Chapter 4
He slid the card into the slot and opened the door. Shuffling in, he set his bags down and put his card on the dresser next to the door. He walked over to the large bed and slumped down.
The ride to the hotel had been a short boring one. He was tired of sitting and was anxious to get out and look around a bit. It was nice that he'd be able to get the opportunity to do so now and not get recognized as much.
He turned and grabbed the phone, dialing quickly. "Hello?"
"Hey mom."
"Howie honey! You've arrived! How's everything? You doing alright?"
"Yes mom I'm fine, just tired. I want to go out and take everything in ya know. It's been a while since I've been able to just do some sightseeing and stuff."
"Your sister's here, do you want to talk to her?"
"Yeah, put her on."
There was a shuffle and then he heard his sisters' voice. "Hi Howie!"
"Hey Pol, how's it going?"
"It's going, Mom was on pins and needles waiting for you to call." She laughed.
"I told her I would as soon as I got checked in and settled."
"Yeah but you know how mom is."
Howie laughed. "Yeah I do."
"So what's going on? What's happening for tonight?"
"Nothing really, just want to get settled and then go out for a bit and head back early, we have a lot to do tomorrow."
"Alright, well I'll give you back to mom. Keep in touch ok, I wanna know how everything's going."
"Will do. Later Pol, love ya."
"Love you too Howie, bye!"
"Bye."
There was a shuffle again and his mother came back on.
"I would let you talk to your father, but he's not here at the moment. I'll tell him that you called though."
"It's ok mom. I gotta go, I need to unpack and call the front desk about a rental car."
"Well ok. Keep me updated on how everything's going. I love you honey."
Howie shook his head. "I will, love you too, bye." He hung up and groaned. He loved his mom dearly, but sometimes she worried too much. He picked the phone back up and dialed again. "Hello, this is Howard Dorough in room four ten, and I wanted to find out some information about a rental car." After getting that taken care of, he made one last call.
"Hello?"
"Hi Kev."
"Howie! You're there! How's it going? How was the flight? How are you?"
Kevin must've talked to his mom or something cause that was just too weird. He heard a shuffling in the background.
"Howie? Howie's on the phone?! Give it here man...I wanna talk to him!"
"AJ no! I just started talking to him! Would you relax!" Kevin announced firmly. "Sorry Howie, AJ's over and he's freakin' spazzin' over here."
"Oh." Howie shook his head. "Anyway, so yeah things are cool so far. We meet with the Vice President of Public Relations and they're supposed to give us the information and some sort of itinerary on what we're going to be doing and whatever. So I'm just gonna go out for tonight and look around, maybe go to a club or something."
"Sounds good, damnit AJ will you stop! Stop it! NO!" Kevin muttered.
"What's going on?"
"He wants to talk to you. AJ!! Oh for god's sakes fine, FINE! Here!" Kevin roared.
There was a shuffle and then AJ.
"D? Yo man s'up?"
"Uhh, hi AJ. Not much, just getting settled and all." Howie stood, starting to unpack his bags.
"That's cool man, look, there's something I have to ask you."
"Ok."
"How do the women look over there?"
Howie heard Kevin yelling in the background.
"THAT? That's what you had to ask him so badly?! That's why you had to talk to him?!" Kevin shouted.
"Chill man! This shit is important, I need it for statistical purposes." AJ responded calmly.
Howie shook his head groaning. "AJ, I'm gonna let you go."
"Wait man! You didn't answer the question."
"I don't know AJ! I haven't been here that long."
"You didn't look in the airport? In the hotel lobby? Don't be holding out on me, this is important!"
"They're great AJ ok? They're amazing."
Silence.
"AJ?"
"Howie?"
"Yes?"
"Don't make me fly to Utah and beat the crap out of you."
"Good, that way you can look for yourself."
"HOWIE! DAMNIT!"
"Temper, temper! I'll talk to you later AJ." Howie laughed.
"Howie?" Kevin called into the phone.
"Yeah?"
"What'd you say to AJ? He all shoved the phone at me and stormed off."
Howie grinned. "Nothing. Look Kev, I'm gonna get going. I don't think I'm gonna go out, I'm getting tired. I just wanna finish unpacking and get some sleep. I'll call later ok?"
"Yeah alright. Talk to you later."
"Ok, bye."
"Bye." Howie hung up and finished unpacking. Getting undressed and slipping into the bed, drifting off quickly.
****
She stepped out the shower and quickly dried off, dressing and heading into her room. Tomorrow she would meet with this first group of people and go over the itinerary for the next week.
She hated the first day, getting to learn everyone's names and everyone's reactions when they met her. She sighed heavily, slipping her robe off and slidding under the covers. A long day ahead of her tomorrow and she needed to rest. So for the moment she wouldn't think about it, she would drift off and not worry about what the next day would bring.
