Fat Fridays (36 page)

Theodore’s brow creased with worry. No matter how hard the work was, he had to succeed. After his father’s untimely death, he was in charge of the family. His mother was counting on him to provide a safe place for her and his thirteen siblings and to make sure they had plenty to eat. Working as the doorman at The Winston would ensure that.

A long black limousine glided up to the front entrance. The driver stopped the car, got out, and ran around to the back door. He opened it with a flourish.

Theodore held his breath.

Long tan legs, above a pair of red spike-heeled shoes, emerged from the limo. The dark-haired woman who stepped onto the sidewalk was as beautiful as Zanna Loverly, but a frown marred her brow. When someone started to approach her, she waved them away.

A small white fluffy dog leaped out of the car with a yap.

“The dog! Get the dog!” the glamorous woman ordered the driver. “Here, Fifi!”

The dog ignored her mistress and headed right for Theodore, a murderous look in her eye.

Theodore froze with shock. 

Grandfather grabbed Theodore’s arm and jerked him inside the mouse entrance. From behind the glass of the tiny revolving door, Theodore shrank from the dog’s ferocious scowl as she barked and barked. The driver picked up the dog and handed her over to her mistress. Safe for the moment, Theodore’s body still trembled as he observed the woman rain a number of kisses on the dangerous little dog.

From behind the glass door, Grandfather clucked his tongue. “Pampered dogs like that can be a nuisance. We must be alert to them.”

“Who is that lady?”

Grandfather’s lip curled.  “Simone Skinner. She’s Zanna Loverly’s arch enemy. I wonder why they’re here together. It can’t be good.”

Another black limousine pulled up out front. Theodore checked to make sure the dog was safely in the lobby, then, he hurried outside to ensure any small guests would be properly greeted.

Two gentlemen exited the car. One was a short heavy-set man whose gray hair formed a long, curly fringe around his head.  The other was a movie star Theodore recognized. With his muscular body, bad boy reputation and easy smile, Rocky Strong was everyone’s favorite hero. Theodore’s mother was a big fan.

“Who’s the guy with Rocky?” Theodore asked.

Grandfather shook his head with disgust. “A big-wig producer by the name of Samuel Horner. He comes here quite often. He’s a real cheapskate. Word is he doesn’t leave the maid a tip and whenever he eats in his fancy suite, he doesn’t leave any scraps for the rest of us.”

The driver and the bellman struggled with luggage as the men headed indoors. During the commotion, a gray mouse wearing a bright red bandana around his head swaggered toward the mouse entrance of the hotel.

Theodore gave his grandfather a questioning look.

“His name’s Bandit. He travels with Rocky.”

“Yo! How’s it going?” Bandit said, holding up a fist to be punched.

Not sure how to respond, Theodore doffed his hat. “Welcome to The Winston.”

Bandit blinked. “Huh? Are you for real?”

Theodore pulled himself up as tall as he could, but he was no match for Bandit’s height. “I’m the new doorman. I’m just doing my job.”

“Well, little guy. I best go inside. I understand Lila is here.”

Theodore could feel the blood leave his furry face. Was Bandit Lila’s boyfriend?

Grandfather nudged him. “Here’s another one.”

A mouse as wide as he was tall approached, munching on a piece of particularly rotten cheese.

“Maurice. Mr. Horner’s traveling companion,” prompted Grandfather.

“Welcome to The Winston,” Theodore said, forgetting to doff his hat as he stared at Maurice’s round stomach. Too busy munching on his cheese to acknowledge Theodore, the mouse named Maurice made his way inside the hotel.

“No matter how rude our esteemed guests behave,” said Grandfather, “the doorman never expresses his disapproval.”

Theodore nodded. Being a doorman at a fancy hotel was no easy task. He spent the rest of the morning bowing and greeting guests of all shapes, sizes and types.

When another limousine pulled up to the front entrance, the woman inside stepped onto the pavement before the doorman could reach the car door to help her. She stood there, cigarette in hand, tapping the toe of her strappy shoe against the cement beneath her feet.

“Well, where is he?” she said in a loud, grating voice. She pushed her sunglasses atop her bleached hair and glanced around impatiently.

Mr. Horner rushed through the front doorway. “Juliet, my dear. So glad you could make it. I think you’re going to be happy you came.”

“I’d better be,” she warned him. “I didn’t make this trip just to please
you
.”

Listening to this exchange, Theodore was very sure he wouldn’t call this starlet Ma’am. She wouldn’t like it at all.

Juliet and Mr. Horner entered the hotel. Theodore turned to see a brown mouse race toward him, carrying a bunch of notebooks. Behind her big, round glasses, her eyes glared at him.

“Can’t you see I need help?” she said.

