THE LOVE LETTER - CHAPTER 17&18
^^ KNIGHT HOTEL TWO ^^
“Susie?” Clifford called, reminding her that he’s waiting for a reply.
“Well I…the thing is…you….we…”
Covering the pace that separated them, Clifford pulled her into a tight embrace.
“I h@?? lies and deceit, Susie. It’s the one thing that makes me very mad but I trust you”
“I trust you and you wouldn’t lie to me and that’s because you love me as much as I do” he added still holding her to him.
Susie could feel the tears slipping out of her eyes. She didn’t want to lie to him, she wanted to tell him the truth more than ever but she didn’t have the heart to.
Burying her face against his chest, she wrap her arms around him more tightly, whispering a ‘ am sorry ‘
*****
^^ MARTHA’S APARTMENT ^^
Susie was still thinking about the thing Clifford said to her when she got home.
“Thank God you are back, Nina is waiting for you” Martha told her and immediately, Susie went to the sitting room.
“Stanley knows. Did you tell him about it?” Susie asked the moment she walk in.
“I didn’t but when he came to ask about it, I had no choice but to tell him the truth” Nina answered, remembering the angry way Stanley looked that afternoon.
“I can’t keep lying to Clifford. I want to tell him the truth, I know I made a promise to you and your grandma to keep it all a secret but am going to have to break it” Susie said.
“Susie you…”
“Don’t try to stop me, Nina. You have no idea how I feel keeping the truth from him. I wanted to tell to him today but I…couldn’t”
“Am not asking you to keep it a secret anymore. Infact, I want you to tell him the truth but I want us to do that after the recruiting of the new staffs. I heard from Martha that you will be applying too” Nina asked.
Susie nodded.
“Then let’s wait for it to end and we tell him everything then. I already texted Stanley and am sure that he’s willing to wait until the recruiting thing is over” Nina added in a rush.
“Fine then, I will wait since the recruiting will begin the day after tomorrow” Susie said.
“You two are forgetting something” Martha spoke as she walk into the room with two cup of tea.
“Someone else knows about this and she could go behind your back and tell it all to Clifford” Martha reminded.
“That’s Kate. She texted Clifford, telling him that am hiding a secret. She won’t rest until she ruins me” Susie said.
“Don’t worry. I will take care of her ” Nina said pulling out her phone.
” Find me a lady who goes by the name Kate Henshaw. She worked at Knight hotel and got fired recently, once you have her, let me know” Nina spoke into the reciever and after listening for a while, she end the call.
“All we have to do now is to wait till the recruiting ends and then, we tell Clifford the truth” Nina said, sipping the tea Martha prepared for her.
*****
^^ KNIGHT HOTEL ^^
Clifford was going through some documents when Stanley showed up.
He set down a form in front of the desk while Clifford gave him a questioning look.
“What’s this?”
“My transfer document. I want to fully work at the new hotel” Stanley said.
“But you once refuse my offer about it, you said you wanted to remain here and….”
“I change my mind” Stanley answered not an ounce of a smile on his face.
“Why?”
“Cause I found a reason to work there. A very important reason” Stanley replied.
“And it will be wrong of me to ask what this reason is, right?” Clifford said.
“It won’t be wrong but it’s definitely going to hurt you when I tell you the reason why I want to work there” Stanley replied.
“Sounds serious to me” Clifford said, amuse by his friend sudden behaviour.
He sign on the form and handed it to Stanley.
“Remember you are one of the judges tomorrow, don’t be late for the interview and also go easy on them. There’s someone am rooting for” Clifford said, thinking about Susie.
“Am sure this person your rooting for will definitely pass and I also think you should prepare yourself for what’s going to happen tomorrow”
“What’s happening tomorrow?” Clifford f brow furrow in confusion.
“I can’t tell you since it isn’t up to me to tell but do brace yourself, I wouldn’t want you to be hurt” Stanley added and left.
Clifford couldn’t help but to think about what his friend said.
What’s going to happen tomorrow?
*****
^^ INTERVIEW DAY ~ KNIGHT HOTEL TWO ^^
Along with sixty applicant, Susie stood, resting her back against the wall while she practice her answers.
