Page 56 of Gulfside Girls
Two couples and a total of five kids piled out of two minivans that looked like they’d driven across the country.
Ali put her hostess face on. After years of hosting major conventions for the City of Toledo, she knew how to make people feel welcome, cared for, and special.
She poured that experience into greeting the Hafners and the Nobles.
“Welcome to Sea Turtle Resort!” She put on a smile, and it was only fake for half a second. Seeing the families warmed her heart.
The Hafners looked to be in their early thirties. The mother looked tired, but she was surprisingly pulled together having been in a family van for who knows how long. Her long wavy blonde hair and cute leggings had Ali feeling bad about the state she’d arrived here in. Mrs. Hafner was adorable. Twoelementary school aged boys trailed behind her, also blonde, and there was a little brown-haired toddler girl on her hip.
Ali remembered those days, never a free hand.
The Nobles were also lugging two little ones, a boy and a girl, both in elementary school. Mrs. Noble and Mrs. Hafner looked like sisters. The kids all looked related, too.
“Let’s get you checked in,” Ali said brightly.
“I’ll wait out here with the crew,” said Mrs. Hafner. The other three adults followed Ali into the office.
“The office is also our laundry if you have any stuff to wash over the next few days,” Ali said.
Ali registered the guests and explained they’d be in the Key Lime and the Blueberry.
“Unfortunately, the pool is out of order right now, but the beach is always in ship shape. As an apology for the inconvenience of the pool, I’ll bring some breakfast tomorrow morning, if you’re interested. The Morning Bell has the best donuts around.”
They all seemed unfazed by the news about the pool.Phew, good.
While checking them all in, Ali learned Mrs. Noble and Mrs. Hafner were sisters.
“What a fun family vacation!” Ali said and was a bit wistful. She and her sisters should have done this when Faye’s and her kids were little. They never had.
“While the laundry is open during business hours and if you have an emergency laundry need, just holler. I’m aware that with one, two, three, four, five,” she playfully pointed to each kid, who giggled as she did it, “laundry emergencies happen.”
The two moms looked relieved to hear it.
Ali had found a cart for luggage in the office and rolled it out after they finished checking in.
“I think we can get it all on here,” she said.
“Are you kidding? We packed enough to move in,” Dale Hafner said as he stacked his luggage on the cart. Brock Noble did the same. There was a little left in each van, but for the most part, the bulk of the luggage was loaded. Ali took a deep breath and started to pull the cart. It was a bumpy ride, but it was what these weary travelers deserved. This was their vacation.
“You’re new here,” Doreen Noble said as the families tumbled into the Blueberry and the Key Lime.
“Yes, just helping out a bit. You’ve been here before?”
“This is our third time. We come off-season, and honestly, with the prices, this is the only place we can swing with both families. Everywhere else are impersonal condos five flights up or at the resorts. Even with the meal plans, well, Dale’s an electrician, I do nails, Brock is laid off, and Kerry is trying to work from home. We’d have to be millionaires to stay at those places.”
Ali hadn’t tried to book a family vacation in a while. She wondered if that was the case, that Sea Turtle Resort was unique?
It gave her a new perspective on the worn-down, out-of-date resort.
“I’m sorry we had to move you from the Mango. I know that’s what you’d requested, but it is undergoing some maintenance.”
“Oh, we’re cool. The ocean is right there.” Dale said, and he took in the scene.
“Grand Finale still same bat time, same bat station?” Brock asked.
“Sure is!” Ali answered confidently but realized she’d need to get moving on that immediately. The sunset was only two hours away.
“Ugh, did I forget sunscreen? How did I forget sunscreen?” Kerry said as she rifled through bags and her kids bounced around the Blueberry.
