Chapter 18: Honeymoon

Phoenix couldn’t believe that this was the plan Leif had in mind. She wasn’t going to take this abuse anymore. She swore to herself that once she got the chance, she was going to kick his butt the way it needed to be kicked.

“So,” the attendant at the counter said, “That’s three rooms, correct?”

“That’s right!” Leif chimed, wrapping his hand around Phoenix’s waist and pulling her close. “One the Misses and I, and the other for my brother, his wife and their…” Leif paused for a moment, wondering where this plan was going.

“My brother,” Phoenix said, smiling to the attendant.

Leif winced when he felt Phoenix’s shoe dig into his foot, he knew that he screwed up big time.

The attendant smiled as if nothing was wrong and began processing the information into the computer in front of him. “Might I ask what the occasion is?” The attendant glanced at Phoenix and Leif.

Phoenix looked to Leif and Leif to her.

‘What’s the excuse?’ Leif asked with his eyes, seeming a bit worried.

Phoenix glared. ‘You mean you didn’t think this through?!’

“Mister and Misses Edwards?” the attendant asked.

“Oh, sorry,” Leif said, smiling to the attendant, “we’re on our honeymoon!” Phoenix flinched at him saying that as her ’piss-off-o-meter’ was getting higher with every word spilling out of his foolish mouth.

“It just so happened that my brother”-Leif motioned to Cyne, who had his arm wrapped around  Estela-”was coming to visit my cousin’s sister with his wife.” Leif motioned to Chastel, who seemed overly nervous about the situation. “And Mark here offered to show us around the city.”

Phoenix dug her heel into Leif’s foot again. That sounds like a lot of bull crap… Phoenix thought.

The attendant smiled. “Well, I do hope you enjoy the city.” The attendant handed Leif three keycards for the rooms. “There are a lot of things to see here. Oh, and, congratulations.”

Phoenix smiled at the attendant and gave him a quick thanks; thus, they headed off towards their rooms.

Right when the group had gotten in the elevator to go up to their rooms, Phoenix had quickly twisted Leif’s arm off of her and brought him to his knees.

“Ow!” Leif shouted, feeling Phoenix’s boot in his back as she stepped on him.

“What kind of plan was that?” she shouted.

“Commander Volante, please,” Chastel said, urging Phoenix to stop. “Commander Wyrick’s thinking got us safely into the city. We should be thankful that we go this far.”

Phoenix glared at Chastel, and he backed off.

“I do agree with Commander Volante,” Estela said, getting loose from Cyne’s grip around her. “I don’t like this plan of a ‘Honeymoon’.”

Phoenix dug her shoe into Leif as he continued to groan in pain. “Explain yourself, Wyrick!”

Leif looked over his shoulder and smiled to Phoenix. “What is there to explain?” He chuckled. “I was just getting a chance to have an excuse to have you in my arms, Nixie!”

Phoenix dug her shoe in him again and he shouted for her to stop, but he didn’t.

“Now, now,” Cyne said, pulling Phoenix off of Leif, “if you don’t want to be with him.” Cyne lifted Phoenix’s chin to face him. “Why don’t you pretend with me?”

Phoenix growled at Cyne and soon had him on the floor with Leif, kicking them both. When the bell for the elevator rang, Phoenix had stopped kicking them and pretended like nothing happened. Luckily no one else was waiting for the elevator on the floor, so Phoenix managed to get scot-free.

“Why does she do this…?” Leif mumbled as he and the other slowly followed Phoenix down the hall.

“I was beginning to wonder the same thing…” Cyne mumbled.

“When will she ever take a joke…” both men said, sighing.