IV (Part II)

I have never been mesmerized in my life except when I have entered this place. This place is indeed sparkling in a lot of ways. Entering that open door, we have found an elevator on the left side. Jack presses the button of the elevator and I can’t help myself but observe on my spot the things that surround me. Its doors are as clear as a golden mirror. Above us hangs many bird-shaped warmly lit droplights. Somehow, they look like comets that are falling from the sky or majestic birds that are flying around us. Also, unlike the lobby, the walls of this hallway are painted in white on the top and are gold-painted halfway to the bottom. There are also gold swirling patterns that are visible on the canvass. Beside the elevator door lies waist-high white in gold details columns with potted plants on top of it. On our feet is a red carpet that extends across the hallway.

I can hear the clinking of dinner-wares and happy chitchats of the guests from where I am standing. Claude Debussy’s Claire De Lune is also being played in the background. I can’t clearly see it because I will need to go to the end of the hall and turn right to see it.

A ding that wakes me takes me out of my thoughts.

“Let’s go.” Jack guides us and that’s when my Mom asks a question.

“Can you tell us more about the details of the promo?” She starts. Jack goes inside the elevator and motions us to join him, of course, we follow him. The insides of the elevator are also intricately designed in a golden mirror-like finish and its backdrop is a mosaic of flattened pearl tiles and ruby red granites.

“I’m afraid I’m not too familiar about it, Madame.” He smiles shyly. “All I know is that someone will go to your room later around 9 PM to talk about it. You should ask them all your questions about it.” He continues.

“Oh.” My Mom can only say when we heard another ding and the doors open on the 3rd floor. Jack steps out of the elevator and turns left. This floor looks a lot like the hallway on the ground floor except for, it has rooms line up into a long passageway. With its gold doors gleaming under the drop lights above us, it makes me feel like I am royalty.

“You’re the first two people who have booked themselves on the event, Madame.” Jack smiles at us when he stops in front of a door. “Ms. Meyer, this is your room. The door fronting yours is for Mrs. Meyer.” I look at the room number and it says it’s room

3064

“A lot more people will book themselves afterward.” We open our room’s door and I am left in awe. We went inside.

“This...” he cuts me off.

“More people will arrive and take over the other rooms, Madame.” He puts down my things. If you’re hungry, our restaurant is just on the bottom floor, or if you want to have room service, the hotel’s directory is situated there on the top of the table below the vanity mirror. Our poolside is currently under renovation so no one is allowed to enter there yet. If you want to tour around the hotel, just make sure that around 9 in the evening, you will be able to go back to your room for further instructions.”

I nod towards him.

“I will now take my leave, Madame. Have a great time admiring your suite.” He chuckles.

I look at him and smiled, then he leaves to help my Mom get settled in her room. 

I look around and notice that it is a high ceiling-ed wide suite and has 2 chandeliers in the room. It is indeed a big room. At the right side of the room lies a queen-sized circular bed cleanly fixed in a white and gold satin mattress with white drapery hovering above it. The bed has 2 circular white drawers on each side and each holds a lamp if one wants the lights dimmed. On the left side of the bed lies a huge cherry wood wardrobe and beside it has the vanity mirror. On the left side of the room lies a set of the modern couch in gold leather and a cherry wood table is seen at the center. Across the room lies a panoramic view of the trees outside of the hotel. I notice that at the right side of the wall behind the bed is a door, with a continuation of the wide top-to-bottom glass window. I go inside it and see a very extravagant bathroom in white and gold. It has gray marble flooring, the walls are made from cherry wood, a three-foot chandelier, a white bathtub in gold accessories near the window, and a shower behind a frosted glass on the opposite side. The bathroom mirror can be seen on the wall near the bathroom’s entrance, and a cherry wood drawer with toiletries is located below it. Beside it lies the toilet and the golden trash bin.

“Dear?” I hear my mom call out from outside my room. I open the door for her and I laughed hard when the first thing after she has seen me, she has said, “I’m hungry.”

I laugh so hard I am hugging my tummy. It’s really rare to see your own mother act like a child in front of you and asking you to take her to some food. I told her, “Let’s go, Mom.” and I cling to her arms like I use to do and smiling from ear to ear.

I notice that my mom is silent, “What’s wrong, Mom?”

“Nothing,” She assures me, “It’s just, it has been a while since I last heard you laugh so hard.” She whispers to herself which I have heard anyway. I paused in my tracks and turn to look at her.

“Mom,” I start,” I promise that since today,” I trail off, “I will keep on smiling, for you.” and I smile my most genuine smile.

It’s been a while since I have last felt happiness in my life. This woman, right here beside me, the woman who I am holding the arms of, is definitely the reason why I exist.

