to build a house like the picture on the box, he got mad.” Katherine’s eyes filled. “I’m not used to children his age.”

  “Let him guide you as to what he wants to do, not what you’re telling him to do. See the difference? Evan’s a bright boy too, but nobody likes to be ordered around.”

  Katherine gave me a woeful look and sighed. “Here comes Angela now. Let me get this sandwich made. I’m sure I won’t make it right.”

  I patted her arm. “A peanut butter sandwich is pretty easy. Relax.”

  She gave me a grateful smile.

  “Let’s see what you brought, Ann! You know I’ll love anything from the hotel.” Angela stood at the counter and clutched her back. “If this baby doesn’t come soon, I don’t know what I’ll do. I’m more than ready.”

  “I told Angela it’s going to be a couple more days,” said Katherine. “The baby hasn’t dropped yet.”

  “But it has,” Angela protested. “At any rate, when the time is right, the baby will come.”

  “Still don’t know the sex yet?” I asked.

  “No,” said Angela. “We wanted to wait and be surprised.”

  “I told Angela it would be so much easier for everyone if they knew, but she and Reggie insisted on waiting.” She glanced at Angela. “But it’ll be fun to be surprised. Won’t it, dear?”

  “I think so. Ann, will you pour us drinks? I’ve made some iced tea the way Katherine likes it.”

  “Sure.” I went to the refrigerator and opened it. Inside were several boxes from various restaurants. “Wow! You guys have had lots of different foods.”

  “Katherine doesn’t like to cook,” said Angela.

  “I’ve never had to, you see, and I thought it would be a treat for them if I bought take-out food from some of their favorite places.” Katherine turned to Angela. “It’s worked out well, don’t you think?”

  “It’s been nice that I haven’t had to fix meals,” said Angela politely.

  I knew her well enough to understand the effort she was making to be friendly and loved her for it. She and Reggie had a healthy relationship, and I knew from earlier conversations that it was important for him to have his mother present during this time. A coming together of the families.

  As we sat and ate, I worked to keep the conversation light.

  “Is Vaughn in town?” Katherine asked me.

  “No, he’s not. But I’ll be sure to tell him you asked about him. How’s Arthur?”

  I’d liked Reggie’s dad the few times I’d met him.

  “He’s busy as always and waiting to get the word the baby has arrived so he can fly down here himself. He’s anxious to talk to Reggie about some of the international deals he’s working on.”

  I swallowed my bite of sandwich and reached for my glass of iced tea. This was precisely what Rhonda had been worried about.

  “Reggie’s doing very well with Will,” said Angela. “But it’s always nice for the guys to talk business. Especially as one business owner to another.”

  Katherine shot Angela a look of surprise.

  “It’s official, Reggie and Will are now equal partners,” said Angela, her eyes shining with pride.

  “I didn’t know ...” Katherine patted her face with her napkin with a look of distress.

  “Reggie’s planning to tell Arthur when he’s here. I hope I didn’t ruin it for him,” said Angela. “I’m so proud of him.”

  Katherine sniffed. “You were fortunate to have found him.”

  “And he’s lucky to have discovered Angela,” I said, speaking for Rhonda.

  Katherine and I studied each other.

  Evan came inside the kitchen holding his empty plastic plate. “See? I was a good boy.”

  “You’re a good boy, all right,” said Angela taking the plate from him and wrapping an arm around him. “Now it’s your quiet time. Katherine, will you please help Evan choose a book to listen to on his electronic player so he can rest in his room?”

  Katherine rose. “Of course. Come along, Evan. You can show me which book you want and how to set it up for you. Okay?”

  Evan stared at her for a moment and then headed for the door.

  I watched them leave and turned to Angela. “How are you holding up?”

  She emitted a long sigh. “If I didn’t love Reggie so much, I swear I’d ask Katherine to pack her bags. It’s been tough. You can’t be a dictator. It works better if you’re able to make children want to do things. You must have talked to her. That’s the nicest she’s been with Evan.”

  “She’s got a lot to learn. She really does.”

  “Mom is in a dither because I’ve asked Katherine to be with me in the hospital. But Katherine needs to be a grandmother to both of the children.”

  “I agree, even if Katherine doesn’t make it easy. I’m here to help any way I can.” I rose. “I’d better get back to the hotel. We have some big things coming up. Vice President Swanson is going to hold a news conference at the hotel tomorrow. And later today, your mother and I are going to treat her to margaritas at the hotel.”

  “Sounds like another fun event at The Beach House Hotel,” said Angela in a wistful voice.

