Eternal Freedom: A Sci-Fi Alien Romance (Addictive Aliens Book 1)
Chapter 1
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Lyra
Given the chance, I probably would have driven straight home, chilled out on the sofa, and sipped on a chilled glass of white wine while forgetting about my emotionally draining day as a social worker, but I had one last family to attend, one family to try to convince that drinking was not the way forward.
The voice in my head was telling me to start the engine and speed off, leaving my co-worker Charlie to attempt to cure another single Mom”s drinking problems. But my conscious voice slapped me around the face, ordering me to push myself through the day”s final sentimental ordeal.
I took a deep breath and checked my hair in the mirror.
”Okay, you”ve got this, Lyra,” I said, reaching for the handle.
But as I was about to open the door, a knock on the window startled me.
”What”s uppppp,” said Charlie, pressing his button nose on the glass as he shook his head from side to side, his long brown hair blowing in the wind.
”Fuck sake,” I muttered as I placed a hand on my chest. ”You scared the hell out of me.”
”Hurry up,” he said, tapping his knuckles on the window while holding half a whole wheat bagel. ”Get your ass moving, Lyra. We got another family in need of a helping hand.”
”Okay, I”m coming, I”m coming.”
I grabbed the handle and opened the door. A pleasant gust of cool air blew inside, filling my lungs with hope.
”What”s wrong?” asked Charlie, frowning as he munched his bagel. ”Feeling the pinch?”
”You could say that,” I said, sighing as I shut the car door. ”It”s been a long day.”
”I”m with you on that one. Seems like everyone today is intent on commenting about my overly large body mass and need to consume extra calories, rather than face their issues, that is.”
”Not again,” I said, playfully squeezing his shoulder. ”Don”t listen to them.”
”I don”t, but that”s probably the problem with our society: no one wants to listen to anyone, especially chubby social workers who have come to assess their fucked up situation.”
”Hey, I”m not chubby,” I say, sucking in my stomach.
”Not yet. But in the end, this job will get to you, just like it did to Rodger. God bless his soul.”
”I won”t be going down that road.”
”Good to hear it.”
Rodger was unfortunate, a lanky bloke, constantly teased for his height. In the end, he took his own life after several failed attempts because everywhere he tried, he was just too tall to die.
”Well, let”s get a jiggle on,” I said, heading towards the derelict-looking house.
Spots of rain dropped from the gray sky, landing on my face. I wiped my brow with my jacket sleeve and kept walking.
”Lovely afternoon for visiting another alcoholic family,” said Charlie, grimacing before devouring the rest of his bagel.
I smiled but kept quiet as flashes of Mom and Dad popped into my head.
An alcoholic family indeed. I”d know because I was part of one. Dad was cruelly taken from me by the dreaded drink. His endless consumption of beers and whiskey ate up his body, confidence, and decision-making, not to mention devouring his liver with cancer.
He wasn”t a bad guy, unlike the hopeless men I have to deal with in my job. Dad”s problem was that he couldn”t handle life, but it was his fault for letting it get to him. If only he had listened to the doctor”s advice and stopped drinking when he said he couldn”t consume another drop, he might have stayed around longer. But he didn”t, and now he”s gone, leaving nothing but a legacy of drunkness and debt.
”You all right?” asked Charlie, clicking his fingers by my face.
”Sorry, yeah, I was miles away then.”
”Don”t worry, soon you will be for real,” he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
”Chance would be a fine thing.”
We walked up the path, and I noticed Charlie became out of breath. For an intelligent guy, he certainly hadn”t realized the maths of calories and the benefits of keeping fit. I felt sorry for him, especially because he was such a lovable character.
We arrived at the bottom of some steps and stopped.
”Right, what have we got today?” I asked myself, swiping my cell to get into our app. ”Looks like the typical dependent family. The husband is a registered alcoholic. Incidents of assault, and the son has been missing for three days.”
”Missing or out on a binge drinking session with his play pals.”
”I guess we”ll find out soon enough.”
Praying for extra strength, I rang the doorbell. Maybe this wouldn”t be so bad. Maybe, just maybe, I”d be able to help someone before I called it a day.