My Own Two Feet

This is my first one so tell me if you love it, if you hate it, or anything in between. No sex in the first chapter. Sorry

- Momz

*

Okay, today could NOT get any worse, right? She looked over the lobby, past the upset people, and through the gold letters that read Smithville Pediatrics on the glass doors. She tried again to take a deep breath, in slow-out slow and cleared her throat.

"Due to unexpected events beyond our control, we will have to close the office for today. If the parents will form a like at the desk I will fit you in tomorrow or send you to the emergency room. Patients that were here for well visits and vaccines will have to call tomorrow to reschedule over the next few days." The small crowd gasped and groaned and one tired mom slapped a table. Alora took another breath and blew slowly. God help those two when I get my hands on them! Her brain was halfway between frustrated tears and gut nagging worry. She faced the crowd one by one and held her chin up until every parent that stayed was taken care of. She would not have to do this on her own if the damn nurse Essie had stayed, but two hours after the doc's did not return from lunch she left. As the last patient and their family were ushered out of the office, she called the police again.

Alora stepped out into the warm night air. It was twelve thirty and she had just locked up the office after the police finally left. It was exactly eighteen hours after she came in this morning. Upset, tired, miserable, worried, and now maybe jobless, Alora called the one person who was supposed to make everything better: her husband, Michael.

"Hello?"

"Hay, Babe, I..."

"Where the HELL are you? There's no dinner. You don't call. What the HELL are you thinking?" Mike growled. Alora took another calming breath.

"Babe I am trying..."

"Listen, are you going to pick up something for dinner? I'm really upset here. Don't you think I worry about you?" Mike was talking through clenched teeth, and Alora could tell it was going to be an even longer night.

"No Hun, I am trying to tell you that today..."

"Listen you are going to have to at least pick up some burgers from that pub down the street. What the fuck, Lory? You better have a good reason for not calling when you get home and do not think for a minute that I'm not checking those panties and they better not be perfectly clean like you just put a new pair on!"

"Shut up, Mike! I have trying to tell you..." Click. Alora squealed in frustration. She was so upset, on, so many levels that when she got to the bar she ordered a double jack and coke. Alora could feel the flush in her face. She snatched a ten out of her back pocket and did not even look at the bartender as he set the drink down. She knocked it back, and smacked the bar. She rarely drank and so much alcohol at once made her gasp as she waved the glass in the bartender's direction. Without looking up she dug her purse for her emergency fifty and mumbled under her breath. Finally she pulled it out and tossed it on the ten dollar bill on the bar. She could feel him still standing there.

"Another one of these, please and don't forget it's a double." Alora chocked out. Her voice was raspy and she was panting softly to ease the burn on her tongue. She scowled deeply thinking of her asinine husband and stared at the bar, her face angry and distracted. She felt the bartender hesitate and a soft deep voice sounded.

"Ummm, Miss" the bartender asked "are you ok?"

"I HATE the name Lory!" Alora snapped viciously, snarling. Her face paled immediately. She seemed to shrink on the stool.

"Lady you're not the first or loudest person to have yelled at me tonight. It will take a lot more than that to make me cry." The bartender soothed. Alora saw him for the first time. The gray in his hair and goatee, or the fact that he was too heavy for his height, did not diminish the fact that he was very handsome. Alora gave him a vague and somewhat sheepish smile.

"Would you believe I've had a bad day?" Alora moaned into her glass, empty again. "Can I place an order for two burgers, all the way with fries, and get a single this time? Alora took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Today COULD NOT get worse. She sipped her third drink slower this time, and replayed the day while waiting for her food. Did she miss something? Were there clues to what happened that she could offer the police? Alora finally looked around and noticed the pub was emptying out. The only thing left now were the power drinkers and the all night partiers. She looked at her watch and it was 2:30am. A young man came from the back headed her direction with a promising looking white plastic bag.

"Jimmy cooked this for you himself." he said. "We aren't supposed to make food after one am."

"Jimmy?"

"Yea, Jimmy: the owner." The kid rolled his eyes and set the food on the bar. "He says don't worry about the money. Hopefully this will cure you of your bad day." With that the young man went back to collecting empty glasses.

"Oh!" Alora said realizing there was even someone new making the drinks. I have officially lost it. She grabbed her food, and walked out. I don't wanna go home she grumbled to herself. Her phone rang.

"Mike I'm"

"Mrs. Peters?"

"Yes, this is she." Oh, no.

"This is Officer Jarrett from Smith County Sheriffs Department. I am calling to let you know that we found the Lutz's car at the airport and though we did not find them, there was no sign of any struggle. We are on our way to review the cameras from the airport. Were they planning a trip that you know of? Is there anything else you can remember that might be helpful?" Alora clutched her phone tightly.

"No, Officer Jarrett, but I have your number on my phone now if I need to call you, and I still have your card. Thank you for calling. I going to go in tomorrow and cancel all the appointments." Alora started to tear. This was awful and getting worse.

"Don't go overboard, miss. We'll find them." The officer said. "Good night, well good morning." What happened to them? What was she going to do about all those

patients? She pulled into the driveway still tearing quietly. She walked up to her small house with her shoulders slumped and her heart torn. The Lutz's were richer than Midas and eccentric as hell; but besides losing track of time to come back from lunch, they had never just gone off, not contactable by the sleek phones they had bought for themselves all the staff. She walked in the kitchen and her stomach grumbled. She flicked the lights on, screamed and dropped everything she was holding. Mike stood there in nothing but gray sweatpants and an angry mask of disgust. Her husband was beautiful, golden and ripped like a Greek god but now seemed more like the angel of death. He sure was not the angel of mercy.

"Are you telling me you trip in here at 3am and NOT FACE ME?" His face was now red and no longer attractive. His muscles rippled in anger, and Alora took a step back.

"ANSWER ME" he screamed.

"That's IT" Alora yelled back and she went red form her forehead to her chest. "I'm done, Mike! Did you know my bosses disappeared today? Did you even once pick up the phone to call if you were so worried? Did you at any time tonight think of ANYONE but yourself?" Alora was on her tiptoes now and so livid she was heaving breaths.

"You never called me." Mike countered.

"I was BUSY." Alora screamed, fists clenched, she then turned and stormed off to the bedroom. He grabbed her overnight bag from under the bathroom sink and headed towards her dresser.

"Oh you're not walking out..."

"STOP ME!" She leaned towards him in her anger and fumed.

"Have you been drinking?"

"IT. WAS. A. PUB.YOUUUUUU SENT ME TO YOU ASS HOLE. ENJOY YOUR DINNER!" Alora was trembling with anger, and finally; finally she had wiped that domineering smug look off his face. She headed into the bedroom, grabbed her overnight bag and headed towards her dresser. Mike stood with his arms folded as she stomped back out. She slammed the door open and it bounced off the wall as she walked out and threw her stuff in front seat. She peeled out down the drive. Mike glared around in case anyone was watching and went back inside.

Alora headed to the closest motel and threw her car in beside a huge black truck. She got a room so she could sleep a few hours until she had to go deal with the office. She hadn't done anything other than take off her shirt when she lay down on the bed. She'd get up and shower in a minute her feet and heart just hurt so much. Her stomach growled.