Whiplash Hotel

by Christine Crean

  Cold and all as it was, she enjoyed walking side by side with her friend. She thought about what happened with Sean and decided the best thing to do was to leave it. She really valued what they had and could not even consider losing a true friend. Amy didn’t intend on bringing it up. Dissecting what went on between them may complicate things at work but most importantly, she didn’t want to ruin a good friendship.

  After a half an hour walking along the waterfront, they had doubled back and reached the car. At this point both Amy and Sean were ravenous. Unable to make it back towards Galway they stopped off in Barna at a popular little pub called ‘Brogues’. Sean had been before and promised Amy she would not get a better burger.

  The pub was rustic and old. It looked like it had been there for years with its stone walls and cobbled floors. Amy imagined that it would be a nightmare to wear heels on a night out in such a place. Regardless, it was a beautiful little hideaway.

  ‘When did you come across this place. It’s gorgeous?’ Amy asked walking through a church style doorway.

  ‘I found it when I was meeting a client one day. I had a few interviews in the hotel across the road and had my lunch here. I haven’t been in a long time and keep meaning to pop out’

  ‘Well, if the food is as nice as this’ she waved her hand to point out the beautiful surroundings ‘then I can’t wait’

  ‘Excellent, a smile! Just what I’ve been waiting for’

  Sean laughed and led Amy to a table down the back. After a three coarse meal of mussels, lasagne and chocolate fudge cake for desert, both were stuffed. It was coming up on four o’clock and they were both shattered. They playfully argued over whether it was time to go or whether they should just camp out for the night. Walking slowly back to the car, Amy caught a glimpse of a familiar looking car across the street parked just beside a furniture shop. She had seen it somewhere before but couldn’t place it. Maybe she was imagining it but she was sure she knew it from somewhere. Sean eyed her suspiciously.

  ‘Are you ok?’

  ‘Fine yeah. Why?’

  ‘You looked odd for a second’

  ‘No, I’m grand. I just thought I saw a car I knew’

  They kept on walking and for some reason something twigged with Amy. At that very moment of recognition Amy looked back somewhat in slow motion. She saw the long blonde hair first. It was Sharon. What was she doing here? She was supposed to be in Cork. She said she was working through the weekends for the next month, the last time they had talked. Maybe she was working in Galway. That wasn’t like Sharon not to say she was around. Just as Amy was about to shout across to her friend on the other side of the road, her legs nearly went from under her. Turning, Sean noticed that Amy had slowed behind him. He looked in the direction that Amy was staring and he too was lost for words. Amy realised where she had seen the car before and who owned it. She had seen it in her driveway. The car which was now so familiar was indeed Franks.

  She watched as Frank came out of the hotel across the road, holding some overnight bags. Sharon walked towards him smiling, jingling what seemed like car keys in front of Franks face. She laughed throwing her head back in the air, her long hair blowing in the wind. Franks laughed back at her saying something close to her ear. He grabbed her around the waist and kissed her firmly on the mouth. Amy’s legs were planted firmly to the ground. If she was able, she would have run a thousand miles away, realising the deceit that was taking place right in front of her eyes. Could it be true? As quick as he had exited the building and kissed one of her best friends, they were gone. The Peugeot sped by the two bystanders at the edge of the footpath, the two passengers oblivious to the witnesses who had just spotted their encounter. At least a minute had gone by before either of them spoke.

  ‘I’m so sorry Amy’ Sean said, not having a clue what else to say.

  ‘Just take me home please’

  Both didn’t utter a word on the journey back to Amy’s house. Finally outside, Amy thanked God for being home. The journey from Barna seemed endless. Unable to stay by herself she looked at Sean, eyes filled with so much sadness that Sean doubted he had ever witnessed someone so hurt.

  ‘Will you stay?’

  ‘Stay?’

  ‘Stay here with me?’

  Amy didn’t need to say another word. Sean led her into her house and closed the door.

