« Hello. I've booked two rooms, Flynn. » Rusty was looking around the lobby. It was his first time going to a hotel for leisure and not for « work ». It felt very strange. The fact that it was a very classy place (Emily's company booked a room for her here, at the Hilton's Garden, so they decided to stay at the same place) helped him dissociate those memories.
« Can I have your wife and son's passports, please? » Asked the clerked. Well, being called Flynn's son sure helped too.
« My wife?! » He had to contain his laughter. Andy was looking around him, a look of lost puppy on his face. « Oh my wife! my beautiful wife! » He saw him put his arm around Sharon's waist and beamed.
He stopped listening to what the clerk was saying when he saw Sharon return Andy grin. « My husband » she murmured, happiness on her face, snuggling closer to the man near by her. Was she really considering marrying him? It distraught Rusty a bit, he was getting used to live with her, to a life with her. He was not ready to share her, especially not with a man. He knew Andy was not his mother's deadbeat boyfriends but he couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. Trusting was hard and he knew he had to work on that, for Sharon's sake.
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« What do you mean you only have one room for us? » Rusty yelled at the hotel clerk.
« It says you only have room booked. Another one was cancelled, one for… Rusty Raydor? You don't have the same name as your father?» He looked at them quizzily.
« Oh my god, Andy! » He couldn't believe he didn't put his real name for the reservation. What he could believe even less was that the two adults seemed to be completely oblivious to the little room drama. They were engrossed in each other, gaze locked, smiling lovingly. « He's not my father! And my name is Russel Beck. »
The clerk looked at the couple then at Rusty. « Technicality! » And with that, he left to get his boss, leaving a slightly flabbergasted young man in his wake.
A woman appeared from an office behind the counter. She seemed a bit more mature and less impressionable. The fact that she spoke a perfect English helped too. They had been trying to understand Ludovic for half an hour now. He knew Montreal was in Québec, most people were Francophone but he had not understand what it meant until now. «I'm really sorry Madam but we already had an Emily Raydor and, since your husband last name is Flynn. We thought it was a mistake and cancelled his reservation. We tried to call him though, several times last week. You know there's a ballet playing until tomorrow, the Nutcracker and the company booked nearly all our rooms. »
Sharon was fuming and he would find it hilarious if it didn't mean he had to share a room with Andy and her. « Does it mean my bed would be in the room as theirs? » Rusty asked, very uncomfortable.
« Yes. There is a sofa is in the same room. Your parents booked a junior suite, luckily for you. Our other rooms have just one bed. » Stated the lady with a frown, clearly not understanding what was the fuzz. He just grabbed the keys she handed, not bothering to correct her about Andy. He was too pissed already and would only be mean if he spoke again. « You didn't receive any email mom? No phones? » He asked, annoyed.
« Andy booked the hotel. I booked the chalet. » He let a heavy breath in then out of his nose. Andy broke his phone two weeks ago in a "small altercation" with a suspect. The LAPD issued him a new one but with a new number… Tabernak!
The room was nice enough, for a couple or a single person. It had a real fireplace, a hot-tub and big windows with a view over the city and the falling snow. He felt even more uncomfortable. They obviously reserved a romantic place. God, it screamed sex and now he was in the middle of their little getaway. He felt sick in his stomach remembering the numerous times he had to witness his mother get intimate with her boyfriends. He suddenly wanted to cry and go back home, to Sharon's condo where he had his room and where it was safe.
« That's so pretty, Andy. Thank you so much, Honey. » It was the very first time he heard his mother call Andy by something else than his name or rank. It really was a bad presage. The two adults seemed perfectly oblivious to his distress and looked around the room, excited by the commodities.
« She said you'll have a room by tomorrow, Rusty. » Andy said. « You want to sleep with Sharon for tonight and I'll take the sofa? Would you be more confortable with that? » The lieutenant thoughtfulness surprised him. He caught his mother's eyes and saw only kindness and empathy in her gaze.
« No, it's okay. You're just getting back to normal, you need a real bed. » He said, trying to shut down his fears. He had to trust them. He knew he could trust them.
« Anyway, it's just noon so you have plenty of time to change your mind, Rusty. I can take the sofa too if you're ok to sleep with Andy. » She said with a smile, knowing full well that he would never agree to that.
« Well, you always say he's like a radiator and I might need that tonight after you make me face the terrible Canadian weather. » He said, trying to be dramatic.
« We'll see about that. I might need him in my bed after all. » Sharon joked. « But for now, go change and let's go outside. I want to go skating before it gets dark. »
