Fire In The Hole

The beginning

On a dry sunny day in late summer, Hazel left her apartment in her small town and hopped in her car to go to work. She wasn’t expecting it to be much to be different from any other shift as concierge for one of the better hotels in town. As she walked in, she could feel there was something new she would soon find out. She walked behind the desk and started talking with Maria to get the low down on the guest list and who are the ones to make trouble from the morning shift. As Maria is filling her in, it happened a man came out of the closed bar door in the restaurant uniform and walked through the lobby to leave. Hazel caught this out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head and watched him walk out. He saw her looking and smiled. He was of a medium build with mousey brown spikey hair. She noticed he had cute dimples and pretty, light blue eyes. She smiled back and felt her gut fall to the floor. Maria touched her arm and said, “Did you hear me?” Hazel shook her head snapping out of the 80’s movie montage that was playing in her head of this man and said, “What?”

“I said the man in 404 is going to want room service when he gets in, you’ll have to walk it to his room.” Said Maria

“Okay, I got it. Thanks, have fun tonight on your date.”

As the night wore on and the bar opened, several people walked past the desk to go in and out of the bar. Hazel went about her business and set up the desk phone as she had been brought the dinner for the man in 404. She tucked the phone in her uniform vest pocket and locked the door to the desk, grabbed the tray and went to room 404 and dropped it off. She got a few calls for extra shampoos and pillows on her way back, so it took her a moment to get back to the desk. When she did get back to the desk, she was surprised the man she saw earlier standing at the desk.

He smiled and said, “You don’t have change, do you?” “Of course, I have change. This is the desk, I have everything. How much do you need?“ she said. He did a huff and said “Just $5.00 the bar ran out. Thanks.” She changed his money, and he disappeared back into the bar.

Over the next few weeks, she would see him more and more at work. Finally, one day he came up and asked her if she had a break coming up. “Want to hang out on break?” she shook her head as she was getting ready to answer the phone and smiled. Time passes and break time came. He popped his head out of the shortcut for kitchen staff and said “Are you ready? I don’t know where you are allowed to go, so I will follow you.” As she led him outside to her break spot, he introduced himself as Oliver. She responded by telling him her name was Hazel. He started the standard small talk, and they had a nice chat for the next 30 minutes. Before leaving he asked for her number. She gave it to him, and the courting started. Over the next few weeks, they would talk regularly inside of work and out. He asked her out on a date and she said yes. That Friday night as she excitedly got ready to go. She was dressed nicely hair and makeup done. She walked into the local little dive bar where she knew almost everyone. She stopped just inside the door and looked for him. He smiled and waved her down. The conversation was great, and he was a gentleman. She was so happy; her bartender friend Aaron told her while she was picking up their second round and appetizers that he seemed like a good guy and she would go for it. Hearing that was all she needed as Aaron was a trusted friend. Their dating progressed quickly. They were both happy with how things were going. They complimented each other well. Meeting each other’s friends and enjoying each other’s company, finding new things every day that they liked about one another.

On one occasion he asked her over to make dinner. She walked up the stairs of the downtown apartment, and down the hall to number 3. As she knocked, she looked around the dimly lit hall with tan walls and dark brown carpet. It was an older building but well maintained. The white door with several coats of paint on it opened and there he stood, dressed nicely. He reached for her hand and said I could not wait for you to get here. He led her into the apartment. “It smells amazing in here” she said. He giggled and said “It’s just a simple lemon-roasted salmon and potato dish.” Hazel smiled and said “wow a man who can really cook.” He got closer. he said “oh well if you think that just from the smell wait till you taste it.” He leaned in and kissed her. As they sat there eating dinner and sharing their interests in conversation the door opened. A tall rough looking skinny man stood at the door with large glasses and a thick 5 o’clock shadow. His clothes looked like they had not been washed in a few days. She looked back at Oliver startled. He looked surprised and got up and said, “Hazel this is my roommate, James.” She stood up “It’s nice to meet you James, You have a nice home.” James stumbled in the door without saying a word and went to his room and shut the door. “I’m sorry, I was not expecting him to be here. He has been gone for a few days.” “It’s ok, let’s not let it ruin our night.” Hazel pecked him on the cheek and sat back down at the table. Oliver sat down and continued with dinner, pouring more wine into Hazel’s glass.

Six months into their date he stopped by her place and told her about his roommate and how he was being very unreliable and being gone for days at a time. While cuddling on her couch, he explained his roommate was an alcoholic and he wanted him to move out. He asked her what she thought of the situation. She agreed because the couple of times she had been over to his place she felt uneasy. She said that “It’s hard to relax when someone is sitting in the corner with him sitting there with headphones on and incoherently trying to sing and drinking till, he passes out.” After a movie that night he said his goodbyes and walked off into the night.