  6

  The next morning Amy awoke to the smell of food cooking. Sean had taken it upon himself to fry rashers, sausages and eggs. He found some flour and had also made pancakes. After a torturous day, Amy had slept really badly. She was comforted by the fact that she was not alone in the house. Sean had made a nice bed for himself on the couch after their drive back from Barna. She wondered now why on earth they had never bothered to decorate the two spare rooms. Frank had always been adamant that it would be ridiculous to spend money on them until they had reason to. Poor Liz and even Sharon had just slept in the bed with Amy when they had stayed after the breakup. It was hardly a viable option for Sean.

  Unable to get into any class of conversation, Amy went straight to bed. Sean had tried to convince her that a good night’s sleep was exactly what she needed and that she would feel better in the morning. Doubting that going to sleep would fix anything; she did what she was told. The following morning she did not feel better. ‘Liar’ she thought to herself as she made her way downstairs to the sound of Sean humming away to himself. She looked at her watch. Seven o’clock in the morning was no hour to be singing.

  ‘What are you so happy about’ Amy half spat at him.

  ‘Good morning to you too!’ Sean smiled, his hair all ruffled from his sleep on the couch.

  ‘Nice hair’ she commented.

  ‘Em…kettle…and pot!’

  ‘Fair enough’ she was so miserable that she could hardly put up a fight.

  ‘Sit down and eat. You must be starving. You slept for twelve hours’ Sean fussed around the kitchen getting orange juice and making coffee.

  ‘I was thinking. Since I’ve to work today and you really shouldn’t be staying by yourself that maybe…now hear me out before you jump down my throat…maybe it might be a good idea to get out of the house’

  ‘What do you mean? Like work?’

  ‘Well yeah. You really need to get back to a bit of normality’

  ‘Normality? How in God’s name am I supposed to do that when one of my best friends has been going behind my back sleeping with my husband…Oh for heaven’s sake I sound like I should be on desperate housewives!’

  Amy had no idea what to do or what to say. She was utterly miserable. Her best friend. She just couldn’t figure it out. Now, she knew that Frank had left her for a reason. That part made sense now. But why Sharon? She was angry again. What was so great about her? She looked down at her food, sick at the thought of eating anything. The walking bitch. What did she think Amy was? An Idiot?

  ‘What’s so flippin great about Sharon will you tell me? Hah!’ She asked Sean, almost shouting at him. It dawned on her. Sean had been with Sharon before too. Clearly she was as good as the village bike!

  ‘I never liked her Amy’

  ‘Hah! That’s rich coming from you’ Amy was spitting nails now, charging around the kitchen.

  ‘Ah for God’s sake Amy, that was four years ago!’

  ‘Four years ago or not, the bitch clearly has something’

  ‘Don’t even go there Amy’ Sean’s face was looking strained.

  ‘I’m not going anywhere! It’s YOU that will go anywhere’

  ‘Don’t be like that. I wasn’t even with her. It was a drunken kiss in a hallway at a wedding’ Sean walked towards Amy.

  ‘It wasn’t just any wedding, it was MY wedding’ Amy’s face was red with anger now. She knew in her heart that she was not angry at Sean and she tried to stop herself from attacking him. She failed.

  ‘You just couldn’t help yourself with her could you? You just had to! Was it worth it Sean? Was it?’ Her face was close to his no
w. Her breathing quick and her was heart racing.

  ‘Stop’ Sean’s face showing his confusion.

  ‘Was she Sean?’ Amy was shouting now almost backing Sean into the corner of the dining room.

  ‘Amy, stop!’

  ‘No, I won’t’

  ‘Amy, I’m not Frank’ The room stopped. Amy raised her hand and slapped Sean right across the face. Immediately, she regretted it. There was silence in the room. Sean backed away from her a look of shock and hurt in his eyes.

  ‘Sean’

  ‘Don’t’ Now it was Sean’s turn to be angry.

