Living Within The Unknown

Chapter 3 The Opening Gala

Chapter 3 The Opening Gala Page 12

Getting ready for a banquet to open the hotel was always a major deal. He just got to thinking he had to be home tomorrow when the movers came by to drop off the furniture and the rest of their belongings. You got to get your mind off everything except the party tonight. Maybe the guys are going to get their tuxes. If I haven’t missed them maybe they would let me tag along. They were just walking out the door as he was walking in. He revolved back around and out the door.

“Hey are you guys going to rent your tuxes. I’ve got to go and get one too. I thought you guys might like to go for a ride in my new Jaguar. How about it?”

“Sure that’s where we were headed.” So Bradley, Josh, and Michael all climbed into the Jag.

“Ready for the ride of your life?” Corey said. “Putting the car into first and taking off.”

Before anyone even noticed they were in 5th gear hauling 90 miles down the interstate. “How far is this Tux Shop. You got to remember this is only my second trip into town and I know absolutely where nothing is.”

Josh who was in the passenger seat said, “It’s only about 5 miles up the road. Get off at your next right.”

Corey automatically called Camille to let her know where he was going and to see if she had found that special dress she wanted for herself.

She Answered, “Hello.”

“No I haven’t got to go yet. But Donna, Kara, and Shawnee asked me to go with them shopping. So we were getting ready to head out the door as you called. I’m sure we’ll be heading into town. The girls said there are some nice boutiques there. I’m sure I’ll find something. Where are you at anyway?”

“The guys and I are on our way to rent tuxes for the banquet. We’re in town now getting ready to go in the tuxedo shop rental. It shouldn’t take us long to be fitted up. But I don’t know what color your dress is going to be. I’m looking at a white one I want with red hearts. One of the girls said they seen it in the window of this shop we’re going to hit first so I’ll call you back and let you know. Oh as a matter of fact normally I would say Lavender but today I am going to go for something different just go ahead and get red. I’ll buy something that has red in it even if it’s not the one I wanted. Although this girl was pretty confident and she said when she was in there they had more than one. If I can’t find my size I may have to have them to loosen it or take it in. It’s only 8:00am. I’m sure if I paid sweetly that they would find it in their heart. To make the adjustments for me and we’ll just have to pick it up later.”

“Okay well have fun. Make it fun. Don’t get all stressed out. You’ll find exactly what you’re looking for you always do. It may take you a few hours, but you know you’ve got this.”

“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah I know. Well I’m getting off here we’re all trying to pile in the car now. I love you and will see you shortly.”

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“I love you too.” Then the line went dead. So he hung it up on his side. He couldn’t wait to see what she picked out. She could find a ball gown anywhere. I think it’s in her blood. Her mom’s the same way. He thought to himself. How funny I never even thought of it that way before. Huh?

The dress was right where Kara said it would be on display. There were several sizes she figured one would surely fit her. It had white lace around the neck line with red satin ribbon running through it. It was off the shoulders so the white lace cascaded all the way around. At the waist it had red satin ribbon and then it flared out all the way to the ground. White lace panel. White satin panel with small red hearts floating all of the way to the bottom of the dress. It continued in this pattern all the way around the dress. She knew she would have to buy a cancan to go with it. Because she didn’t bring any with her they were all packed away. Their furniture and the rest of their items had yet to arrive in the moving truck. Floyds Moving Business was the name of the company. Moving is our specialty. No load to small or too large was their motto and stamped on the sides of their company trucks.

Anyway enough thought to that she spun around in the dress with the cancan on and she knew she had made the right choice. She even found a red and white umbrella to match the dress. It was so beautiful and elegant. She thought to herself as she stood admiring it in the mirror. An up do and a little make-up and this will scream radiance. The other 3 girls went with totally different cuts than the other but it still was just below the knees. No one I guess was brave as her to go all the way to the floor. It was a new era and the girls liked the dresses just below the knee. Shawnee found a dress that was tight bodied, V-neck, and with slits all the way up on both sides almost to the hips. It was lavender with dark purple accents to bring it out. Donna found one that almost reminded me of the poodle dress cut but with class. It was peach with teal accents to bring out the peach in the dress. The top was low cut and nearly see through with the peach. She could definitely pull it off. She was the only one in the group I could see this dress work on. The first two dresses they bought at Charlene’s Bridal, Bridesmaids, and Prom Dresses.

The last two were purchased at Kim’s Bridal Boutique. Donna was more like her. She picked out a beautiful Victorian Dress in Deep Green with the light green being the accent color. It hung to her feet and she was gorgeous in it. I couldn’t help but take a breath and breathe it all in.

“Donna, “ I said, “Why don’t you let me do an up do on your hair tonight it will be fun.”

“You will be too busy to fiddle with me.” Donna replied.

I looked at my watch. It was only 10:30 a.m. Doors weren’t due to open until 8:00 p.m. “So why don’t we do this. Let’s drop all of our stuff in the Honeymoon Suite at the hotel. Then we can all meet up there at around 6:00 p.m. Everybody bring their curling irons, make-up, and whatever you think else that we may need.

