Elevator Doors
Inés
As the Amazonian woman stormed off, Inés felt like giving in. She hated feeling inferior; she hated never standing up for herself, allowing her pride to shrivel up into nothing. But almost as soon as thoughts of failure entered her head, she forcefully pushed them out. Quitting would not pay her rent, quitting would not feed her children. Quitting would throw away all the hard work her parents had done coming to this country. With fight in her step, Inés walked over to the closet behind the bathrooms.
Taking the golden key from her pocket, she pushed it into the lock and turned. She hated opening the supply closet door. Each and every time, a wave of bleach scented cleaner burned the lining of her nose and turned her eyes red. But Inés didn’t complain to anyone other than herself. If life had taught her anything, it was that you have yourself to rely on, and only yourself. She pushed up her tired sleeves, and started putting cleaning supplies on a cart. The third floor bathrooms must be cleaned today, and Inés would work late into the night to make sure everything was perfect for the corporate guests due to check in tomorrow.
As Inés reached for one last bottle of cleaner, her ring slipped off her finger. Straining the muscles spanning the length of her back, she reached down to pick up the tarnished piece of gold. The ring was in such poor shape, she could no longer make out the inscription, but in her heart she would never forget what it said. Pienso en ti siempre. It pained her to think of the words, not because they had lost their beauty, but because she had lost the person in her life who gave them beautiful meaning. Inés missed him, every single day. Inés knew she had no time to grieve, however, and rolled the cart out of the supply closet, locking the door behind her.
Slowly but with admirable effort, Inés walked the cart to the elevator. To her surprise, the white woman from before was still waiting, looking even more irritated than before. Everyone was in a hurry in this city, Inés thought. No one took the time to appreciate moments to think, moments to look at the world around you. Inés loved those moments, mostly because she had so few.
As she approached the elevator, Inés halted her cart, just in time for cramps to seize her abdomen. This baby had been her toughest, she thought to herself. Getting to a full term pregnancy seemed impossible, as her belly ballooned more each and every day. Trying to mask the pain, Inés smiled at the man waiting next to her.
Taking the golden key from her pocket, she pushed it into the lock and turned. She hated opening the supply closet door. Each and every time, a wave of bleach scented cleaner burned the lining of her nose and turned her eyes red. But Inés didn’t complain to anyone other than herself. If life had taught her anything, it was that you have yourself to rely on, and only yourself. She pushed up her tired sleeves, and started putting cleaning supplies on a cart. The third floor bathrooms must be cleaned today, and Inés would work late into the night to make sure everything was perfect for the corporate guests due to check in tomorrow.
As Inés reached for one last bottle of cleaner, her ring slipped off her finger. Straining the muscles spanning the length of her back, she reached down to pick up the tarnished piece of gold. The ring was in such poor shape, she could no longer make out the inscription, but in her heart she would never forget what it said. Pienso en ti siempre. It pained her to think of the words, not because they had lost their beauty, but because she had lost the person in her life who gave them beautiful meaning. Inés missed him, every single day. Inés knew she had no time to grieve, however, and rolled the cart out of the supply closet, locking the door behind her.
Slowly but with admirable effort, Inés walked the cart to the elevator. To her surprise, the white woman from before was still waiting, looking even more irritated than before. Everyone was in a hurry in this city, Inés thought. No one took the time to appreciate moments to think, moments to look at the world around you. Inés loved those moments, mostly because she had so few.
As she approached the elevator, Inés halted her cart, just in time for cramps to seize her abdomen. This baby had been her toughest, she thought to herself. Getting to a full term pregnancy seemed impossible, as her belly ballooned more each and every day. Trying to mask the pain, Inés smiled at the man waiting next to her.