  With that, he grabbed his coat from the back of one of the chairs beside them and tore out the door. Amy chased after him.

  ‘Sean, I’m sorry’

  ‘Don’t even bother Amy. I was only trying to help you and all you can do is blame me. Forget it’

  Sean hopped in his Freelander and drove off, leaving Amy alone. She really was alone now she thought. She had messed up rightly.

  Unable to settle herself she hopped in the shower. Trying to figure out what to do, she gave herself a virtual kick up the ass. Sean was right. All he had done was help her and she had gone for him. She had been feeling so sorry for herself that she didn’t see how good a friend he had been. She had royally messed up this time. She had to fix it. Putting on some make up and quickly getting herself into a shirt and trousers, Amy grabbed her briefcase. She didn’t feel like work but at the same time there was no choice here. Sean would be at work and she had to see him. The kiss that happened a few weeks previous was clearly completely forgotten. It didn’t even enter her mind. She knew that she didn’t want to lose him as a friend.

  Heading for Tom’s office first, she straightened herself in the hall skimming her trousers with her hands. Taking a deep breath, she waited for a few people to pass before she made her exit. Tom, as suspected, looked more of a wreck than she did. He looked like he had aged ten years since she had seen him. Never the less he still had the disposition of a cat in heat.

  ‘Well, it’s great that you finally decided to grace us with your presence’

  ‘Hi Tom’ She wanted to smack him with her briefcase but fought off the urge.

  ‘Enough with the pleasantries, there are three presentations on the go and three clients to meet. You will have to do them on your own. Sean has an important meeting on’

  ‘He does?’

  ‘Yeah. I presume that you won’t be getting sick again any time soon’

  This was not a question. It was a statement.

  ‘Sure’ her tone was not normally as flippant with Tom but she had gone past the point of caring.

  ‘Whatever it is that’s wrong with you, please make sure and leave it outside the office. As you well know we do not bring our personal lives into work with us here!’ A little humph escaped Amy’s mouth.

  ‘What was that? Have you something to say?’

  ‘No, not a thing. Will I get started on those presentations?’

  ‘If it’s not too much of an inconvenience’ his icy and sharp tone would normally wind Amy up but today her mind was full to the brim.

  ‘Great, I’ll see you later then’ Tom looked at Amy with confusion as she walked out the door.

  ‘I swear that man is such a donkey’ Amy spat to Susan on the way back to her office. Susan raising her eyes to heaven, didn’t even bother to respond. She knew all too well that the man was some breed of an animal. Walking past Sean’s office, Amy noticed he was not in. Maybe his meetings were off site. Ringing back over to Susan’s phone, Amy asked her if she knew where Sean’s meeting was. Apparently, he was in Claregalway and should be finished up before lunch. Susan asked if anything was wrong. Assuring her there wasn’t a thing wrong; she knew that Tom’s PA would tell a mile off that something was amiss. Putting everything out of her mind, she set about getting as much work done as she possibly could.

  True to form, Sean got back from his meeting in good time. Walking by Amy’s office, he stopped for a brief second but seemed to change his mind and continue walking. He still looked angry, a huge frown on his tanned face. Jumping up from her desk, she followed him to his office and closed the door behind them.

  ‘Amy, there’s nothing to say. I appreciate that you are angry at the world. One bad thing after another keeps happening to you but you can’t blame the people who care about you!’

  ‘I’m so sorry Sean. I didn’t mean to go so mental on you. You were there and I was feeling so horrible. I just exploded and you were caught in the aftershock’

  ‘I’ve never seen you like that before’

  Embarrassment hit her like a thump.

  ‘Well, now you’ve seen the real me. It’s not such a pretty picture’

  About to say something, Sean hesitated clearly changing his mind.

  ‘I know I was really horrible to you. I’ll make it up to you, I swear’

  ‘Look Amy. Can we just forget about it please’ Sean’s tone was not sharp nor was it kind. It was just a sentence.

