Returning to Life

Chapter Five

"A driver will be out front in 10 minutes to escort you to a location of your choosing. When you exit the restroom, you can go through the kitchen and take the back exit."

He had written the note on a napkin and tucked it into the towel.  She was sure there were easier ways to avoid messy situations like this. 

She shook her head and tried to get as much water from her clothes as she could with the small towel.  It was worth getting drenched to get away from that douche bag.

She threw the napkin in the trash and laid the towel on the sink.  She'd have to remember to come back later and thank the bartender. 

She checked her cell phone.  It had died on the people mover.  Didn't it just figure that the phone always died when you needed at most.  She didn't her charge cord and she kept the portable charger at work.  She never went any where else.  She wanted to call Josh or Jenny so someone knew what was going on.

Maybe they had a phone in the kitchen.  If not, she'd just slip out the back door and head towards the front of the building to the ride the bartender had called for her.

What a stupid mess this whole thing was.  It had totally spiraled out of her control.  She could march back out there and put Jonny and his sidekicks in there place but it would be a very  public spectacle.  The police might even be called of he didn't just leave.

And if he did leave she didn't trust him not to follow her to her house.   He wouldn't be able to hurt her or anything once she was home.  Her family lived there too. Four people and four large dogs who didn't like strangers tended to keep folks away.  But he could make himself a giant pain in her side.

No, the quiet way was the best.  She slowly opened the bathroom door. She try to be as quiet as possible as she slipped into the kitchen.  The cook smiled at her  and pointed to the door on the far wall.  Leelah nodded nack at him, thankful.

The door let out into an ally.  The only light the one by the door.  She eyed it thoughtfully and headed in the direction of the front of the hotel and the main street.

A black car pulled to a stop on the street in front of her.  She paused.  The driver got out and walked to the back door on the passenger side and opened it, glancing in her direction.

Her gave her a friendly smile.  "I've been instructed to pick you up here Miss.  I'm the driver.  I'm to take you wherever you'd like to go."

She approached him cautiously.  She supposed it was old fashioned to be wary of getting into a random car driven by a stranger considering all the apps used to do just that.  But the driver seemed kind and in no way raised any flags.

She was use to trusting her instincts.  She gave him a friendly smile back.  "I actually don't live too far from here. I could walk, but tonight I'd be very grateful for a ride home."

He nodded and ushered her in the back seat.  It was a nice car.  She could tell it had to be very expensive.  Black leather seats and a wide space with what looked like a small bar.  It wasn't a limo, but close to one.  She half laughed. 

He was just closing the door behind her when one of Jonny's friends busted out from the kitchen door.  She heard him shout in their direction, but the driver didn't pay any attention to him.  He neither paused nor hurried, simply closed her door, walked around the car and slid into the passenger seat and the glided smoothly back into traffic. 

"Where to Miss?"

She gave him the street address and relaxed in the seat.  It had been an exausting day.   She was sore and tired.  She took deep breaths. 

Before she knew it the car was slowing down I front of her house. She smiled in relief. 

"Lovely house and yard." The driver commented as he opened her door.

She gave her home a look over.  It was an older house, two stories, with beautiful bay windows. Small steps led up to a small porch, brightly lit by the solar light and decorations she had bought.  The yard was well kept Nd filled artfully with flowers and yard decors. 

She had spent three year working at a garden supply center and learned to love it.  The yard wasn't as large she would have liked but it was a good size compared to the other houses in the area.  The house itself was very spacious.  It had six rooms, not including the large sun room on the back that she had filled with plants.

She worked hard with her family to turn this house into their home.  And seeing it always made her feel better. 

"Thank you.  I like it too.  We haven't been here long, but it already feels like home. How much do I owe you?"

He frowned slightly, shook his head.  "Not a thing.  It was my pleasure to help."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up his hand.  He paused, looking a bit thoughtful.  She watches as he turned and reached into the glovebox in his car. 

When He turned back to her, he held out his hand to her.  She reached out without thinking and he dropped something black attatched to a key chain into her hand.

She looked at him in question.

He gave her another friendly smile.  "Pepper spray.  Just in case.  Had my niece visit for a while and she left this one in the car and had to replace it.  Comes in handy sometimes.  This is a pretty nice area.  Not too much riff raff, but there can be bad seeds every where. If you ever need to use it, just make sure to spray in their direction and not yours."

She closed her mouth.  That was really surprisingly kind.  She nodded. "Thank you very much.. Um, I'm sorry.  I never asked for your name.  Mine is Leelah. Leelah Belanger."

"Michael Jones and please to make your acquaintance Ms. Belanger. Please, call me Michael." 

"Only is you call me Leelah.  Thank you very much for your help tonight.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.  And if you know the bartender at the hotel, please pass along my gratitude.  He really went above and beyond to help me and the last I seen of him, he was listening to some dreadful guy yell at him."

He laughed.  "Don't you worry about that young man.  He was probably very amused by the entire thing."

"Still, I'd hate to think he might get into trouble for helping me."

Michel shook his head. "Not at all.  He happens to be long time friends with the owner of the hotel.  He is in no danger of being reprimanded.  On the contrary.  But I'll pass along your thanks and concern all the same.  You have a great night."

"Thanks again Michael."