  I hugged her. “Don’t get overtired.”

  As I walked to my
car, I stopped and closed the doors of the van, guessing an argument had taken place. After talking to Katherine, I thought she truly cared about Angela and Evan. It just wasn’t within her to show it easily. Poor Angela!

  CHAPTER TEN

  Rhonda and I walked together into the small, intimate bar of the hotel to meet Amelia. I noticed a young man I remembered as one of Amelia’s security guards seated on a love seat next to a blonde wearing dark glasses, a sun hat, and a brightly-colored, floral-print sundress.

  “Hello!” I said, approaching them.

  The man rose. “Hello.” He wore tan slacks and a bright-blue shirt that did nothing to hide the strength in his muscled body. His eyes surveyed the room before he sat.

  Rhonda and I pulled our chairs up to the coffee table in front of the love seat.

  “You look great,” Rhonda said to Amelia. “If I didn’t know we’d arranged to meet, I might not have guessed it was you.”

  “I thought I’d try blonde for a while. A little less obvious in these surroundings,” Amelia said quietly. “Clyde and I arrived early so we could take a tour of the hotel.”

  “Oh, yes, for security,” I said. “Have you ordered?”

  “No, we were waiting for you,” said Amelia.

  I turned and signaled the bartender for service. Immediately, a pleasant young man appeared at my side. “Yes, Mrs. Sanders.”

  “I’ve raved about the margaritas here.” I turned to Amelia. “You’ll try one?” At her nod, Clyde spoke up. “And I’ll have a club soda with lime, please.”

  “Okay, three margaritas and the club soda. And please put this on my tab.”

  He gave a little bow and left us.

  “You’ve trained your staff so well,” said Amelia.

  “Bernie is a big part of that, but that’s always been our philosophy,” said Rhonda.

  “We may not be a big operation, but we’re rated at the top in the industry for service and attention to detail,” I said proudly. It had been a struggle at first to make staff understand we operated at a much different level from some other hotels. Pleasant, excellent service and discretion were absolute necessities.

  “I’m pleased I’ve had the opportunity to see for myself how lovely The Beach House Hotel is,” said Amelia, giving us both a big smile. “Several people in Washington, D. C. had told me about it, but it’s not the same as experiencing it.”

  The bartender arrived with our drinks. After he had served them, Rhonda raised her glass. “Here’s to a successful visit by all.”

  We clicked glasses, even Clyde. Though he wore no shoulder holster, I’d noticed a shape of something in his lower pant leg and figured he had a weapon there. Usually, firearms weren’t allowed in the hotel, but under these circumstances, we accepted it.

  We were exchanging pleasantries when I felt rather than saw someone approach. Clyde’s attention focused on someone behind me.

  I whipped around. “Brock! What are you doing here at this time of day? Don’t you usually appear later, just before sunset?”

  Brock glanced at Amelia and said, “A friend of mine, a councilman, said Amelia Swanson is giving a news conference here tomorrow. I’m hoping to see if she’s around so I can get an invite for myself.”

  “Brock, you’re not invited,” said Rhonda firmly.

  He glared at her. “As president of the Neighborhood Association, I should be included in any major event in the area.”

  “Sorry, but you’re not on the list,” I added, praying Brock would leave.

  “Well, guess I’ll have a look around. I don’t need the two of you to permit me to speak to her. I want to discuss ways I can perhaps help her in the future with all my business connections overseas.”

  As he left, I turned to Amelia. “Sorry about that. He’s a constant pain ...”

  “... in the ass,” Rhonda finished for me.

  “He reminded me of several people back in D. C. Right, Clyde?” said Amelia.

  Always professional, Clyde merely nodded.

  “How is it having someone guarding you constantly?” Rhonda asked.

  Amelia shrugged. “Not always comfortable, but you get used to it. Especially if you have a good guy like Clyde around. If your friend had made any move toward me, he’d be flat on his back on the floor wondering what had happened to him.”

  Clyde chuckled. “Got that right.”

  “Lindsay left to meet Jean-Luc?” I asked Amelia.

  “Yes. I see a real friendship forming there. Neither one is interested in anything more, which is a good thing. It’s going to be a while before Lindsay is able to heal from a relationship gone so bad.”

  “Jean-Luc is a very nice man,” said Rhonda. “And lonely too.”

  “Oh, yes, and talented too,” Amelia said, patting her stomach. “He prepared a simple meal for us last night. It was out of this world. I’m grateful he’s getting Lindsay interested in eating again. I was afraid she was heading into anorexia.” She glanced at Clyde.

