Page 36 of Fight

Growing up only fourteen months apart, she and Cori had been attached at the hip since as early as Lena could remember. Like many sisters, they had a way of communicating with brutal honesty that many people wouldn't understand. They were both guilty of saying some of the nicest and harshest things to each other over the years. Cori was the Elsa to Lena’s Anna though, and Lena very much doubted she would be as functional as a person without Cori’s calm, rational input.

So, Lena knew Cori had been right to knock some sense into her. Shewasbeing dramatic and overly emotional. And maybe,just maybe, she should have reacted to Jake's questioning her about the hike in a little bit of a calmer, more rational way. She wasn’t saying that he was right, but he at least deserved a little less door slamming and “I’ll never kiss you again!” type proclamations.

Once I get back from the Dalak hike tomorrow evening, I'll apologize and make amends, she decided as she pushed the employee entrance door to the resort open, cold air blasting her face.I’ll have survived my day with Daniel at that point.

Daniel had been texting Lena all week and it had been…weird. He was very excited for their Dalak outing. She’'d even received a shirtless selfie from him asking if she thought his body could handle the hike. Lena had thrown her phone across the bedroom and squealed in response to that. Well, she'd have plenty of time to stress to him tomorrow that she thought of him as a friend and hopefully put an end to pictures like that.

Lena dropped her bag off in her locker and walked through the lobby to the front desk.There had been a steady stream of guests all morning, but something must have clicked while she was at lunch because now the lobby was bursting with them.There was a buzz of conversation as people waited in line for the front desk, pushed luggage carts through the swarm, and wandered the lobby to find the right exit or elevator to their room or cabin. Ellie, Maggie, and another co-worker, Kendra, were deftly handling the craze at the front desk using all the available agent kiosks.

When Ellie saw Lena approach the back of the desk, she waved her over.“I’m so glad you’re back,” she mouthed with her face away from the departing guest.

Lena giggled as Ellie moved over to allow her to move in front of the kiosk.

“Good afternoon, and welcome to the Lake Conrad Resort,” Ellie said to the next guest as he approached the desk.“This is Lena and she’ll be taking care of you.” Ellie gave the guest a wide smile before patting Lena on the back and speed walking away. Lena didn’t know if she had something she needed to do or if she just wanted to get away from the long line of people looking impatiently toward the front desk.

Lena sighed and looked at the guest in front of her. “Hello,” she greeted him simply. “How are you?”

It went on like that for hours as she, Maggie, and Kendra checked in guest after guest, listening to their complaints, accommodating some, disappointing others. Ellie reappeared every time one of them needed to take a fifteen minute break, but otherwise the three of them worked as a well-oiled machine.

Well, a well-oiled machine with a bit of a weak link. Lena was fine to handle the normal check-in of guests, but as soon as someone wanted something more complicated than that (“What do you mean these six Chihuahuas can’t stay in the room with me?” “Can you make sure my room has no green in it—I’m allergic.”), she got a little tripped up on how to handle the situation.

Four hours into the slam and her limps ached, the bottoms of her feet radiated pain, her hair was flying around her head in wisps, and every time the doors to the resort slid open, she got blasted with hot air, which she was sure wasn’t doing her makeup any favors. She’d also long ago decided that her uniform, as well as being hideous, was unbreathable and stifling. A fine sheen of sweat seemed to coat her body underneath the thick polyester blend.

At long last, four o’clock struck and it was quitting time. Maggie and Kendra were both dealing with complicated guest situations next to her, but Lena didn’t see anything she needed to help with as she looked around for Colin, Tenetia, and Norma who would be taking over the front desk for the next shift.Thank goodness.What a day.

“Ahem!”

Lena was interrupted from imagining the frosty glass of Rosé she’d have as soon as she got home, by a loud throat clearing sound.

She jumped and looked up in surprise to see a large man leaning on the front desk in front of her. Where had he come from? She could only see the top half of his body over the shiny granite desk, but he had a touristy Lake Conrad t-shirt on his wide frame, and a Dodgers hat pulled low over his sour face. He glared at her as he theatrically banged his blunt fingers on the shiny counter.

Lena put her hand on her heart and let out all her words in one breath.“Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you there.”

“I’m not sure how you missed me,” he said in a very crisp, accusing voice. “I’ve been standing here for minutes while you’ve been staring off into space.”

“My apologies.” Lena worked her face into a tight grimace-like smile. “Are you checking in?”

“That would sure be nice.” He raised his hands off the desk as if in wonderment and looked around as if looking for validation from the guests that Kendra and Maggie were assisting. Maggie looked up then and stared in concern at Lena for a couple beats. Lena gave her a reassuring look and focused on what would hopefully be her last guest of the day.

Forcing her face into the fakest-ass smile she’d ever mustered, Lena said in an overly bright voice, “Great. Can I see your ID and a credit card?”

He growled at her from beneath the low hat, his dark mustache twitching. He reached for his back pocket to retrieve his wallet and when he came up empty handed, he reached into his front pocket as a realization hit. “I left it in the car. I had to take it out of my pocket to pay the tolls. Just go ahead and check me in. My credit card info is already in there.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I need to see your ID and credit card to check you in.”And your name would be nice, too.

He let out a loud huff and continued to glare at her. “Look girlie, you're new here?” He pointed his finger in her face as he leaned over the desk trying to get closer to her.

Lena nodded solemnly in response as she moved her body back a couple of inches. “Yes, I just started two—”

“Well, you should know who I am. I’m Mr. McIntosh.”He looked at her expectantly, like that explained everything.

Lena stared at him blankly for a couple beats as he waited for her to respond.“Nice to meet you, Mr. McIntosh?” She drew the words out as a question and looked at him expectantly.

Mistaking this as recognition, Mr. McIntosh nodded at her slowly like she was an idiot. “Now give me my room key,” he said, pronouncing each word clearly and carefully.

“I need your ID and credit card before I can do that,” Lena responded in a similar clear and careful voice, but with a distinct sarcastic edge, which she immediately regretted after what happened next.

“You stupid little bitch.” The words echoed in the lobby. “Where's Cynthia?” he sputtered.“Get her now. I wantherto check me in and then fireyou.”His face had turned a beat red color as he breathed heavily and looked like he wanted to jump across the desk and throttle her.Having finished up with their guests, Maggie and Kendra stopped and stared with wide eyes at the altercation.

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