Dinner at the Beach House Hotel

by Judith Keim

  “I’m still waiting for my printer. The first one we bought was defective. But my computer is up and running. And the house is nice. Very nice. I understand you used to live there.”

  “Yes. I recently moved to a different location. But I’ve always loved that house.”

  He smiled. “Trudy and I will be happy there.”

  I studied him a moment. He was wearing gray slacks and a long-sleeved white shirt. I couldn’t help wondering what was behind his reserved appearance. He was a good-looking man in a somewhat severe way. His dark hair, gray at the temples, was brushed back from his strong features. His body was straight and tall and well-padded. I found it interesting that he poured so much affection onto his small, lively dachshund. I would have pictured him with a solid, unruffled, great dane.

  “I’ll see you later at the staff meeting,” I said and moved away. I was anxious to speak privately to Rhonda.

  When I stepped into the kitchen, Consuela greeted me with a hug. “Annie, I’m so sorry about all that happened. How is Liz? And the little boy?”

  “I think we’re all in a state of shock. Liz can’t believe she’s gone from being a free, easy-going student to the mother of a toddler. There’s still a lot to work out. She’ll be returning to Boston tomorrow to go back to school.”

  “I think she’ll like Elena.”

  “I hope so. I’m going to be more than busy with the hotel while Rhonda’s out with the baby.”

  Consuela waggled a finger at me. “I don’t think we’re going to have to wait too long for that baby. It’s coming soon. I just know it.”

  I laughed. “I think you’re right. I noticed it the other day.”

  After I grabbed a cup of coffee, I made my way into the office I shared with Rhonda. She wasn’t there, so I turned on my computer to check figures. Glancing at the rooms income, I smiled with satisfaction. When I caught sight of the sales figures from the dining area, I frowned. Something was wrong.

  I got up and returned to the kitchen. “Consuela, when is Jean-Luc coming in?”

  She gave me a worried look. “I don’t know.”

  “What’s going on?”

  She glanced around warily and then whispered, “It’s the new manager. He and Jean-Luc don’t like each other.”

  Rhonda entered the kitchen. “Annie! I’m so glad to see ya! We missed you!” She gave me an awkward hug while protecting her belly. “We’ve got lots to talk about.”

  Consuela handed Rhonda a cup of coffee. “You might need this.”

  “Aw, thanks, honey. I guess I do. It was hard to get up this morning.”

  I followed Rhonda into the office, and after taking a seat at my desk, I turned to her. “What is going on between Jean-Luc and Bernie?”

  Rhonda lowered herself into her chair and set down her coffee cup. Leaning forward, she shook her head. “They hate each other, plain and simple. I don’t know what we’re going to do about it, Annie. We need them both.”

  “Why are the figures in the dining room so low?”

  “Jean-Luc refused to cook for us one night. I was afraid to tell you because you have so much other stuff going on. But we’re going to have to get it settled.”

  “Okay, then. Let’s get Bernie in here.” I buzzed the intercom and was pleased when he picked up immediately.

  “Hi, Bernie. Can you come to our office? Rhonda and I need to talk to you.”

  “Of course,” he answered crisply and hung up.

  In moments, he and Trudy appeared at the door to our office.

  “Come on in,” I said, indicating a chair at the small round conference table in our office.

  I joined him and Rhonda at the table.

  After laying the financial printout on the table so he could see, I said, “I understand we have a problem in the kitchen. As you can see, the numbers are way down.”

  He nodded. “But the savings on food items is way up. There’s been a lot of waste in the kitchen. We can’t have that, can we?” He gave me a look that challenged me to speak.

  I gulped and drew a breath. “The chef is in charge of ordering what he needs for the kitchen. Is that why Jean-Luc refused to cook one night?”

  Bernie shifted uneasily in his chair. “Perhaps.”

  “The hotel’s reputation is based on its good food as much as anything else. We can’t do anything to stop that,” said Rhonda.

  “I thought you wanted me to run this hotel,” said Bernie, drawing himself up. “That’s what I intend to do.”