  He stood. “Why don’t I give you some privacy? I’ll sit at the bar and keep an eye on things from there.”

  “Thank you,” said Amelia. She turned to Ann and Rhonda. “Now, tell me more about yourselves. The fact that you two put this operation together is a fascinating story I want to tell to others. As you know, I continue to do a lot of work on women’s rights in the home, the workplace, the nation.”

  At a signal, the bartender brought another round of margaritas along with three glasses of water, a bowl of assorted nuts and crackers, and a variety of olives on a glass dish.

  As we talked, I discovered Amelia was an interesting person. She spoke very frankly about being raised in a household by her abusive father and the political maneuvering it had taken to get noticed in what was still very much a male-dominated arena.

  “Your work is so important,” I said.

  “Bullying needs to be addressed, too,” Rhonda told her. “Believe me; I know all about it. I didn’t fit in with the other girls in school, and they made sure I did not attempt to do so. My brother helped some, but he couldn’t control the million mean things they did and said.”

  I patted Rhonda’s hand. “And look how you turned out! Everyone here loves you.”

  “Some just for my money,” Rhonda said. “But I’ve got their number.” She glanced at me and grinned. “Annie, here, didn’t want any help from me. But we got that worked out. I’m one of those rags to riches stories. Several years ago, I won the Florida Jackpot for one hundred eighty-seven million dollars, so I had a little to spare.”

  “Rhonda’s a very generous person,” I said, remembering how, when I had no job and no house, she had come to my rescue. She’d convinced me to live with her and use my business expertise to help her convert her mansion into a hotel.

  I looked up as Brock came hurrying through the bar from the outside.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “Yeah, why are you in such a rush?” Rhonda asked him suspiciously.

  “Someone told me the vice president is just leaving the hotel. I want to try and catch her before she goes,” he said, moving away.

  “Good for you, Brock.” Holding in my laughter, I glanced at Amelia. She was laughing too.

  Not long afterward, Amelia got to her feet. “I have to leave as I’m meeting someone for dinner. Thank you for the opportunity to get to know the two of you better. I’m very excited to share your story with my women’s group and hope you’ll agree to come to speak in Washington.”

  Rhonda and I glanced at one another and smiled. We were accustomed to having VIPs at the hotel, but this seemed different. More like friends helping friends.

  ###

  That night, lying in bed talking to Vaughn, I shared a good laugh with him over Brock’s self-importance preventing him from noticing the vice president in disguise. But then his focus tended to be on young, voluptuous women, not someone older like Amelia.

  ###

  The next morning Rhonda and I stood by as cameras were s
et up in the library for the news conference. A few years ago, we’d transformed the library into a special room where private, secure meetings could be held. Later, we added a few features like a raised dais where people could speak and small musical groups could perform. Today, the vice president would make a significant announcement there. Bernie made sure the American flag was on one side of the platform, and a special flag with the hotel’s name and logo stood on the other side.

  After most of the camera crew had set up their equipment, they and we waited for Bernie to escort our guests into the room. A few minutes later, we all applauded as Vice President Amelia Swanson entered the room with Clyde and a thin, young woman. The governor had sent a message he’d be unable to attend.

  Shivers traveled down my spine as I observed Amelia in her role, one of the most prestigious in the world. And then tears of gratitude stung my eyes. Of all the places she could’ve chosen to hold the news conference and, more importantly, to keep her sister safe, she’d chosen the hotel Rhonda and I had worked so hard to create.

  I glanced at Rhonda and, from her expression, knew she too was awed by this moment.

  Amelia spoke about the courage of the young newswoman seeking information about life in Guatemala and Central America and the need to know the truth behind the headlines. “We need and want to support these truth finders. It is with extreme gratitude for the cooperation of the government of Guatemala that I’m now able to present to you, Carlotta Morales.”

  Applause erupted as a young, dark-haired woman walked toward the microphone. Thin to the point of being emaciated, she moved slowly. I realized then that what the papers had reported was true—she’d suffered in captivity.

  Amelia met her at the steps of the dais and helped Carlotta onto it. “Now, ladies and gentlemen, I’m sure you all have a lot of questions.”

  A reporter waved a hand. “Before we get started, where is your sister, Lindsay Thaxton? You must know where she is. She hasn’t been seen in Vermont.”

  A pained expression crossed Amelia’s face. “You know I won’t discuss my sister’s personal business.”

  “Is she safe?” The persistent reporter asked.