It was something the others were doing and while others did it without getting sidetrack, Susie couldn’t stop herself from getting sidetrack.
She keeps thinking about Clifford and how he will react once he gets to know the truth.
“Take this, it will help stop your distracted thoughts” a lady said offering her a cup of coffee.
“Thanks” Susie said, taking the cup from her.
“Everyone is on edge because of the interview. A lot of people want to work in Knight hotel, it’s the only best hotel in the city and its my dream to work as a courier here” the lady said.
“Am also applying to work as a courier” Susie reveal making the lady excited.
“If we pass the interview then we will be colleagues. Am May by the way” she said, introducing herself.
“And am Susie”
“Seems like you two are the only ones who isn’t unedge. Can I tap from your coolness cause am going crazy from anxiety” a guy said as he walk towards them.
“We might seem calm on the outside but we are a wreck on the inside” May revealed.
“Let’s just hope we get accepted. My name is Paul and before I forget, I brought this calming pills, you can take some of it too” Paul said offering it to Susie and May who accepted.
“Alright everyone. End the chit chat and stand according to your numbers, the interview will begin now” A stern looking lady said.
Paul and May went in before her and then, it was her turn.
Susie took a deep breath as she went in with three other people.
The first person she saw was Stanley and though her smile falter a little, she made sure she was still smiling as brightly as she could.
The two other judge threw questions at the other recruits and when it came to her turn, Stanley was the one to ask.
“What makes you a good courier?” He asked and she took in a deep breath before replying.
“If you happen to stumble on a guest with an harsh temper, how will you fix the problem?” He asked again, even though he was meant to ask one question.
Susie gave a good reply earning everyone admiration.
“Smiling is the number one priority of a courier. Are you capable of smiling all the time?” Stanley asked once again.
“If you’d like a demonstration, I will definitely show you sir” Susie said and when he gave a nod, she stood up and stood where everyone could see her.
Putting one of her most charming smile, she said.
“What would like me to do for you sir?”
Everyone in the room was bewildered by how lovely she look with the smile and Stanley couldn’t help but to think himself as the most luckiest man.
Since he has a girl with an angelic smile in love with him.
“That’s all for now. You can all leave” the other judge said and they left the room.
“So? What happen?” Paul asked the moment she came out.
“I was given a hard time, I just hope I pass” Susie said.
“We did our best and am sure we will pass. I heard that the results will be revealed today, let’s wait ” May said and a while later.
They all stood in front of the notice board and while some were disappointed, some including May, Paul and Susie were happy since they passed the interview.
*****
^^ EVENING ~ MARTHA HOUSE ^^
Susie was walking down the street, texting a message to Nina.
★ I REALLY WANT TO BE THERE WHEN YOU TELL CLIFFORD ABOUT IT ★
★ DON’T WORRY, HAVE GOT IT ALL HANDLED. YOU SHOULD STAY HOME AND WAIT FOR MY CALL ★ Nina texted in return.
Susie let out a sigh as she got outside Martha’s apartment but she stop when she saw Stanley waiting there with a bouquet of rose with him.
“Congrats” he said, stretching the bouquet to her and slowly, she took it.
“I knew you will make it”
“Really? I thought you didn’t want me to make it” Susie said in return.
“And why will you think that?”
“You kept asking me questions, irrelevant ones!” She said.
“That’s because I didn’t want anyone to think it’s because you are close to me and Clifford that you were given the job”
“I didn’t want anyone talking about you” he added gently.
“Why would you care about what people say about me? ”
“I care. I care so much and that’s because I love you” Stanley said.
“Stanley I….”
“Don’t say it! I don’t know what happen between you and Clifford and I don’t care” he cut in harshly, cutting her off.
“You don’t love him. You never did and if Kate hadn’t misplace the letter it would have gotten to me, I would have known how you felt about me and I would have told you about my feelings too”
“But am glad it’s going to be over tonight. From what I know, Nina is going to see him to tell him everything. It’s best he knows so he stops believing you are in love with him”
“Nina doesn’t have to tell me anything, I heard it all” A voice said behind them and immediately, Susie turn to see Clifford standing there.
Watching them with anger….
➳ TBC ➳💙🤍🧡