  “Our staff is like family to us,” I said. “We respect one another and our choices unless it becomes a problem. We’ve been able to make arrangements with a local food bank to supply them with excess staples and the like, which gives us a tax credit.”

  “And the excess prepared food?” Bernie said.

  “The staff is welcome to have it for lunch or to take it home,” said Rhonda. “I like the idea that they can enjoy it and tell others about it.”

  “So be it,” said Bernie. “But let’s be clear. Am I or am I not to run this hotel? In the interview, you indicated you wanted me to step in right away to help you.”

  I took a moment to form the right words. “Yes, you were hired to help us run the hotel. I want you to think of it as yours, though in fact, it’s ours. Rhonda’s, mine, and yours, along with every other staff member. That’s how we are able to succeed at The Beach House Hotel. Everyone working here feels a part of it.”

  Bernie rose. “I’m going to have to rethink things,” he said stiffly. “Thank you, ladies.”

  Rhonda and I glanced at each other and watched silently as he left the office. Trudy followed behind him, bobbing along on her short, crooked legs, acting as offended as he.

  “Annie, we can’t have him just walk away from us!” puffed Rhonda angrily.

  I held up a hand. “Give him time to think it through. He’s used to running large hotels like a dictator. We’re very different.”

  When Jean-Luc arrived, I went to see him.

  He smiled as I approached. “Hi, Annie. How are things in Boston? I was sorry to hear about the family’s loss.”

  “There’s still a lot to be done. Liz has brought her little brother to Florida. I’m going to have my hands full with him and the hotel.” I cleared my throat. “Can we talk?”

  He made a face. “If it’s about Bernhard, I have nothing to say.”

  “Please, Jean-Luc, we need your help.”

  I waved him toward the office, and he reluctantly followed me.

  As we’d done with Bernie, Rhonda and I indicated a seat at the table for Jean-Luc.

  He took it, and we sat down with him.

  “I understand you refused to cook one evening,” I began.

  Jean-Luc pounded the table with a fist. “No one, especially Bernhard, is going to tell me what I order for my meals.”

  “Exactly,” I said, bringing a look of surprise to Jean-Luc’s face.

  He relaxed his hand. “You agree?”

  “Of course,” I said. “The kitchen is your domain.”

  “Mais oui,” he said, smiling.

  “But Jean-Luc,” I added. “Part of his job is to oversee expenses, so if he needs to know something about kitchen costs, we want you to cooperate. Okay?”

  His lips curled with obvious distaste.

  Rhonda reached over and patted his hand. “Look, Jean-Luc, if you can learn to get along with me in the kitchen, you can get along with everybody. Right?”

  Jean-Luc’s lips twitched with amusement. He glanced at Rhonda. “C’est vrai.”

  I laughed when Rhonda looked as if she didn’t know whether to be pleased or not.

  CHAPTER SIX

  That afternoon, I dashed home to check on things there. Liz had called me earlier, giving me a glowing report on Elena.

  As I walked into the kitchen, a short, attractive, young woman greeted me with a smile that lit her face. Wearing a pair of black slacks and a crisp white blouse, she gave the impression of being very professional.


  “I’m Ann Rutherford. You must be Elena,” I said, taking in the confident way she held herself.

  She smiled and extended her hand. “Pleased to meet you. Liz has gone out to pick up a few things, and Robbie is down for a nap.”

  “How are things going?” I asked.

  “Good. Robbie isn’t quite used to me yet, but I like him, and he seems to like me.” She grinned. “Of course, at his age, he doesn’t like the word ‘no,’ but we’ll work that out.”

  “I like what I hear about you. I know that anyone Consuela recommends will be good. She’s a stickler for perfection.”

  Elena laughed, “Oh, yes. Everyone knows that.”

  “So tell me, what are your qualifications?”

  “I’m the oldest of eight children. That’s where I got my start. I’ve also taken a number of courses for becoming a trained nanny, starting with the basics like CPR and first aid, and, at the local community college, some education courses in childhood development. I’ve had various jobs in South Florida. Most recently, I was hired by a family in Miami, but I missed my own family and decided to come back here.”