Theodore’s welcome stuck inside his throat. He hurried to her side. “I’ll get a bellman to help you with your things.”

“Yes, that would be a good idea,” she snapped. “So glad you thought of it.”

Theodore found someone inside to help with the new guest’s belongings and, shaking his head at the way she was scolding the bellman, he returned to his post. Since coming to live and work at The Winston Hotel, he’d quickly learned all kinds of guests came there. 

By noon he was exhausted from smiling, nodding, bowing and greeting the guests.

Grandfather gave him a pat on the back. “You can go to lunch now. I’ll take over.”

His stomach growling with hunger, Theodore hurried through the mouse’s entrance to the hotel. Following a carefully planned trail through the structure of the building, he made his way to the mice’s cafeteria. Since no mice were ever allowed in the people’s part of the hotel, they had established a hotel of their own behind the interior walls of the building.

Located behind the hotel’s kitchen, the cafeteria served a whole variety of mice workers—maids, engineers, office staff, security people, even wait staff. Sitting in a cordoned off area away from the staff, the small guests of the hotel ate there as well. Unlike the tables and benches in the staff area, hotel mouse guests sat at tables covered in crisp white linen. Candles flickered atop the round tables, placed next to colorful flowers in crystal vases. Staff and guests watched the chef and his team work behind a glass partition lining one wall of the cafeteria, preparing bits and pieces of food that had been gathered.

Theodore took his place in the food line and stared at the juicy, colorful remnants of a beach party the hotel had thrown for their guests last night. His mouth watered. By the looks of it, the party had been quite an affair—pieces of cheese, shrimp, beef, chicken and various side dishes were spread out alongside leafy leftovers from salad. He could hardly wait to dig in.

The squeaks and murmurings in the cafeteria suddenly stopped.

“There she is,” someone said in a hushed voice.

Lila swished into the room, all but dancing on her toes as she made her way to the back corner. 

Theodore’s heart pounded. Though he knew he shouldn’t, he lifted a paw and waved at her.

She looked at him and turned away, then took a seat at a table for two.

Bandit appeared next. The “fingers” of his paw formed a vee as he waved to the crowd, every much a hero as Rocky Strong. He strolled over to Lila’s table and took a seat opposite her.

Watching from a distance, Theodore’s stomach churned. He’d been so proud to be the new doorman, but now he realized it wasn’t good enough. Not for Lila.

“Hello, son!”

Theodore forgot all about impressing Lila as he turned to face his mother. She was the reason he’d fought hard for the job of doorman. With too many children to care for on her own, she couldn’t manage without his help.

His mother’s lips spread into a wide smile. She gave him a quick hug. “You look so handsome in that uniform. I’m proud of you, Theodore.”

Theodore nodded absently. His gaze swung to the table in the corner. Lila and Bandit were laughing over something she’d said.

His mother noticed him watching Lila and frowned. “Don’t be thinking foolish things. You’ll only get hurt.”

Theodore sighed and tugged at the collar of the uniform he’d once thought so wonderful. Somehow he’d earn Lila’s admiration. He just didn’t know how. 

J
udith Keim was born and raised in Elmira, New York, and now makes her home in Idaho with her husband and long-haired dachshund, Winston, and other members of her family.

Growing up, books were always present - being read, ready to go back to the library or about to be discovered. Information from the books was shared in general conversation, giving all of us in the family a wealth of knowledge and a lot of imagination. Perhaps that is why I was drawn to the idea of writing stories early on. I particularly love to write novels about women who deal with the unexpected with strength and open their hearts to finding love because no matter what our circumstances we all need to love and be loved in return.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this book. If you have, please help other readers discover them by leaving a review on Amazon,  Goodreads or the site of your choice. And please check out the Hartwell Women Trilogy and Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel.

Keep an eye out for more of Ms. Keim’s stories about women facing unexpected challenges and finding love along the way.

Ms. Keim can be reached at
www.judithkeim.com
And to like her author page on facebook and keep up with the news, go to:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Judith-Keim/184013771644484?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

She is also on twitter @judithkeim, LinkedIn and Goodreads. Come say hello!

BOOKS BY JUDITH KEIM

The Talking Tree (The Hartwell Women-1)

Sweet Talk (The Hartwell Women -2)

Straight Talk (The Hartwell Women-3)

Breakfast at the Beach House Hotel

Fat Fridays

Winning Big (a little love story for all ages) Fall 2015

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CHILDREN’S BOOKS BY J. S. KEIM

T
he Hidden Moon (The Hidden Moon Series-1)

Return to the Hidden Moon  (The Hidden Moon Series-2)

Trouble on the Hidden Moon (The Hidden Moon Series-3) 

Kermit Greene’s World