“I asked for a drink.”
“I can’t serve you another alcoholic beverage right now.”
Vanessa pushed the bottle away.
“Who told you that?”
“My manager.”
“Which manager?”
Emily looked at Daniel.
Vanessa followed her eyes.
Then she smiled.
It was a sharp smile.
“Oh, him.”
Daniel walked over.
“Ms. Whitmore, we’ve already spoken about this.”
“No, you spoke. I didn’t agree.”
“You don’t have to agree.”
Vanessa’s smile disappeared.
Around them, conversations became quieter.
Daniel continued.
“We’re not serving you any more alcohol today. You can have food, water, soft drinks, whatever you need. But we’re done with alcohol.”
Vanessa lifted her plastic cup.
“I’m not drunk.”
Daniel did not respond.
“That’s what you’re implying.”
“I’m telling you we are no longer serving alcohol.”
“So you’re calling me drunk.”
“I didn’t use that word.”
Vanessa turned toward her friends.
“Did you hear this?”
One of them, a woman named Kelly, looked down at her phone.
Another, Marissa, whispered, “Vanessa, maybe we should just go upstairs for a while.”
Vanessa snapped her head toward her.
“Why?”
Marissa hesitated.
“Just to cool off.”
“I am cool.”
She turned back to Daniel.
“He’s the one creating a problem.”
Daniel had heard enough.
“Ms. Whitmore, I’m asking you to leave the pool area.”
Vanessa stared at him.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely confused.
Not angry.
Confused.
As if Daniel had just informed her that gravity no longer applied.
“Excuse me?”
“I need you to leave the pool area.”
“You’re kicking me out?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“We’ve had complaints about your behavior. You’ve been yelling at staff. You crossed into an employee area after being told not to. You’ve been cut off from alcohol, and now you’re arguing with everyone who speaks to you.”
“I am not arguing.”
Several people nearby looked at each other.
Daniel kept his voice level.
“I’m asking you to collect your belongings and leave the pool deck.”
Vanessa raised her wrist.
The gold band caught the sunlight.
“Do you see this?”
“Yes.”
“I paid for this.”
Daniel looked at the wristband.
Then at her.
“That doesn’t change anything.”
“I paid four hundred dollars for a room.”
“Okay.”
“And you are telling me I can’t use the pool?”
“I’m telling you that right now you need to leave the pool area.”
“That is insane.”
“You can discuss the room with hotel management.”