They entered a ritzy neighborhood. Not full of mansions and top-of-the-line luxury cars with six-figure yachts and RVs sitting next to them, but full of comfort far beyond what Alicia was used to. Nobody struggled here. That much was for sure. Most of the homes were sprawling ranches with immaculate lawns, perfectly trimmed trees and shrubs, and an attractive array of decorations ranging from wind chimes to flags, from lawn statues to hanging flower pots.
The kinds of people who lived here probably had little to no empathy for the poor and struggling. Trying to explain to them what it was like to worry about paying the rent on time and having enough food to eat would probably be like trying to explain the stock market to a two-year-old. Still, it was a paradise that Alicia never expected to get a firsthand taste of, up close and personal, even if it would be little more than just a fleeting blip in her life.
Alicia glanced over at Alyssa. She hoped she wouldn’t end up too attached to the lovely woman. Already, the thought of leaving her made her sad, and she hadn’t even set foot into her home yet. Even though she sensed that while the beautiful doctor was very open-minded and had a great sense of humor, she could also see where she might be a bit of a bitch at times and somewhat on the bossy side. Still, the more time she spent with her, the more turned on she found herself to be.
“This is beautiful,” Alicia said as they pulled into the driveway of a long, mint green-colored house.
Alyssa smiled.
Pink tea rose bushes contrasted nicely with the green of the house. A large majesty palm stood in the center of the front yard. Driveways tended to run alongside the homes in the west, but that wasn’t the case in this neighborhood. Although scarce, Alicia always liked this setup better, as it added more privacy and blocked more sound. She only hoped the people around them allowed their dogs indoors. She hated having to listen to hours and hours of barking from dogs that weren’t allowed inside.
“This is just an incredible neighborhood. No barking?”
“Nope. Very seldom, and that’s usually only if someone’s out walking their dog and someone passes by on a bike or something like that.”
“No screaming kids either?”
“Nope. None of that.”
“Wow. You’re really lucky.”
The driveway was slightly wider than the double-car garage. Alyssa parked to the far side of it, which Alicia assumed was to make room for her parents’ vehicles.
They stepped out of the car into the mild, pleasant day. The sun was shining, and the whole atmosphere was very picturesque and inviting. They took what little Alicia had and headed for the house, then stepped off the side of the driveway onto a curvy path that led to the front door.
The door was opened by whom Alicia guessed to be Alyssa’s mother. “Hi there,” she said in a friendly tone.
Alicia smiled shyly at the woman. “Hello.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yup. Sure is,” Alyssa assured her in that non-hesitant, confident tone Alicia had always admired.
Alyssa then motioned Alicia into the house ahead of her. Her mother stepped aside to make room for them and said, “Well, aren’t you a cutie.”
“Thanks,” said Alicia. “And thanks for having me, Mrs. Blakely.”
“Oh, it’s no problem,” the woman said with a wave of her arm, as if she welcomed strangers into her home every day. “And please call me Rayna.”
The similarities between Rayna and her daughter stopped at the hair. Rayna was tall and thin, though not quite as tall as her daughter. She had the same facial features, only her hair was a bit darker and fell perfectly straight to the middle of her back. Again, Alicia wondered if the beautiful doc’s curls were real and if she lightened her hair or not, but was sure she’d be pretty hot either way. Well, maybe not in jet-black hair.
“Oh, darn,” her mother suddenly said. “I forgot to pick up the cot I was going to get for her.”
“Don’t worry, Mom,” Alyssa told her. “As short as she is, I have confidence she’ll fit just fine on the bench for now.”
“I can sleep anywhere,” Alicia lied. Lying wasn’t her style, but she felt compelled to ease the woman’s worries.
“Right this way, ma’am,” said Alyssa.
Alicia stepped ahead of her and walked down a long hallway.
“To the left.”
Alicia could see a bedroom straight off the end of the hall as she turned left as instructed and entered a large bedroom. “Wow, this is really nice. It’s so big. Is this the master bedroom?”
“No, but both bedrooms are quite large, and both have bathrooms you can access from them.”
Alicia was kind of surprised that there were only two bedrooms for such a big house.
Alyssa placed her bag on the floor by a long dresser and told Alicia she could place her purse on the dresser. Alicia put her purse down and surveyed the room, which was done up in magnificent shades of violet and lavender. Two large windows flanked the sides of the queen-size bed. A huge closet took up one wall and had mirrored sliding doors. There was also a tall dresser and a long dresser. “The bench” was maroon-colored, made of velvety fabric, and sat at the foot of the bed, nearly as wide as the bed itself.
“Think we can squeeze you in here for now?” Alyssa asked.
Alicia nodded. “Definitely.” In truth, she knew she’d be a bit cramped because the bench was narrow, and her feet might hang just over the edge of it, but she certainly couldn’t be any less comfortable than she had been in the hospital.
Alyssa’s mom appeared in the doorway. “I’ve got some sheets I can throw on to make it feel a little more bed-like, plus a little blanket for you.”
Alicia smiled and thanked her.
“When you need to take naps, you can just take the bed,” Alyssa told her as Alicia yawned.
“I don’t know why I’m so tired. I haven’t been up for more than a few hours.”
“You’ve been through a lot, both physically and emotionally,” said Alyssa. “It’s going to take time to recover and get your energy back. Want to lie down now?”
“Yeah, unfortunately, I think I could use a little break.”
“No problem,” Alyssa said, pulling down the bed covers. “Later, we can discuss contacting Nakia and getting more of your belongings.”
“I definitely could use them,” Alicia said.
Right as she was about to slip into bed, Alyssa said, “How about we get you in something a bit more comfortable first?” She reached for one of her dresser drawers. “It might be big on you, especially in length, but I think you’ll find it more comfortable than what you’re wearing now.”
“Sounds good.”
“Would you like something to drink before your nap?” asked Rayna.
“No thanks,” Alicia told her, and then the two women left her alone to change and get some rest.
As Alicia lay there, she realized how nice the room smelled. It was flowery, with just a hint of spiciness mixed in as well. The sheets felt luxurious, and the bed was wonderfully soft. She couldn’t believe she was lying in Doc Blakely’s bed of all beds. Hot, sexy, tall, strong, younger, confident Doc Blakely.
Despite the excitement and shock of being where she was, there was still a sense of sadness as well. She missed her uncle and would continue to do so for a long time. It wasn’t just about losing him; it was the sudden change. She’d stepped out of her very plane of existence and into something that was so uncertain. In that respect, she felt incredibly overwhelmed.
She tried to keep her eyes open, but it just wasn’t to be. Instead, she drifted into a dreamless sleep and didn’t awake for nearly two hours.
ns216.73.216.236da2
and then Add to home screen.