  “Very good. Why don’t we sit to discuss specifics?” I indicated a seat at the kitchen table and lowered myself into a chair opposite her. “Liz mentioned you’re available full-time during the week and will do weekend hours as required. Is that right?”

  She nodded. “I’m available as live-in or not. Some of my customers preferred to have me stay during the work week and then work day shifts or only hours as needed over the weekend to give them more privacy.”

  I immediately thought of Vaughn. “Yes, I can understand that.”

  After discussing rates and specific job requirements, I rose, satisfied with our decision. “I’ll draw up a contract for you to sign and have it ready for you tomorrow morning when you come in at seven. Is that all right?”

  Elena stood. “That will be fine.” She extended her hand. “Thank you very much, Ms. Rutherford.”

  Feeling ancient, I shook her hand. “Please call me Ann.”

  Her brown eyes sparkled with pleasure. “I’m glad I met you. Consuela talks about you and Rhonda all the time. She loves her new apartment at the hotel.”

  “We love Consuela. Manny too. They deserve whatever we can give them.”

  Elena was about to leave when Liz walked into the kitchen, carrying a couple of large bags.

  “Mom! Isn’t Elena great? I’m so happy she’ll help us out.”

  She and Elena exchanged smiles.

  “Me too. What did you get?” I asked, studying the over-sized plastic bags holding a number of odd-shaped things.

  “Elena has a list of toys and books for kids Robbie’s age. She wants to keep him busy in an educational way.”

  “Right,” said Elena. “He seems to be a very bright boy.”

  I smiled at the look of pride that crossed Liz’s face. She might not know it, but she was going to be a good guardian for her brother.

  Liz and Elena began going through the items in the bag. I left them and hurried back to the hotel. We had several new arrivals scheduled, and I wanted to greet as many of them as possible.

  ###

  By the time I returned home, Liz was giving Robbie his nighttime bath.

  From the shallow water in the tub, Robbie looked up and pointed. “Gammy.” He held up a plastic truck. “Fuck.”

  Liz and I looked at each other and laughed.

  “I’m hoping he gets the ‘TR’ sound down soon,” Liz said, still grinning. She helped him out of the tub and began to dry him off. “I really like Elena. She’ll move into the guest room next to Robbie’s tomorrow morning. Is that all right?”

  “Sure,” I said, realizing the house Vaughn and I had thought might be too big for us had suddenly become drastically smaller. I was relieved the master bedroom area had its own wing.

  That night, when I talked to Vaughn, I explained the latest plans, half expecting him to balk at the way things were turning out. But, true to his nature, he listened and merely said, “It’ll seem easier when things get more settled. Funny how things turn out, huh?”

  “When are you going to be able to come home?” I asked, missing him so much I ached.

  “That’s why I called.” I could hear the smile in his voice as he continued. “I’ll be home tomorrow night.”

  “Hurry,” I said. “I can’t wait to see you!”

  He chuckled happily. “Good. I’d better go now. Love you.”

  “Love you, too,” I answered, knowing those words were inadequate for the way I felt about him.

  ###

  Promptly at seven, Elena appeared at the door, carrying a small, black suitcase.

  “Good morning,” I said cheerfully. “Robbie is just waking up.”

  Elena smiled. “Great. I’ll go right to his room.”

  Curious to see how she was with Robbie, I followed her to his room.

  Elena cracked open his door, peeked inside and said, “Boo!”

  Through the crack, I saw Robbie stare at the door and then, smiling, he shrieked, “Boo!”

  Elena opened the door and stepped inside. She began talking softly to him, reminding him of who she was, telling him about all the things they were going to do. All this was done as she lifted him out of the crib and quickly and smoothly changed his diaper.

  I stepped out from the shadows in the hallway. “Hi, Robbie!”

  He frowned from me to Elena and then pointed to me. “Gammy.”

  At the smile that crossed his face, I was charmed. He seemed so alive, so interested in everything going on around him.

