Without my staff I wondered how I’d ever make it through Minerva’s vacation. She’d been gone a week, but already, my reliance on her assistant, Attie had reached new heights. Thankfully Attie was just as competent as Minerva, and though I missed her company and her efficiency, it was only because we’d worked together for so long and had become friends. She deserved this vacation, and I wished her all the happiness on her European river cruise.
Speaking of cruises, I turned to the carpet swatches on my computer screen, happy to give my approval on the forthcoming ocean faring cruise ship to join the Par Impar family. The ship I docked not far from Olympus had come on a whim, a company fire sale that I’d picked up too cheap to turn away. I’d renovate it, but probably not until next year.
I added my notes, checked the timeline, and smiled. With delivery scheduled for the first of May, I’d have the PI Blue Chip here just in time for a busy summer season. I liked it. A construction crew worked on building a new dock so the ship could stop right here at Par Impar. No need to go into Nassau or elsewhere unless the guests wished. Of course, I already scheduled several round-trip buses for guests to visit the bazaar in Nassau where the locals sold their goods, not to mention other shopping opportunities.
My head swum with the growth of Par Impar. I was stepping into the human world as much as my beloved stepped out of it, except to continue his work of blessing agrarian pursuits. I sent him a warm thought and rearranged my long hair into a silver clip, before standing and stretching behind my desk.
I glanced out the windows overlooking the gaming floor with a smile. Though we still housed a few refugees, mostly things were back to normal after the horrors of last summer and fall. An older woman, her gray hair cut stylishly, danced as her slot machine paid out handsomely, and down at the gaming table, a group of young men with scruff and designer jeans played a strong game of poker.
Turning away, I returned to my computer long enough to approve a set of invoices and toss a few ideas to hospitality about things we could do for spring break. Then, with a message to Attie that she should radio me if something came up, I stretched my legs for a stroll along the gaming floor, then out the beachfront double doors to survey the work being done on the dock.
As I often did, though it wasn’t part of the agreement, I dropped a small coin, sometimes a drachma left from my trip to Greece or an American penny or Great Britain Pound, or even a Canadian Looney, into the urn on my private beach. Then, I crossed through the gardens to the construction zone.
I thought of the ghost pirates often and mostly not fondly. They’d returned to the ocean when October had ended, as if we’d planned their appearance as some kind of elaborate Halloween ruse. Few knew of my days as the captain of the Lady Luck and that they’d bestowed that name upon me without knowing about the nature of my powers. The ones who did, and who still lived, all remained at Rota, which also hadn’t made an appearance recently. I still looked to the horizon, expecting to see it any day.
I’d received congratulations for my part in putting Iapetus back into Tartarus, though his presence and that of others still outstanding, made me realize that things were moving the world far faster than even a deity could have expected. I had to focus on my business. I needed to focus on my business. Because honestly, talking with my sister, made me tired of deity business. I just wanted to make mortals happy and share good fortune with them.
I stopped and sat on a bench by the dock and watched the construction. Luckily the channel was already deep enough to accommodate a cruise ship, though we’d made some small adjustments. Mostly the structures on land were being built, from a place to disembark as well as a centralized point for passenger arrivals. A building where ticketing agents would remain to check tickets, as well as offer maps and send them to the next building, a refreshment area, complete with a boardwalk and fenced in outdoor patio overlooking the beach. From there, they would be escorted on the fleet of electric golf carts powered by the food waste that we didn’t compost to the main Par Impar building and to their rooms.
The foreman strode over, a tall dark man with a shaved head wrapped in a flamboyant bandana. He called orders to workers unloading metal scaffolding with a crane, before stepping up onto the boardwalk and coming to her. “Checking up on us?” He grinned.
“Just admiring the hard work. This is amazing. Do you need anything more from me? Any more resources?” I asked and offered a water bottle that I’d brought with her from the kitchen cooler.
“Thank you. We have everything we need and as long as the weather cooperates, we’ll be right on schedule.”
“Excellent. I want to check in at the hospitality area. We’ll start to interview for additional positions by mid-March to make sure that we have time to bring things up to speed before the Blue Chip arrives.” I watched the men lower the scaffolding into place.
“Good. I will let you know if I see any good candidates. Not everyone is cut out for the nomadic life and this would be a good place to land. If you’ll excuse me.” He turned and strode back to the beach. A few moments later he shouted commands at the workers and the crane shifted the load.
I went to the hospitality building stepping inside to see the space taking shape. The exterior looked good, with landscapers and gardeners coming on site. Once inside the building, I easily envisioned where the seating areas and the kitchen would be. I could see that this would be a hub of activity as those on the ship disembarked to have some fun on shore before returning to the ship.
I chatted with the overseer, then the radio chirped in my ear. I pressed the microphone. “Yes?”
“It’s Attie. I have the documents you requested. Shall I put them on your desk?”
“Yes, please,” I replied. Other than the fact that she wasn’t Minerva, her hesitancy to enter my office was the other downside to working with her. “I’ll be back up.” I excused myself from the conversation and returned to the building.
After a short stroll through the main floor where I enjoyed the good luck of many guests, I took the elevator up to my office where Attie had dutifully placed the papers on my desk. I refilled my water bottle, then sat down and grabbed the thick folder that I hadn’t touched in a long time. It was time to reevaluate a lot of things. Rota wouldn’t stay hidden for long and my sister’s “live and let live” philosophy, wouldn’t prepare us for the things to come.
I locked my office doors and asked the music app to play some soothing ambient acoustic guitar music. I activated the diffuser with a sandalwood scent.
Then, I opened the folder full of legal documents. They covered all scenarios, from fires to flooding, to everything in between. Most of them I’d worked out with our insurance agent and attorney. However, towards the bottom were the papers I’d needed to see the most. These documents outlined what to do if I needed to take a long absence and who would run Par Impar if I were gone.
I pulled them out, setting the rest of the documents and folder onto the edge of my desk. Unbeknownst to Minerva, I’d put her down as the contact. But with my intention of offering her the job at our world headquarters, I had no one else to list here. I, however, wasn’t without my contacts and that was why I wanted these forms. My next job would be to search for someone I could trust.
I opened a blank document and began to type:
Hard-working professional desired to lead a growing gaming conglomerate in the Bahamas. Must be familiar with gaming rules and regulations, able to work independently, lead a diverse team of talented employees and be able to hire and retain staff. Position is currently just below C-level, but could lead to promotions for the right candidate. Will be working closely with international partners and must be fluent in English and the ideal candidate will be conversational in Spanish and French as well. The ideal candidate will love a fast paced environment, meeting new people and ensuring their wildest desires are fulfilled at our resort.
Yes, that would do nicely. Now to reach out to people, and I knew exactly where to start.