“Of course. I’d never risk you, my darling. I told you it was completely safe.”
Timothy was smiling at me, a smile so gentle and full, I almost melted. Instead, I simply kissed him, right on the cheek. (And yes, I wanted to kiss him better, but there were people all around.)
There was a lot of congestion getting off the plane. We waited until the aisle was clear, even though others offered to let us go first. I was feeling a bit claustrophobic by then, but I certainly wasn’t going to say so. Besides, being smothered in a crowd would be worse than waiting.
Eventually, the aisle cleared, and Timothy and I got up. The two guards behind us piled in at our backs. We walked down the aisle, our exit from the plane unhurried and uncrushed. We exchanged smiles with the flight attendants. Then we walked down through another tunnel and departed the terminal a few moments later.
Since none of us had checked baggage, it was an unrestricted walk. We caught a taxi immediately at the curb and sped off to our hotel. I guess all this was something most people had done before, but I’d never ridden in a taxi or stayed at a hotel. I was having a lot of new adventures!
“I booked us a shared room,” Timothy whispered into my ear. “Is that okay? I can change it to separate rooms if you like.”
“Like my grandmother used to say, When you’ve already traversed a bridge, it’s too late to wonder if it was safe to cross,” I said, which made Timothy laugh and then give me a quick hug.
The hotel from the front looked enormous, all white pillars and velvet green bushes with lots of flowers in bloom. The double door entrée had an automatic circular sliding door. Its glass was so clean, I suspected the staff must wipe it every hour. The front door had thick red carpeting sprawled across the entrance and a huge red tarp-like overhang to protect both the plush carpet and any guests afraid to dart outside into the rain. Huge pots on each side held a combination of pink and deep purple azaleas, which should have clashed with the red of the welcome mat carpet, but didn’t.
We entered through the fancy door. Timothy did the pushing, while I just enjoyed the sensation of gliding a circular dance. Stepping out and into the lobby, I let out an ah of amazement.
Everything was shiny. The floors looked like mirrors, they sparkled so, as did the chandeliers overhead. There were comfy chairs, tables, and lamps. The entire area was like a giant living room with people sitting around reading newspapers or studying their cellphones. An elevator toward the back in a coppery color looked like it had just been buffed. How did the hotel staff keep things so clean with people constantly touching the doors and buttons? Did housekeeping immediately rush forward and wipe the windows, counters, and elevator every time a person came near?