  ‘Sure, I’m sorry’ Amy backed out of the room. She had been defeated.

  ‘I know you are’ he looked up from his paperwork that he was pretending to look over. Softening slightly.

  Walking back to her office she knew that she would not come back from this one so quick. She had only herself to blame. 'Damn it' she cursed aloud and banged her office door.

  Driving towards the G hotel, Amy was glad for the distraction away from the office. She had two interviews to do. Both were second interviews for Medico. Pulling into a parking spot right beside the door she pulled the handbrake and looked up towards the entrance. Sauntering out of a coffee shop beside the back entrance to the hotel was her friend Marcy. Knowing that it was impossible to hide from her, her car being feet from the cafe, she groaned. She wasn’t able for Marcy today.

  Catching a glimpse of Amy within seconds, Marcy made her way over to the car. Wanting to smack her head off the steering wheel instead of talk to her, she faked a big smile and a wave. Marcy was looking a bit worse for wear Amy noticed.

  ‘Hi Sweetie!’ Yelled Marcy from outside.

  ‘Hi Marcy’ Amy returned, wondering if there was any need for her to let the entire car park know she was there. Getting out of the car with her files in her hand, Amy knew she had to stay and talk a few minutes.

  ‘So, how’s it going my love?’ The pity was clear in Marcy’s voice as she laid a hand on Amys shoulder. For some reason Marcy often had a way of making even the nicest of words seem insincere.

  ‘Grand now and yourself’

  ‘Oh pet I’m absolutely greaaaaat’

  ‘Really?’ Amy didn’t think she was looking so great.

  ‘You my dear aren’t looking the best...you’re not getting a cold are you?’

  Nice, thought Amy.

  ‘No no, I’m fine. I’m just up to my eyes with work’ she lied

  ‘Well you’re not taking care of yourself are you? Jesus is that grey hair I see?’ Marcy peered over her head.

  ‘I’ve a great hairdresser. I’ll must give you her number again’

  ‘Really, thanks!’

  Wondering if her friend could add any more stings in the tail, Amy looked at her watch indicating she was in a terrible rush.

  ‘Now listen don’t take this the wrong way my love but don’t be letting yourself go! It’s not the way to get yourself another man now is it?’

  Bingo, there it was. Marcy was as cutthroat as they came. Amy promised herself that she was going to lose Marcy’s number. It didn’t matter if they had known each other for years. She was just infuriating and needed to be told a few things: A. you’ve put on about five stone in the past two years and would want a bit of starvation.

  B. Go into town and find a personal stylist who can, if you’re lucky, buy you a bit of taste and C. Find a good therapist to sort out your shit. Then, if you are able to, take a break from projecting your miserable life onto others!

  Phew..... Amy wondered what her reaction
would be if she fired that at her. She didn’t have the heart though. ‘Pity’ she thought to herself she’d love to have seen her reaction.

  ‘Right sweetie, I better be off then I’ve loads to do’ Marcy lied. She had only been in the G to use the toilet after spending a few hours alone shopping. On her way past the cafe she spotted some nice buns in the cafe and rather than go home and face an empty house she sat there alone, eating her way through the counter. She left feeling rotten, only to see her friend Amy who was looking fabulous despite the fact that her husband only left her a few months ago. She was beyond jealous watching her friend getting out of her fancy car in her fancy clothes. It was a good job they didn’t see each other too often.

  Reaching for the file with the details of the interviews she was about to do, she took a deep breath. Marcy was a piece of work. Searching for names, she scanned the piece of paper in her hands:

  ‘Candidate no 1: John Philips

  Candidate no 2: Adam Staunton’

  ‘Balls!’ Amy cried ‘could the day get any worse’

  Sean must have made a decision on the Medico candidates while she was off. This was the last thing she needed. Never mind, she was a professional woman. She knew that Adam was a gentleman. He would not bring up what happened a few weeks back and even if he did, she would skim right over it. She had enough on her plate without worrying about that.