“Do you guys want me to drop you back at the house so you can rest before all the excitement begins?” Camille asked.

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“Don’t you have anything we can help with at the hotel? I don’t know about the rest of you guys.” Donna said. “I am going stir crazy in that Mansion with hardly anything to do until the beds, cooking utensils, and everything else arrives tomorrow. So what do you say? Are you gals game? That is if you can find something for us to do?”

“You’re going to regret this banquets are harder than they look. However if this is how you want to spend your afternoon. I have tons of things for you to do.

“Okay, Hotel it is. Just point us in the right direction then tell us what to do when we get there. We’ll be fine.” Shawnee replied.

The captains Conner, Greg, Fallen, and Farah bombarded them as soon as they walked through the door. The entire ballroom was opened up. It was beginning to come together. The tables and chairs were out on the floor. The buffet tables were set up in their places. Due to the high volume of clientele that were invited for the evening. There was actually 2 buffets set. One at the front of the room and one at the back.

Frank and Lana will be working the buffet at the front of the room and Timmy and Patty will be working the back of the rooms buffet. They all had Shaffer’s to pull out of the store room to fill the buffet tables. They also had to polish and spit shine them, well maybe not the spit shine part, but you know what I mean. So polished you can see your reflection in the silver.

Corey and Camille didn’t take their hotels lightly. All rose fast to five star hotels. They took pride in the things they bought. Even the ones that were given to them. They never forgot what Camille’s mom and dad went through to give her the life that she has today. Corey and her have just branched out into a new design. Even having different names for each hotel that they owned.

Conner said, “I am going to go ahead and start half of the room polishing silverware. I am going to start another group on setting the tables behind them as they are finished being polished the buffet people have already started on their work.”

“I assume everyone from our team has picked up their BEO’S (Banquet Excoriation Order) from the board.” Camille stated.

“As far as I know,” Fallen replied.

“Everyone needs one and everyone needs to know how to put them to use. This is very important in banquets. That is why we are having our party tonight not only for our clients but for our servers also. So that they will know what to do when we do have big parties like this. You could say this is the learning phase of everything.”

BeOS’s are one of the prime things that need to be learned I will go over them more at the meeting we’re getting ready to have at 2:00 p.m. Just know for you Captains that we have put you as

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Captains due to your supervising at other establishments. Only here we strive to be one of the Grandest Hotel there is in town. You need to learn these BEO’s from top to bottom. It tells you exactly what is to happen in this room. From tablecloths, Colors, how many chairs and tables that are needed. How to set the silverware. 3 forks 2 knives and 1 spoon. It shows you exactly where they should be placed. Let me see one and I’ll show you. All 4 at the same time. I’m sure I’ll leave something out, but I will try real hard not to.

BEO (Banquet Requisition Order) $50,000

2,000 guests

Including table cloths and chair backings

Center pieces in Purple and Lavender Roses

Sitting in the middle of the table on mirrors

4 Bars $3000 each $7000

Serving House, Premium, and Cordials

4 Cashier for bars $100 each---$400

2 Buffets $150 a plate

Food to be served. Salad should be put on risers and everything

Mash potatoes with skins inside Signage should be on the inside facing diagonal so that

Macaroni Salad Both sides of the buffet can see it.

Green bean Casserole

Desserts Risers up and down with the deserts

Carrot cake

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White cake with Vanilla Icing

Wine by request from the bar. Red, White. And Zinfandel. $75 each

DJ $400

Tables are to be set with 3 forks 2 knives and 1 spoon In a U shape facing the client.

Lighting and Dance Floor $400

Ice Sculptures $750

So what I want now is a list of everyone here that is our employees. I want their names so that I can get them categorized in the right positions.

Fallen and Greg went to find a piece of paper to make a list of all the workers that we’re there that night. Who all showed up anyway? That’s why Corey and Camille hired so many. They knew there would be ones who thought about the work and was afraid of the serving or the hard work. No one ever knows. It’s not like they stand outside your office door to inform you why they could or couldn’t come into work the day before or even on the day in question.

They began to look at the list and started taking down names. They figure the more of this paperwork they can get out of the way in the beginning then maybe just maybe by some miracle they will get the doors open on time.

Six Leaders of the Girls Six Leaders of the Guys

Mandy Jake

Nina Edward

Lisa Kenny

Paula Evan

Selena Frank

Trina Lane

Rest of the Girls

Lana London Liza Sammy

Patty Shelby Sandra Renee

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Girls Continued

Sidney Nikki Pamela Sarah

Rest of the Guys

Timmy Vincent Zachary Xavier

Oliver Rowan Tony Marty

Nicky Noah Pat

That done they laid it on Camille’s desk. I know they don’t understand how things are done yet and what will actually make their job easier and take off some of that weight they are carrying all by their selves and let others help out too. They had been the two that she noticed working the hardest throughout the day. So I gave them the easy job. All the while Conner and Farrah had to handle the floor. Guaranteed jotting down a few names was a hell of a lot easier than holding down that floor.

