My Classified Life

Chapter Two: Secrets And Smoothies

As we landed in the Nice Airport in Monaco my mother was all business as she walked us through the airport and to the luggage station where we picked up one suitcase. Her black high heels clanked the halls as she walked quickly through the crowded airport, an air of confidence surrounding her. We trailed behind her and followed when she hailed two cabs that took us to the most famous hotel in Monte Carlo, the Hôtel de Paris.

When she gracefully exited from her cab with Brit and Sammy, and I with Christina, It seemed normal that the attendants at the door didn't even ask her for the room number and for my mother to simply walked up the stairs and into the magnificent lobby. It seemed perfectly normal for a woman like her, dressed in a black business dress and Prada heels, to march through the doors of the Hôtel de Paris. Which is why my mother makes a great spy.

The crystal chandeliers of the lobby greeted us as we all strode through the lobby and past the marble colonnades and even the molding and archways that begged for you to examine them. She kept on striding through the lobby and down a long hallway that led to the suites with us still in tow. My mother walked straight up to a hotel worker which must have been and maid and she became the snotty business woman she looked like.

“Excuse me! I do not recall giving you permission to clean my suite while I was at brunch!” The woman in front of us stood frozen in the doorway. My mother began to forcibly push past her and into the open door of the suite.

“Oh, just move. Cassandra!” she barked at Sammy. “Call Franciso and tell him I will meet him in the lobby in fifteen minutes.”

“Uh, sure.” Sammy managed to say while she fumbled for her iPhone while still trying to stay in character.

“It's been such a stressful day.” My mother wailed as she wrinkled her forehead and began to massage it with her hand. She looked up to see the maid still standing in the hall and still confused.

“What are you still doing here?” she barked and the maid scampered.

I felt like applause was due for that excellent performance by my mom. But she didn't bow, didn't curtsy. No, she just gestured us inside of the suite and told us to put on the clothes Brit had in the suitcase. Brit slid open the case to reveal four sets of blue hued sleeved knit tops, jean shorts, sun hats, and flip flops. When Brit, Sammy, Christina, and I had finished getting them on mother turned to us and handed each of us 8 Euros, a plastic spork, and a pass to go scuba diving at a place called Monaco Scuba Diving Adventures.

“Now listen up. Your task will be to find a secret correspondent I have laid out for each of you, excluding Christina. Your correspondent will each give you a picture of the object you must find along the coast of Monte Carlo with your Scuba diving gear. The passes I have given you will only last you half of an hour underwater so use your time wisely. Rules are: no transportation, no asking people for directions, and you must each look like you are in no hurry to go anywhere. You need to learn how to be another face in a crowd and blend in, be just another tourist in Monaco.”

As she spoke each of us began to nod our heads and begin to plan out how we would carry out the mission. I was planning on using the combination of Christina and I's Euros to rent her some scuba gear so she could help me look. And I was beginning to be very thankful for the maps I'd memorized. When she was done speaking she asked “Any questions?”

“What are the sporks for?”

“Oh, nothing maybe. Let's just say you might need them.” she said mysteriously and then winked at me.

Next my mother began by handing my sisters and I each a slip of paper, every one with a different address on it.

“Whoever brings me the object first is the winner. I will be waiting for you on the shoreline by the scuba diving establishment. Good luck.”