 If you think you’ve seen most of the hotel, then prepare to be wronged as the restaurant is so grand I have never seen anything like it since I have been born. The restaurant lies open in a wide-open space except for the wall on the right side that is the wall that we see outside the hotel entrance. It occupies the whole 3 floors of that area and three 7 foot chandeliers hung on the ceiling. I can see the people who are dining on the 3rd floor, on the 2nd floor, and on the first floor. In the middle of the room lies a platform where the black grand piano resides. It stands out from the white and gold motif of the hotel. The floor surprised me a lot though. Who would have known that underneath that red carpet lies a cherry wood flooring? It is so shiny the sleekness adds to the elegance of the entire hall. I can also see restaurant staff are also busy walking around in the entire room to serve the guests their needs. They wear white collared polo with a gold bow, black pants, black waist apron, black leather shoes, and on their hands are also black handkerchiefs. One of them approaches me and my Mom.

“Good Day, M’Ladies. From what room are you?” He says and bows slightly towards us. He’s around 5’8 ft in height, tanned, and built nicely.

“We’re from these rooms.” I show him our cards and he takes a look at them.

“Okay, Ma’am,” He smiles at us. “It’s this way.” He politely points to our left and guides us towards our table. 

The restaurant is divided into three sections. The left and the right sections are almost the same as it utilizes the whole three floors of the building. The only difference is that on the right side, one of it is in railings while the other is the wall towards the outside of the hotel. On the left side tho, both have golden railings partitions so we can see what is happening at the center, the lower ground. Both sections are well lit in ceiling-mounted lights and we are being led on to the 3rd floor of the left section. 

When we arrive, we see some people enjoying their food already.

“This is your table, Madame.” He gestures us to the table near the railing on the center section. We occupy it. I notice that there is already some finger food on the table. “I forgot to introduce myself. Anyway, My name is Hans and I will be your server until you finish your stay in this hotel. Is any of you allergic to anything?”

“Uh, no. We don’t have any allergies.” My mom informs him.

“Good. I have prepared a 12-course meal for the two of you.” He exclaims excitedly.

“What do you mean?” I mean, is he not giving us the menu? What about our bill? What if he has prepared all those expensive food? I mean, My mom and I are not poor, yes, We both have successful careers, but spending blindly in an unfamiliar place is not so wise, isn’t it?

“Don’t worry, Madame. This is a special treat to all our guests who have booked for the Ambrosia. For all of you, our food and services are free in this world.” He winks at me and my Mom. 

“You know about it?” I ask him curiously. “It’s real? It’s not a joke?” I add in disbelief. I did not believe the propaganda in the first place, actually, I only agreed to accept my Mom’s offer just because I want to hang out with her. If they need me to pay, I still have more than enough money to pay all our expenses here in my bank account. My company can’t suspend my cards because I have kept all my earnings in a savings account.

“It’s true! I’ve been an employee here for almost three years now. We also have some regulars to that place.”

“Can you tell us more?” My mom butts in. “Have you been there?”

“I’m sorry but I think someone will come to your respective rooms later to explain the terms. I’m assigned to serve you food, my respected Madames.” He bows, “Now let me get you some food to eat.” He smiles at us then left.

While waiting, my mom and I eat the food on the table. I also take a lot of pictures in that place when he has left. My mom and I also take selfies. When he comes back, I feel myself loosen my grip on my phone because of how surprised I am. He has brought with him 3 golden rolling serving trays of food. His two assistants immediately come to us and fix our table for a 12-course meal. It is a feast!

“For your hors d'oeuvres, we have served you the goat cheese crostini with fig-olive tapenade,” he says about the food that we have consumed. “Now, for your Amuse-bouche, we serve you the Pea soup served in a shot glass or espresso cup.”

He put the food on the top of our main plate and my mom and I tasted it. It tastes so amazing! I can definitely taste the pea in it and the flavors do not overpower each other. They have blended together to create delightful goodness.

“Yum!” I compliment. He then continues to serve the remaining food he has prepared.

I burp loudly as I lose my proper posture while sitting. “I’m sorry.” I apologize. I unbutton my pants to give my stomach more room to expand and Hans laughs at me. I just didn’t mind. The dinner has been fantastic, and I can’t help but be grateful for him.

We tell Hans our appreciation and our compliments to the chef, which he gratefully accepted. Slowly, we start walking to go back to our room. It’s already 8:30 in the evening. In 30 minutes, the person in charge of explaining the terms will arrive in our room. While walking downstairs, I turn to look at the other side of the railings on our floor section. A Do Not Enter sign catches my attention and I feel myself stop on my tracks. I look at the area covered in tall blue plastic with a warning posted on its outer side, wondering what’s behind it.

“That’s the pool area. They have started constructing it quite a while ago. I guess they are not able to finish it before the anniversary.” I hear some of the guests talk about what’s behind this cover.

It must have been so beautiful if they have finished it on time.

And my mom and I go back to our rooms.