But the waiter, acting like someone who couldn't understand English and stubborn as a mule, kept holding onto his clothes, insisting on cleaning up for him.
Dennis was freaking out on the inside, unable to get his pants back nor simply remove them like a jacket to hand over. After several tugs, his growing impatience erupted, and he couldn't help but shout harshly, “Go away!"
He looked about to lose control and kicked at the waiter.
Worried that Dennis might cause trouble and get detained at this critical moment, Gordon quickly intervened, "Mr. Barlow, calm down. We have important matters to attend to, let's not waste time here."
While saying this, he glanced at the waiter and said in a good-natured tone: "It's fine, just a stain. We'll handle it ourselves. You go do your thing."
But the waiter was still looking guilty, "But this is my fault, I can't let the guest pay for my mistake."
And with that, he once again began to search for a clean towel to wipe Dennis down.
Dennis was so angry that he almost wanted to take his pants off right there and throw them at the waiter.
"How do you even work, dilly-dallying? I said I’d handle it..."
Before he could finish, the room manager showed up, looking confused and apologetic: “Excuse me, sir, what happened? Is there anything I can do for you?"
Dennis gave no replies.
The waiter, still trying to clean the stain, lifted his head toward the manager with a sorry look, ”I accidentally bumped into this gentleman while delivering room service to the neighboring room."
The room manager gave Dennis an apologetic look, "I'm very sorry, sir. I apologize for our oversight in service. How about you return to your room to change your clothes, and we will have them dry cleaned for you?"
Saying that, he even bent down in a “please” gesture.
Dennis's temper shot through the roof, but upon Gordon's reminder to avoid conflicts that could lead to scrutiny and delays at this juncture, he swallowed his anger. Almost growling, he told the room manager through gritted teeth, "I'm grateful for your attentiveness to this, but I've got a very important meeting right now and I'm in a rush to leave. Please don’t waste my time, alright?”
The room manager became even more apologetic, "Of course, of course, this was our oversight."
Turning quickly to the waiter, he put on a stern face: "Hurry up and get the gentleman's clothes cleaned!"
Dennis was mute.
"Right away!” The waiter promptly agreed, meekly taking a wet tissue in one hand and carefully preparing to wipe Dennis’s pants.
"Did I not make myself clear when I said it’s not needed?"
Dennis couldn't help but shout again, tugging at his trousers and this time successfully pulling them back, almost falling from the excessive force but fortunately supported by Gordon just in time.
The waiter looked like he was almost on the verge of tears, "I'm sorry, sir."
His eyes still fixed on the stain he hadn't managed to clean.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The Indifferent Ex-Husband: Heartstrings in the Mall of Fate
I really love it. More chapter please. Thank you...