Now we’ve talked a lot about the front of the house. Now let’s see what is behind closed doors. This would be the kitchen area. No one walks back there without permission the cooks can be like lionesses and the Chef’s the lions. The chefs are just not the people to disturb. Just as servers are setting up their rooms to look pretty and welcoming. This is what is going on in the kitchen with the food. It is like their blank canvas to draw and decorate. They get really picky when it comes to their food I imagine I would too. If I made it my life’s work. Chefs have to go to school and put hours in and hard work to get to where they are. They wouldn’t make the big bucks otherwise.

Corey and Camille are good to their employees. They are paid $10.00 + 1/3 of the party’s full cost. To their supervisors and the rest of the staff start out at $15.00 an hour with every opportunity to move up or not. That decision is strictly up to the one making the choice.

Corey and Camille finally caught up with each other and decided to walk the room together. What one might miss the other wouldn’t.

It was beginning to look like a true banquet ballroom. Zachary and Lane had just finished putting down the dance floor and securing it. Now they were working on the lighting above.

Bars were being wheeled in by the 4 bartenders of the night. Evan, Paula. Kenny, and Sammy. The cashiers for the night were Mandy, Lisa, Renee, and Shelby. I’m sure they didn’t mind taking a load off or they will as soon as the party begins.

Dion was beginning to bring his ice sculptures into the room. It just took a lot more effort than most could ever imagine. This was his hard work. It started out as a Big Block of ice and he transformed two pieces to make Swans on a Lake. The lake of course is the frozen ice under the sculptures to keep them from melting.

The Hot boxes were coming down. Matthew had a hold of this end of things. He brought them down and parked them in a row down the back hallway where they would be close enough to get the banquet items for the buffet but far enough so that they were out of everyone’s way.

The buffet Shafer’s were on the buffet tables with steno’s lit underneath them. In order to keep them warm and eatable. Corey and Camille walked with his arm around her shoulder hers to his waist. I think we’ve done it again babe kissing the top of her head.

Now we better go get ready times a wasting. We’ll be opening doors soon. I told the girls to come upstairs so that we could do each other’s hair and swap gossip stories. You know just like us women do. So I hope you don’t mind but would you be a dear and go on up and get your Tux on a little early so that we can play our female games.

“Sure,” he replied, “Whatever you need.” God he loved that woman and would do anything in the world for her. I do mean anything. Jump off a 15 story building if she needed him to.

He grabbed the elevator. Most of the time he would’ve just took the stairs. He was trying to hurry for them tonight. He knew she would want to be there when the doors swing open for the first time.

She met the girls upstairs it was around 5:00 everyone was on a smoke break and drink break for those who don’t smoke. She was on a long needed drink and smoke break. She filled her glass with the chilled Zinfandel in the fridge and lit a cigarette and took a long drag. Kicked off her shoes and waited for the others to arrive. 30 Minutes to herself that’s all she wanted before the curtain goes up. She had been so busy since they arrived in town. Well the horseback ride was relaxing and unwinding, and so were buying the cars. Now she just wanted a minute to herself. She believes she might have even drifted off for a few. Her cigarette was in the ashtray and there was another slight but audible sound from the door that sounded a bit like a knock.

Sure enough when she answered it was Donna, Kara, and Shawnee on the other side.

“How long have you guys been out there? I think I might have dozed off. What time is it anyway?”

“We haven’t been here long Camille,” Donna said, “But honey you look exhausted.”

“I’ll rest when this thing is over tonight and they get me my furniture and other things delivered tomorrow. I can’t wait to have my water bed back. When you get used to sleeping on one for so long it is hard to go back to a regular bed. I can however sleep really well in a hotel bed. The only thing with that is I know I am not at home so I tend to wake up real early in the morning. Of course in all our hotels we serve complimentary breakfast. Eggs, bacon, Toast Sausage. All on a buffet up at the front of the hotel in the downstairs lobby.

“Okay did ya’ll bring all the goody bags? Curling Irons, hot curlers, make-up etc.?”

“Got them all right here in these bags” Shawnee replied.

Camille took one look at her and she could tell she was overwhelmed at all the things she had done and seen being done today to get ready for the 2,000, give or take, people who had been invited to this Grand Opening tonight.

Once they were all decked out they made their decent down the front staircase and into the lobby. People couldn’t help but stare. They truly were beautiful women.

Corey was soon by her side, “Well Mrs. Thompson. Are you ready for this?”

“About as ready as I’ll ever get. Get the lights she yelled and open up the doors.”

By the end of the evening she was so exhausted she felt like she could sleep for a week. She thought that didn’t sound like a bad idea and she just might.

“I think it went over quite well. What do you think?” she asked him as she snuggled close up in his arms.

“I think they know we are here. They won’t soon forget the night they had at the Grand Opening of Thompson Luxury Hotel and Spa.”

“You think so?” she questioned looking up into his bright eyes.

“I know so. You need to quit worrying and put it all to rest now. You do look like you need a good night’s sleep.”

She’s not even sure she heard the last of his words as she went out like a light.