The Room at the End of the Rainbow

Addie ’s battered suitcase clicked and bumped over the smooth tile. One wheel threatened to go spinning away and another would not spin at all. She had begun to regret bringing her other bag as well, a neon pink tote large enough to carry at least one toddler, maybe two. Its braided rope handles cut into her shoulder. Replacing either bag would have cut into her already slim spending money.

She paused at the door leading out to the hotel’s deck. The salty air and sound of waves rolling onto the beach welcomed her outside. Her loose sundress fluttered around her.

People crowded around the bar and filled scattered tables. Every lounge chair had either a butt or a towel claiming it. Great, she thought. First they gave away her room and now it looked like there weren’t enough chairs. She shuddered at the clerk’s suggestion that she could share a room with someone. Maybe this all explained why the vacation was so cheap. Maybe she should have read the fine print.

A man in sagging cargo shorts tilted in her direction as he passed by, still clutching a can of Bud Light. She shuffled out of his way and stepped on a plastic cup. A cold liquid oozed onto her sandal and between her toes.

“I’m so sorry,” Addie told a woman lying on her chaise, a straw fedora tipped over her eyes. The woman sat up, and her hat tumbled to her lap.

“I spilled your drink, I think.” Addie told her.

Fedora lady picked up the squashed cup and examined it, as if it might still be drinkable. “I think it was mostly gone anyway.” She grinned broadly. “Besides, it gives me an excuse to get a fresh one.”

Addie rummaged around in the tote and came up with a twenty dollar bill. “What was it? I can get you another.”

“Don’t worry about it. I just run a tab. Henry will bring me another.”

“Oh, is he your husband?”

Fedora lady burst out laughing. “Henry’s the bartender over there. He makes a killer margarita and he’s sweet as pie, but that’s where my interest ends.”

Addie flushed. “Oh, well.”

“Are you Ms. Charles?” A dark-skinned girl who looked about 15  held out a tray with a plastic cup filled to the brim with a pink liquid that could be Kool-Aid.   

“How did you know it was me?” Addie took the drink. She could taste the rum in her first sip but declared it mild enough for Pastor Mike's approval. It would bring a frown to Pastor Jerry, but most things did.

“They told me it was a lady with a very large hot pink bag.”

She felt her face grow warm, possibly matching the bag. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” She waited a beat, then moved to people sitting at a table with an umbrella.

Addie sipped at the drink again, then sputtered and the drink sloshed over the brim onto her dress.

Fedora lady raised an eyebrow. “Looks like you have a tendency to waste drinks. That’s a nasty habit, if you ask me.”  

“It’s just. I mean, was I supposed to tip her? I thought the tips were included, but maybe not.” She noticed the girl collect an empty glass from a man sitting nearby. He dropped a bill on her tray. Addie slapped herself on the forehead. “Oh, I’m such an idiot! Of course, I should have tipped her.”

“Trust me, you’ll have many chances to make it up to her.”

“I guess. I just don’t want anyone to think I’m just some snotty woman from the Midwest.”

“I’m Julie, by the way. And I am proud to be a snotty woman, but not from the Midwest. Buffalo, New York, actually.”

Addie giggled. “I’m Addie. Short for Adrienne. ”

“It’s nice to meet you, Addie.” Her eyes shifted to something past Addie’s shoulder and Addie turned to her gaze. A woman with platinum hair and a black business suit had come over to them.   

“Are you Adrienne Charles?” She held her hand out. “I’m Grace Connelly. The general manager here. Our desk clerk told me you reserved a room for tonight but we don’t have one available.”

“Yes. That’s right. I booked this vacation months ago.” Addie started to chew her lip, but instead pulled back her shoulders and lifted her chin. She wondered if either Grace Connelly or Julie could see the real her. She clinched her fist to stop the shaking. “I have a confirmation, so I expect a room. For tonight.”

“I’m so sorry. We really don’t have anything but I have Derek making calls to find you a room at another hotel. We have many on the island.”

Addie took a deep breath. She could pretend to have courage at least. “That’s not good enough. If anyone won’t get a room it should be someone else. Someone who made their reservation later than me. I can show you my confirmation.”

The hotel manager shook her head. “I’m very sorry. It looks like someone made a mistake in the reservations. We don’t actually handle them. We just give people the rooms that show up on the computer. Don’t worry though. We’ll find you a comfortable room for tonight, and then we can check you in here in the morning.”

“What’s going on? They don’t have a room for you?” Julie stood up from her chair and walked over to stand by Addie. She was a head taller than either Addie or Grace.

Grace gave Julie the same polite smile. “Are you here with Ms. Charles?”

Julie’s fists rested on her hips. “Why does that matter? I’m just asking if you are supposed to have a room for her.”

Grace focused on Addie. “When Derek finds you a room we can provide transportation, wherever it is. Until then drinks are on us.”

Addie chewed her lip as Grace made her way over to the bar. She had saved her Uber Eats tips for nearly two years. She had jogged in worn-out running shoes, given up cable and made do with a half power microwave to have vacation spending money. All so she would be shipped around different hotels. She had tire tracks on her back even in the Bahamas.

“Well, that’s just plain shitty.” Julie sat down on her chair again. “And if you ask me, she didn’t really seem all that sorry either. I bet they do this all the time. Reservation error, my ass.”

Addie noticed a raised white scar that ran from above Julie’s knee to a few inches down on her calf. She had a sudden urge to run her finger along it. She bit her lip and winced. She had been chewing her lip since she boarded the plane in Cleveland. She was not a traveler. Not used to dealing with hotel people. Not used to meeting strangers she wanted to touch.

