The Grinch's Comfort

The hotel room her mother booked was luxurious enough to appease her for the impromptu journey, Adaora admitted to herself as the bell boy followed her in and dropped her luggage, smiling widely when she tipped him afterwards.

The floors that led to the expansive hallway were covered in polished gold coloured acoustic material, with the walls decorated with homogeneous vinyl. There were several efficient lifts and of course, the room was spacious and filled with the best facilities. It was an ensuite, and the bedroom housed a Queen-size bed draped in white Egyptian cotton and Matouk Meridan flat thread count sheets. They smelt freshly laundered and ironed, and the three pillows propped against the walls covered in a soft board made with light wood and foamy material were quite comfortable.

Beside the bed were three seats arranged around a small glass table on which a reading lamp stood. A flat screen television was fixed on the upper part of the wall in front of the bed, and a nightstand stood next to the refrigerator. The ceiling was high, and the chandelier glowed brightly, highlighting the beautiful features of the room and casting it into a luxurious dream.

It was beautiful indeed.

Although the thermostat had been adjusted to cast warmth into the room, the first thing Adaora did as soon as the bell boy dropped her boxes and left was to adjust it, increasing the intensity of the heater. Next, she removed her shoes, hugging tightly to her sweater as she walked on modular vinyl floors with warm Persian rugs which ran from the centre of the room to the side of her bed, providing warmth to her feet.

Now, as she ran her palms through the soft material of the bed sheets, she had to admit that her mother had planned this well; running away before she woke up and flying to the East with her dad without making her phone available for calls. She had only found out about her mother going to their home town through the message she received from her dad. Just before her flight took off.

She felt her stomach growl then, realising she was hungry and hadn't eaten since the day before. She punched in the room service number in the 'Client's guide,' a thick cover book which stood with gait beside the mini freezer. After ordering lunch and being told that room service would be there in a jiffy, she hung up and opened the freezer, pleased to see her favourite chocolates and plates of ice cream in it...

Her favourite wine was there as well, including cakes flavours of chocolate and vanilla which she loved. Had her mum planned this too? She decided not to think much about that, but rather to enjoy the moment before digging into the chocolates and vanilla cake while making herself comfortable in bed, her appetite definitely worked up.

She felt the effects of her long journey begin to kick in the moment she finished eating, and she lay tiredly in bed, feeling the warmth from her sweater and the heater, together with the softness of the sheets make her comfortable. She had just been about dozing off, eyes drooping shut when the doorbell rang, followed by an audibly said, "Room Service!"

With a sigh, she pushed herself lazily from the bed, and adjusted her clothes before going to the door, impressed even in her sleep-deprived state at the efficiency of the room service.

"Thanks." She muttered, really meaning it. The mere sight and aroma of the fried rice and baked chicken delivered to her drove every thought of sleep to the side. She sat at the table, eating and flipping through the hotel magazine, and she was surprised that she felt sudden excitement to make good use of her time there to explore the swimming pool, massaging spa, the bar and other places in the magazine creep into her skin. Everything had been sponsored by her mum, making her feel less angry. That was if she still felt that after getting to the hotel- towards her.

It was a thought that came as unexpected as it felt.

Perhaps this trip of hers would be her first vacation in years,

And that didn't seem bad at all.