Motel 6 // n.h

[3] First Impressions

A wild 'Navery' may or may not be spotted in this chapter.

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Avery Holmes

After hours upon hours of driving through the pitch black of night, a practically empty tank of gas, and a Slurpee from a passing gas station for Aimee, I found a cheap 'Motel 6' that we would call our temporary home.

"So we're gonna have a sleepover?" Aimee asked, her tongue blue from her slushy. I nodded and unbuckled her from her car seat, throwing our bags over my shoulder. I checked the bold lettered vacancy sign that was under the 'Mtel 6' sign(the O lighting had gone out) and all my fears washed away.

With Aimee on my hip, I pushed through the front doors and into the lobby. There was a woman who looked around fifty years old smoking a cigarette behind the front desk, and as soon as she saw us she flicked the butt of the cigarette and threw it in a nearby ash tray.

"Welcome to Motel 6." She smiled wide as we approached the desk. "I hope you found your way here easily." I wanted to tell her that in the start of my journey, I had no idea that I'd be ending up here, but instead I just nodded politely.

"You want some?" Aimee asked, holding out the blue slushy to the woman. The woman laughed hoarsely.

"No thanks, cutie. What's your name?" She asked, leaning her elbows on the counter top.

"Aimee and I'm this many." Aimee said seriously, holding up four fingers. I laughed and put one down for her, she was always accidentally putting up the wrong amount. I had tried and tried again to teach her how to count to ten, but she always had at least two numbers backwards.

"Well I'm Shirley, and I'm too many years old to say out loud." Shirley cackles at her own joke and shakes her head, the 90's hairdo on hear head swaying back and forth. "And what's your mommy's name?"

"Mommy." Aimee says.

"She means Avery, Avery Holmes." I extend my hand, which Shirley shakes with so much force that Aimee shook in my arms. "And we're here to get a room."

Shirley nods. "How many nights will you be staying?" She asks.

"Um.." I bite my lip, I hadn't exactly gotten that far. "We're not sure, can I just pay a week at a time?" I raise an eyebrow, afraid that she'd reject me. I knew if I wasn't able to stay here then Aimee and I would have to result in sleeping in the car, which would not go over yet.

Shirley nodded. "For one week, that'll come to 500 dollars." She said. I dug around in my incredibly messy wallet and fished out the cash. "Alright, here's your key." She said, dangling the single key in the air. I grabbed it, smiling. "You're room thirty six, if you just go back out there's a staircase to the left that'll bring you to the second floor, you're going to be the fifth door down."

I nodded and said my goodbyes to Shirley, and as soon as we were back out the door she was lighting another cigarette. I was just glad that Aimee hadn't asked about it, because I really didn't know what to tell her. If I told her it was a bad thing, she'd open up her big toddler mouth and tell Shirley.

"I get a big bed?" Aimee asks as I fiddle with the knob. I honestly had no idea, I'd never been to one of these motels, all I knew was that it was the cheapest around and that was good enough for me.

The walls were a beige color, and the carpet the ugliest shade of blue that I think I'd ever laid my eyes on. There was only one bed, since we'd rented one of the cheapest rooms available. The bed sheet was the same blue as the carpet, but this time there were a few streaks of orange mixed in. I saw a door that lead to a little bedroom over in the corner.