Aisling's Summer Diary

Chapter 14 | Back in Business

It has been an absolute roller coaster of a day!  Between Siobhan grilling us in the board room, me torching the soda bread, that awkward episode with Slater (swoon), and our suspiciously generous secret sponsor(s), I’m not sure which end is up!  And now Uncle Ciaran’s told us it’s time we got down to the “heavy lifting.”  I hope that’s a metaphor.

3 p.m.
Guess what?  Ciaran WAS NOT being even the slightest bit figurative.  Ironic, maybe, but when you’re wedged between an old wardrobe and a door jamb, literal heaviness is pretty much the only thing on your mind.  “Remind me again why we have to move all of these?” I asked, my breath coming in heaving gasps.  Siobhan poked her head in over the top of the wardrobe.  “Because there’s not enough room, not with all the new furniture I got from our sponsor.”  Oh, that’s right.  Our sponsor.  

Ali gave a good hard tug at the dresser, and we finally angled it clear of the door.  “And just who IS this mystery sponsor?” I asked Siobhan.  “They’ve asked to remain anonymous,” she said coyly and put a hand under the wardrobe to help Ali and I guide it down the stairs.  “But aren’t we giving out flyers?” Ali asked.  “Yeah, that’s not exactly anonymous,” I added, still a bit out of breath.  “Well that’s just one of their investment companies,” Siobhan explained.  “The actual sponsor prefers to work behind the scenes.”  “Like the Wizard of Oz?!” Ali said, propping the wardrobe on one of the steps.  “Yeah, Ali,” I huffed, “Ask the Wizard for Superman arms.”  Siobhan started to laugh so hard she nearly dropped her end of the dresser.  “Stop making me laugh!  I can’t hold it!” she whimpered between snorts.  Just then, Uncle Ciaran swooped in (like a proper superhero) and held the dresser steady.  

But before Ali and I could catch our breath, Ciaran started to howl in pain!  A massive splinter was stuck deep in between his thumb and forefinger—he wasn’t going to be able to hold on for much longer!  Siobhan darted off for her first aid kit (how practical is she?!), and in seconds was back and at the ready with a pair of tweezers and rubbing alcohol.  

“Do it quick,” Ciaran said, turning his head aside.  “Yeah, FAST, like,” Ali said, his arms quavering.  Siobhan tried to pry the splinter loose, but it was really in there! “Will you HOLD STILL!” Siobhan chided, and Ciaran steeled himself, trying to focus on Siobhan, not his hand.  “You know what?” he said to her.  “I’m glad you didn’t go back to Dublin.”  In the same breath, Siobhan wheeled back and with one deft yank pulled the splinter free.  “It’s only small!” she said.  “WHA???” Ciaran bent over her hand and squinted.  “Sure felt big to me.”  Meanwhile, Ali and I were still stuck in on the stairs.  “A little help here, guys?” I called down to Ciaran.  

All of a sudden a loud BONG rang through the hall.  Was that the door bell?!  I didn’t even know we had a doorbell!  Siobhan snapped into action and opened the door.  A man in a sports coat stood on the stoop, his wife on his arm.  Our first REAL customers!  She invited them in, and sure enough they needed a room for the night.  At exactly the same moment that she led them to the staircase, Ali and I lost our grip on the wardrobe!  It went crashing down the stairs and landed square at their feet with a hollow thud.  So much for first impressions, I thought.  “We can come back later, if now’s a bad time,” the man offered, but the ever-professional Siobhan would hear nothing of it.  She snapped her fingers, and Ciaran shot off to show the couple to a room downstairs.  

Ali and I slumped down on the bottom step, completely wrecked.  “There’s a line for my CV,” Ali panted.  “Illusionist-mover extraordinaire!”  “Just leave out the whole crashing bit,” I said and patted him on the back.  This was a big night for us!  Our first as a fully operational hotel!  The reality of it had uplifted all of us.  Sure, working at the Sea Crest was full-on, hard work, but even with the back-break and the drama, I felt like I was doing something important, something that really mattered.  I lodged my first paycheck this afternoon in the village, and it felt AMAZING!  Now I just have to dream up something worth spending it on!

...........

Click the Thumbnail Below or Click Info on Mobile to Watch the Webisode.