Once they are gone I jump in and pray to God that no one stops the elevator before I can reach his floor.
The doors close, and I look for the right button, until… Wait a minute, he said the room number, but he didn't say what floor!
“Oh, come on, you dumb bitch. You’ve been in enough shitty hotels to know that the room number tells you the floor too. Or, are you always too drunk to remember? Oh that’s right you didn’t even make it to the hotel. You fucked on the spot.”
I was enjoying your absence, but this time you are being useful,I reply to Life, annoyed.
I swipe the keycard and push seventeen.
“Uhm you’re welcome?”Life adds.
The elevator goes up really quick.
Ding!
The shitty doors open, and I immediately hear people shuffling around.
I step out with confidence, I doubt anyone would look at me up here.
A few feet away a door reads ‘To guest rooms’. I go through it, and the shiny white marble floor returning my reflection welcomes me. Everything appears so elegant and fancy, I would like to stay and look around, but there’s no time to appreciate all these luxuries. I need to be focused.
I pull the card Bruno gave me from my pocket and insert it into the reader, which lights up a red.
What the fuck?
I pull it out and again, Red.
I push the door with my body, but it won’t budge. It is completely sealed shut.
Shit!
Frantic, I rub the key against my leg and try again.
Green.
Click!
The door opens, and I step inside, recovering my breath.
I’d initially thought I would find a fancy room, but this… this is actually a full apartment.
Oh, that’s right, this is the seventeenth floor. The most expensive rooms are most likely located here, because in reality these are massive rooms. Probably there are just a handful per floor.
The living space has white marble floors, though somehow, these look better than the ones outside, if that is possible. Apparently it is the hallmark of this hotel. A number of gold columns decorate the room, there is a giant gold couch, and a TV bigger than the one Bruno has back home. From the doorframe, I can see an elegant kitchen with a large dining area. Finally, I take in the bedroom with its white walls and incredible burgundy carpets.
The room has a floor-to-ceiling window that offers a stunning view of the eccentric city of Riyadh. I've never seen anything like it.
I go to the window. I guess I can drink that in for a while until Bruno gets here.
Where is he?
Chapter Forty-Five
BRUNO
For every floor the elevator clears on its ascent, a drop of sweat runs down my forehead.
I don't mean to be negative, but a thousand things may have happened to Sarah while I was not with her, and now that she is here, in Saudi with me. Not knowing what she is doing or what is happening to her drains all my energy.
