Chapter 3 - The Price of Disrespect
The lobby was bustling with arriving dinner guests, each one dressed in immaculate island chic, while the six members of the Burchett party stood stranded in the center of the marble rotunda like castaways. Their eleven massive suitcases sat in an unsightly cluster near the concierge desk. Bellmen and guests walked briskly around them, pointedly avoiding eye contact with the shouting woman who had made a scene earlier.
""Callie, call another hotel,"" Richard Burchett mumbled, sweating profusely through his floral linen shirt. ""Just get us rooms somewhere else. Wailea, Kaanapali, anywhere. I have the corporate card. Let's just get out of this woman's sight.""
Callie sniffled, pulling out her phone and frantically opening travel apps. Her brother and sister-in-law, who had giggled and filmed me earlier, were now staring intently at their shoes, clearly wishing they could vanish into the polished stone floors. Callie placed her phone to her ear, spoke in hushed, urgent tones, paused, and then hung up with a look of pure despair.
""Everything is booked,"" Callie whispered, her voice cracking. ""It’s peak season and the medical convention is in town. The Grand Wailea is full. The Ritz is full. The Four Seasons has nothing except a presidential villa that costs twenty-two thousand dollars a night with a four-night minimum deposit. Mom, we have nowhere to sleep.""
Trevor rounded on Corey again, pointing an accusatory finger into his chest. ""Fix this! This is your mother! Tell her to open up rooms for us right now! We are your family! How dare she throw us out onto the street like stray dogs on our anniversary!""
Corey turned toward me, his eyes pleading. ""Mom... please. Look, I know things got out of hand. Callie and her mom were just excited about the trip. They made a mistake using your name for the discount, okay? I admit that. But you can't just leave us stranded on an island at seven o'clock at night. Just let us pay the regular rate and give us our rooms back. For me, Mom. Please.""
I looked at my son—the boy I had raised, the young man whose college tuition Arthur and I had paid in full so he would graduate without a cent of debt, the son who hadn't hesitated to abandon me the second he married into a family that obsessed over country clubs and superficial status.
""The rooms are gone, Corey,"" I said, my voice completely devoid of anger, which seemed to terrify him more than if I had screamed. ""They were given to a lovely family from Chicago who had been waiting on the standby list for four days. Even if I wanted to pull strings for you, I would never displace honest, paying guests who treat people with decency just to pamper bullies who snap their fingers at working people.""
""Mom, where are we supposed to go?"" Corey cried, desperation creeping into his voice. ""We have luggage, we have nowhere to stay, and my car rental only seats five people because we assumed the resort shuttle would handle the rest!""
""There are several budget motels in Kahului near the airport,"" I said evenly. ""They have clean beds and functional showers. They don't have ocean views, marble soaking tubs, or five-star room service, but they will keep the rain off your heads. David, please have security escort this party to the taxi stand outside. Their presence is beginning to disrupt our dining patrons.""
May you like
""You wicked old witch!"" Trevor snarled, lunging forward a step before two burly, professional security officers politely but firmly stepped into her path. ""You planned this! You intentionally waited until we got here just to embarrass us!""
""No, Trevor,"" I said, looking her dead in the eye. ""You embarrassed yourself the moment you looked down on an honest worker and told her to carry your bags and get lost. The only difference is that tonight, your bill came due.""