  Elena stepped away so I could pick him up. I hugged him to me and carried him to the kitchen. After I got him settled in his highchair, I left him with Elena to go check on Liz. She was flying to Boston to return to school for the last couple of days before break and to follow through on funeral arrangements that she and Jack had made.

  I tapped on her bedroom door.

  “Come in,” she called.

  She was dressed and packing her suitcase when I entered her room. She looked at me and sighed. “I got a text message from the funeral home. They’re all set for the burial tomorrow.” Her eyes filled. “We’re doing exactly what Dad asked. No service, just a private burial in the Rutherford plot. But it seems so sad to me.”

  “Do you want me to be there, Liz?” It was something I didn’t want to do, but for Liz, I would.

  She shook her head. “No, I think it would be a little weird, don’t you?”

  “Possibly, but it might make it easier on you.”

  “Thanks, anyway,” said Liz. “Angie is having me to dinner tonight; she said she’d go to the funeral with me.”

  “That’s nice.” Though Rhonda’s daughter Angela was expecting a baby sometime soon, she’d managed to stay in school, trying to get as much of her coursework out of the way before her baby came.

  “Yeah, she’s such a good friend,” Liz continued. “I love her.”

  “Me too,” I said, sitting down on the bed. “Is everything else under control?”

  Liz nodded. “Thanks. I’ll put the boxes of paperwork we packed up into Kandie’s van and store them here when I drive back down. Then, I’ll see about selling the car.” She gazed at me with a sadness that dimmed the usual brightness of her blue eyes. “Dad was always so proud of all the things he owned. Now, it doesn’t mean much, does it?”

  I shook my head and wrapped my arms around her. “It’s one of life’s greatest lessons. Things are just things.”

  Liz began to cry softly.

  “Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.”

  I rubbed her back, thinking back to the times she’d been hurting in the past. Comforting her like this was all I could do. Life would take care of the rest.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  My heart beat rapidly as I waited for Vaughn to make his appearance in the baggage claim area of the Southwest Florida International Airport. Anticipation swept through me. I’d never tire o
f my excitement at seeing him again.

  I noticed a commotion at the far end of the room, and then he appeared, a tall man in a crowd of people surrounding him, some asking for his autograph. With long strides, he continued walking toward me, his eyes focused on my face.

  As I returned his smile, I tried to ignore curious glances cast my way.

  Vaughn pulled me into his embrace, and the world around us disappeared as I inhaled his particular scent and felt his strong arms around me. My man had come home to me.

  “Let’s grab my suitcase and get out of here,” he said. “I can’t wait to get home to relax.”

  “Home is a little different from when you last saw it,” I gently warned him.

  He gazed down at me with the dark eyes every female devotée of The Sins of the Children knew very well. “How are you doing with all the changes?” he asked as we walked toward the baggage conveyor belt. “And Liz? Is she holding up?”

  “It’s been a tough time, but Liz is handling it as well as can be expected. It’s been difficult for her to lose her father this way. And she’s not all that happy about suddenly having the care of Robbie. Who can blame her? Overnight, she’s gone from happy college student to a young mother.”

  Vaughn gave me a thoughtful look. “It can’t be easy for her.”

  “I’ve hired a nanny to help her and us out, but I’d forgotten what a two-year-old is like. Robbie’s bright, but temperamental. I understand. The poor little guy has had to handle the loss of his parents and moving in with me—all in a short period of time. Liz and I both like his new pediatrician. She’s tuned into his hurt and will help us deal with it if it becomes an issue.”

  Vaughn’s suitcase came toward us on the baggage conveyer belt. Vaughn grabbed it and my hand, and we hurried out of the terminal.

  As I drove down the highway to Sabal, Vaughn asked, “How’s the new car?”

  “Great! It’s nice not to have to worry about my old car breaking down.” I’d traded my worn-out Honda in for one of their new SUVs. Liz had wanted me to buy something fancy, but I was more like my staid, proper grandmother than even I’d suspected.