From Bad To Worse

The scene had been so unexpected and intense that it left her feeling uneasy. She had never imagined such a distinguished place could host such volatile interactions.

Trying to shake off the disturbing thoughts, she focused on her task. James had rudely demanded that she fix his room, and it was her job to oblige him no matter the way she felt about his obvious disdain for ladies.

Taking a deep breath, she decided to get it over with. It was part of her duties after all.

As Maxine entered his room, the grandeur of the decor did little to ease her nerves. She methodically began her work, trying to stay focused.

Just as she finished tidying up, the door creaked open behind her. Her heart raced as she turned to see James entering the room, his expression smug and predatory.

"It seems like you're new here. I don't remember seeing you around. What is your name?"

"My name is Faye Reynolds, Sir." Maxine replied, adjusting her glasses.

"Faye…" James repeated. "That's a pretty name. Now Faye, do you know who I am?"

Faye wasn't sure why, but she felt like she was being circled by a hyena. Despite her thoughts, she answers his questions calmly and professionally.

"No sir, I don't."

"Well, my name is James Barnes."

"I'm sorry," Maxine interrupted. "Did you say your name was James Bond?" She asked incredulously.

"No, I didn't." Said James, tersely.

But Maxine continued knowing it would tock him off.

"Because, that would be ridiculous. James Bond is a really cool fictional character. There's no way you're him," she laughed. 

"Excuse me?" Was all James could say as Faye, completely ignoring his wrinkled eyebrow, continued her denigration. "Everyone knows that James Bond has "owned" that name, and no copycats can just drop by and steal it." She paused for effect before continuing. "But that's not your name so that's good." 

"Are you quite finished?" James asked.

"Yes, I am sir. I just had to say something. I mean you can call yourself Spiderman or whatever but James Bond? That's an overkill." She finished.

"And might I ask why Spiderman is a better name tag?"

"Trust me sir, you don't want to know." Faye said, looking around and arranging the flowers on the dressing mirror. "Well if there's nothing else I can do for you, I'd best be on my way."

But as she makes to leave, James blocks her. "Not so fast Faye," he said with a low menacing voice. 

"I was saying, before you interrupted me with your rambling, that I am a very influential man in Sunset Haven. I can get you promoted at the snap of my fingers," James said, snapping his fingers for effect. "Just like that. But on one condition."

"What condition would that be sir," Faye asked. She sort of knew what he was getting at but refused to believe it.

"Oh come on, call me James. I have a feeling we would be getting to know each other quite well, pretty soon."

Maxine felt a surge of panic but quickly steadied herself. "I came to do my job, James. That's all."

James stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "Oh, come on. Don't be so cold. We could have some fun, you know."

Maxine's mind raced. She had no intention of letting him intimidate her. "I think you should keep your distance," she warned, her voice firm.

But James ignored her and moved even closer, reaching out to grab her arm. Maxine's training kicked in. She swiftly twisted her body, using his momentum against him, and pinned his arm behind his back.

"Get off me you crazy maid!" James yelled, struggling to free himself.

Maxine maintained her hold, her voice calm but assertive. "I warned you, James. I'm not someone you can push around."

James winced in pain, his bravado evaporating. "Alright, alright! Let go!"

Maxine released him, stepping back and watching as he rubbed his sore arm. The fear and anger in his eyes were evident, but she stood her ground.

"Next time you think about getting fresh with someone," she said, her voice low and controlled, "remember this moment."

"I'm going to get you for this Faye Reynolds or whatever your name is," James fumes.

Good luck getting me fired, Maxine thought. And without another word, she marched to the door.

James glared at her, but the power dynamic had shifted. He knew better than to test her again. Maxine left the room, her heart pounding, but with a newfound sense of confidence and determination. She had stood up for herself, and in doing so, she felt more prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead at Sunset Haven.

James immediately rang up the front desk supervisor, Linda Mitchell, his voice a mix of outrage and indignation. "Linda, I need to report an incident," he barked. "A housekeeper named Faye Reynolds attacked me in my room."

Linda, a seasoned professional with years of experience handling guests' complaints, raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Attacked you, Mr. James? That doesn't sound like Faye at all."

"Just get up here and handle it!" James snapped, slamming the phone down.

Linda quickly made her way to James's room, her mind racing with disbelief. Faye Reynolds, with her demure look, thick glasses, and hair tied in a bun with bangs almost covering her eyebrows, was the last person anyone would expect to be involved in such an incident. 

When Linda arrived, she found James nursing his sore arm, his face flushed with anger. "She attacked me!" he repeated, his eyes wild. "You need to do something about this. I want her fired."

"I'll speak to her, Mr. James," Linda assured him, trying to keep the peace.

As Linda walked back to her office, the story began to spread among the staff. Faye Reynolds, the quiet and unassuming housekeeper, had stood up to James. It wasn't long before the entire staff knew what had happened, and Faye's actions became the talk of the day.

In the staff break room, the workers couldn't stop talking about it. "Did you hear about Faye?" Diane, a housekeeping, whispered excitedly. "She took down James!"

"James? That womanizer? Well good on her. I hope she doesn't get in trouble like the others," Rachel, another housekeeper, adds.

"No way," Emily, a waitress, replied, eyes wide. "Faye? With the glasses and the bun? She's a hero!"

The admiration for Faye grew as the story spread. Her demure appearance had deceived everyone, and now they saw her in a new light. She was no longer just the quiet housekeeper; she was now someone to watch.

As Faye, still in her disguise as Maxine, walked through the corridors, she could feel the eyes of her colleagues on her. There were nods of respect and whispered words of admiration, and even the few staff who had refused to acknowledge her when she'd arrived were now eager to know more about her.

Faye wasn't sure how good this was for her undercover work.

"Way to go, Faye!" Chandler, the bellhop said as he passed her in the hall.

"You're amazing," Jessy, another waitress, whispered, giving her a thumbs-up.

Maxine couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of camaraderie and support from her fellow workers. In their eyes, she was a hero, but she realized that if indeed James was a regular patron of Sunset Haven, then running into him occasionally was going to be unavoidable.

Linda Mitchell, the supervisor, had called Faye aside earlier to talk about what had happened in James' room. They stood in a quiet corner of the staff area, away from prying eyes and ears.

"Faye, I need to hear your side of the story," Linda said, her tone surprisingly neutral.

Faye took a deep breath and recounted the events. "James came into the room while I was cleaning and tried to get fresh with me. I told him to back off, but he wouldn't listen. So, I defended myself."

Linda listened, her expression unreadable. "I see," she said when Faye finished. "Well, I must admit, I'm not surprised it was James who made the first move."

Faye blinked, taken aback. "You're not?"

"No," Linda replied with a sigh. "James has a reputation for being... difficult. But you have to understand, Faye, our job here is to make the guests happy. Sometimes that means going along with what they want, even if it's uncomfortable."

Faye stared at her, incredulous. "Are you saying I should have let him...?"

"I'm saying that in this line of work, we have to make compromises," Linda said, cutting her off. "The guests pay our salaries, and sometimes that means putting up with things we don't like. It's just the way it is."

Faye felt a surge of anger and disbelief. "So, we're supposed to ignore our fundamental human rights and just... flow with whatever the guests want?"

Linda's eyes flickered with a hint of resignation. "Look, Faye, I don't make the rules. But if you want to keep your job, you have to play by them."