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I watched him curiously but said nothing, respecting the silence. There was a sudden weight in his posture, a solemnity in his profile that hinted he had something on his mind.
He finally broke the silence, his voice carrying a timbre of nostalgia and reverence.
“Even though the hotel has been in the family for generations, the very old timers say my parents breathed new life into it.”
A tiny spark lit up his face as he talked about his parents. I wondered if the trio had always felt so close to their parents or if death had brought them closer. Grief had a way of altering our perception.
He continued. “Do you know when they got married, it was a little bit of a scandal?”
“Oh? The best love stories, aren’t they?”
He smirked. “You would think that in LA, wouldn’t you? But it was. Both a great love story and a scandal. My father was a young man and preparing to one day take over the hotel from my grandfather. My mother, she worked for the hotel.”
“Oh? Doing what?”
“She was a waitress. And sometimes, she would fill in in the kitchen. She was a wonderful pastry chef. If not in an unofficial capacity.”
“That doesn’t sound all that scandalous.”
He laughed. “Maybe not now. But back then, it still seemed that way. Europe can be a little bit old-fashioned when it comes to mixing classes. My grandfather saw his family as having risen above their lot in life, building a business and a little fortune. He wasn’t going to let someone so low-class bring it down.” He had a smile while he told the story.
“I think everybody can be that way. Even in my part of the world, do you have people that might look down on that,” I said.
“My grandfather was furious, of course. His son and heir was going to marry a waitress? Not on his watch! So they met in secret. As you’ve seen, the hotel is full of dark corridors and hidden nooks. For years, they carried on beneath my grandfather’s nose. He was never the wiser, constantly trying to introduce my father to more respectable young women.” Ondrej paused and smirked, recalling the memories. “And eventually, they finally came forward and said they were going to get married, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.”
“How brave! How did your grandfather take it?”
Ondrej shrugged. “As they tell the story, at first, my grandfather said my father was disowned. But when my mother announced she was pregnant with Pavel, it was as if everything was forgotten. My grandfather’s heart melted.”
“That is really romantic. I love that story.”
Ondrej smiled, but his expression had a tinge of melancholy. What it must be like to carry such a legacy, to feel the weight of history and expectation.
“After my grandparents died, it was their dream to create a place that wasn't just a building but a home. And they did."
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked gently, not wanting to intrude but needing to understand his sudden openness.
Ondrej looked away, back to the river, as if searching for the right words. “Honestly, I’m not really sure. Because I guess I just want you to see what it all means to us. To really see what we’re giving up."
Ondrej paused, a shadow crossing his features. “It was supposed to be a celebration. Their wedding anniversary. They loved the river, the way it moved through Prague – said it was like the city's beating heart.”
My eyes followed his gaze out to the dark serpentine waters snaking through the city.
“They decided to take a boat ride, just the two of them. It was a beautiful evening, much like tonight.” Ondrej gestured vaguely towards the sky, now a canvas of stars and soft night clouds.
“But then, out of nowhere, a storm rolled in. It was sudden, fierce. The boat capsized. It happened so fast. The search teams... they couldn't do anything. By the time they reached them, it was too late.”
A chill ran through my body quickly, followed by a wave of sickening sorrow. What a tragic end to such a beautiful story. The kind of loss that leaves a permanent mark on a person's soul.
Ondrej’s hands gripped the railing so tightly his knuckles turned white. Then, as if noticing my gaze, he loosened his grip. He turned away from the river, his eyes now distant, as if he were looking back through time.
“After the accident, everything changed overnight. One day, we were a family with dreams and laughter, and the next... just echoes in an empty hotel.”
“I’m so sorry, Ondrej. How long ago did it happen?”
He exhaled. “Ten years ago, this past October. We weren’t children, but we were still young. Especially Dominika. She was only nineteen. None of us were equipped for what was to come.”
My stomach gripped as I thought about losing my own mother someday.
