Sunny-Side Up Feud

Chapter 6 - Visitors

Last weekend, I finished the living room and cleaned the kitchen. After looking up a tutorial on how to split the room, I realized that it is out of my scope of skills and made peace with the idea that it will have to wait.

My mom's bug remedy actually worked and I only found dead bugs in the cabinets. When the delivery guys came this morning to install my appliances, I offered them some coffee and cookies, which they seemed to appreciate. While they worked, I started a grocery shopping list and overheard them complaining about the bitchy hotel owner who yelled at them and threatened to sue, and how different the current situation was. I bet I know who they were talking about.

Now with everything scrubbed clean and the appliances in place, I can officially declare the kitchen ready for me to learn how to cook a hot breakfast or any meals in general for myself. While doing a scouting trip at the wholesale store, I saw frozen bread and croissants in bulk that I can finish baking in my brand new oven. Later today, I will get started on the dining area. Once that task is complete and I give the hallway toilet a through cleaning, and then the ground floor will be done.

My laptop pings with an email notification and I find a message from Lisa with some mood boards. I'm amazed that she put all of this together in just one week. The first attachment contains pictures made of bright colors and egg motifs. The quirkiness makes me smile and I look around the kitchen, trying to picture how it could work. My gaze stops at the envelope my mom sent and that I've been moving around the place. I finally rip it open and find the thickest folder I've seen in my life. On the cover, there's a taped note in my brother's handwriting.

Even though I don't consider myself an expert in matters of hospitality, I've dedicated years of my life to planning for my dream, opening a small lodging property where people feel happy and taken care of. Now that I know I won't get to realize it, I hope this collection of notes and plans will help someone else. Rowan Reed.

I can almost hear his voice as I read the words. Rowan was an old soul for his age and had a formal way of speaking since we were children. When I open the massive folder, I find a ridiculous amount of sticky notes, scraps of paper, clippings, old business cards and everything else. I pick the top piece which is a printout from a website. Who prints stuff from websites nowadays?

Small properties such as inns or bed-and-breakfasts have the advantage of being able to offer tailored services, but even then, juggling all the responsibilities of running one can get out of hand. As a start, one should do through research to define the market.

Whoever wrote that article was more than right. I thought I knew enough from reading a few articles online until I received a few days ago the marketing plan Lisa wrote for me. A simplified one, according to her. Due to the house location and the area competitors, this house would be best suited as a lodging for young adults looking for a home away from home.

My doorbell rings, interrupting further reading, and I wonder who could it be since it's too early for the post delivery. When I open the door, I find Lisa, Nina and a couple I've not met before. The man seems distracted by the broken lamp at my entrance and the woman gawks at me, which I find slightly uncomfortable.

"The Cox sisters! What brings you here?"

"Sorry for dropping by unannounced," Nina says and points with her thumb at the couple. "Some people couldn't wait until later in the day. Declan, meet our parents, Jacob and Josie."

"You are always welcome here. Come in! Pleasure to meet you, sir, ma'am. I'm Declan Reed, Taylor's cousin."

"As in our Taylor?" Mrs. Cox looks at Nina for confirmation. "How come he's never mentioned you in all these years? Has anyone told you that you are very handsome? You both look alike so much. Why didn't you say we were coming to see Taylor's family?" She looks between Lisa and Nina.