“Sit.” Julie moved her legs out of the way, and the scar disappeared from sight. “You need a new drink and then a plan.”

“A plan for what?” Her tongue felt fuzzy, like she had sucked on a cotton ball. She tried to draw up at least a bit of saliva. She got nothing.

Julie waved over the young waitress. “Two frozen strawberry margaritas, please.” She waved toward the end of her lounge chair. “Are you going to sit?”

Addie plopped down on the end of Julie’s chair, huddling as close to the end as she could get.

Julie regarded her for a moment. “I’m willing to share more than the last six inches of the chair. That doesn’t look very comfortable.”

Addie kept her eyes on the ocean. “I’m fine.” She shook her head at the waitress when she arrived with the drinks. “I’m not really much of a drinker.”

Julie took both. “Maybe you’ll change your mind.”

“Oh, wait.” Addie searched her wallet. She could tip the girl three ones or a twenty dollars. Would it be rude to ask for change? Would someone like Julie ask for change? “Here,” she dropped the twenty on the tray. “I’m sorry I missed tipping you before.”

The waitress’s eyes widened a bit. “Thank you, Ms. Charles.”

Julie poked Addie’s leg with her foot. “Look at you, big spender.”

Addie’s skin tingled where Julie left her foot in place against her thigh. She held out her hand. “Maybe I’ll have just a little of that.”

“You might as well. It’s free. And it’s not like you’re throwing back shots. They tend to be a little chintzy with the alcohol. Sometimes I wouldn’t be sure at all if I didn’t see Henry tilt the bottle over the cup.”

“How often do you come here?” She averted her eyes from the colorful flag tattooed on Julie’s neck, in a spot just below her right ear. It undulated as Julie moved.

Julie shrugged. “At least once a year. Maybe twice. Depends on how bad the winter is. It’s a pretty cheap vacation.”

Addie recognized the clerk from the front desk approaching her. She gulped more of her drink in advance of being kicked out of the hotel, effectively.

“Hello, Ms. Charles.” He moved his eyes away and cleared his throat. “I was able to find you another room, and it’s in a very nice hotel. Nicer than this one, I think. It’s known for its on-site spa.”

Like she could use a spa. She couldn’t even afford going to one back home.

She smiled wanly at Julie. “It’s been nice meeting you. Maybe I’ll see you around if I ever get a room here.”

Julie narrowed her eyes at Derek. “What aren’t you telling her about this room.”

“The other hotel is very nice, but it’s a bit of a drive.”

“Define a bit,” Julie directed him.  Addie’s head buzzed. This total stranger was sticking up for her. After knowing her for all of 20 minutes.

Derek cleared his throat again. “It’s not far. But the best I could do is one on the other end of the island. On its east end. The drive is an hour and a half.”

Addie’s head jerked up. “I have a snorkeling boat tour already scheduled that starts at 8:30 in the morning. You’re telling me I have to get up at six o’clock AM on my vacation to get here? Or are you telling me I’ll lose that too?” She glared at him.  

“I can try to rebook that for you,” he said in a voice she could barely hear.

“Scram, Derek. She’ll come get you when she’s decided what to do.”

He jerked in surprise. “I better give this to you now. It’s a voucher for the taxi to the other hotel. You just have to use it before six or no drivers will be around.”

“I can’t believe this,” Addie mumbled. “All I wanted was to swim and soak up the sun and read on the beach. And collect sea shells on long walks.”

“You can still do those things,” Julie reminded her.

Addie shook her head, sending her ponytail flying. “It looks like I’ll be spending most of my time driving between hotels.”

Julie cocked her head to one side. “I have an idea.” She pressed her foot against Addie’s thigh again, sending a little shiver up her spine. Addie tried to remember ever feeling this way before. The face of Terri Collins suddenly appeared, a woman she worked with for barely a month Amazon. How she got so tongue-tied around Terri. How a wink from her caused Addie to tremble so hard she would have to take a break to calm herself. Those extra breaks cost Addie her job but she was sure it was for the best.

“Hey, want to hear my idea?”

Addie realized her drink was quivering in her hand.

“What’s your idea?” She didn’t mean for it to come out as a whisper.

Julie grinned slowly. “I have a room here, you know. Just a few steps away from us. You wouldn’t have to drive for an hour.”

“Hour and a half,” Addie said lamely.

“Right. You won’t be too tired to enjoy your tour tomorrow morning.”

“Do you have an extra bed?” That unplanned whisper again.

Julie dropped her voice “Do you want an extra bed?”

Addie closed her eyes. Just go, she told herself. Just go now while you can still look Pastor Jerry in the eye. Just let them drive you to that other room.  Addie commanded herself. She stiffened her spine to get up and walk away. She turned to tell Julie that she could not share her room.

“No.” The word just slipped out.

Julie leaned over and took Addie’s hand.

“There is an extra bed.  It’s okay if you want it.”

Addie spoke with her eyes on Julie’s neck. “I just realized what that little flag means.”  

Julie gave a small nod.

“How did you get so brave?” The words caught in Addie’s throat. “I don’t know if I can be.”

“You already are. You just didn’t let yourself know it yet.”

“Hm.” Addie fingered the paper Derek had just given her. Abruptly she ripped it in half. “I want to try.”

“I have a confession to make.”

Addie swallowed hard. Had she been totally wrong?

“I’m so glad they gave away your room.”