Chapter 29: A New Beginning
Chapter 29: A New Beginning
But seeing the smile on his face, she reassured herself that it wasn\'t bad news.
Damon held his mother\'s hands, his grip warm and gentle. "Mom, from today onwards, we won\'t be sleeping in the alley," he said, his words spilling out in a rush.
Aoife\'s eyes narrowed slightly, confusion etched on her face. "What do you mean, Damon?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.
Damon\'s smile grew wider. "I have money for us to stay in a motel," he said, his words tumbling out in excitement.
Aoife\'s eyes widened in shock, her face pale. She hadn\'t expected this. "A motel?" she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.
Damon nodded, his eyes shining with excitement. "Yes, Mom. We can stay there tonight. We won\'t have to sleep in the alley anymore."
Aoife\'s face crumpled, tears welling up in her eyes. She had never thought she\'d see the day when her son would be able to provide for her like this.
Damon pulled his mother into a tight hug.
Aoife wrapped her arms around her son, holding him close. She felt a sense of pride and gratitude towards Damon.
He had done this for her, for them. She knew that she could always count on him.
As they hugged, Damon felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had done it.
He had found a way to get them off the streets, he also knew that this was just the beginning.u
Damon\'s eyes sparkled with determination as he broke the hug. "Let\'s take this stuff," he said, his voice filled with excitement.
Aoife paused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "We\'re going now?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.
Damon chuckled, his smile wide. "Yes, Mom," he replied, his hand reaching out to grab the bananas and half bread.
Aoife\'s eyes widened as she realized what was happening. Her son was taking her to a new life, one where they wouldn\'t have to sleep on the streets.
Damon\'s hands moved quickly, gathering their meager belongings. The bananas were a bit bruised, but they would still taste sweet. The half bread was stale, but it would fill their stomachs.
And that was it, he knew that. But that was what they had when they fled to the US, with nothing but a few belongings and a hope for a better life.
Damon\'s mind raced with these thoughts, but he pushed them aside.
He couldn\'t think about that now. He had to focus on the present, on getting them settled into their new life.
He looked at his mother, and saw the trust in her eyes. She believed in him, and he wouldn\'t let her down.
As they walked, the warm sun bounced down on their faces. The smell of exhaust fumes and greasy food filled their nostrils.
But Damon and Aoife didn\'t notice. They were too busy looking forward to their new life.
Damon\'s heart swelled with pride as he thought about what he had accomplished.
He had fought for his mother, for their future. And he would keep fighting, keep pushing forward.
Aoife\'s eyes shone with tears as she looked at her son. She knew that he had done this for her, for them. And she was grateful.
As they turned the corner, the Sunset Motel came into view. Damon\'s heart skipped a beat. This was it, their new beginning.
He took his mother\'s hand, his grip warm and reassuring. "We\'re going to be okay, Mom," he said, his voice filled with conviction.
Aoife nodded, her eyes never leaving his face. She knew that she could always count on her son.
Damon\'s eyes fixed on the motel, taking in every detail.
It wasn\'t too big, just a small, two-story building with a faded exterior.
The walls were a dull brown, with patches of peeling paint revealing the grey concrete beneath.
The roof was a mess of missing shingles and rusty vents.
The sign above the office creaked in the gentle breeze, the letters reading "Motel" in bold, red letters.
But the "M" flickered on and off, making it look like "Otel" more often than not.
The neon lights hummed and buzzed, casting a gaudy glow over the parking lot.
There were only a few cars scattered around the lot, their windshields reflecting the dim light of the setting sun.
The rooms themselves were a mix of dark and light, some with curtains open, others with them tightly shut.
The windows were small, with rusty air conditioning units jutting out of the walls.
Damon\'s gaze roamed over the motel, taking in the worn-out welcome mat, the cracked sidewalk, and the overgrown weeds pushing through the pavement.
It wasn\'t much, but it was better than the alley.
It was a place to call their own, if only for a little while.
He turned to his mother, who stood beside him, her eyes fixed on the motel with a mix of curiosity and apprehension.
"It\'s not the Ritz, Mom," Damon said, his voice low and even.
"But it\'s a roof over our heads."
Aoife nodded, her eyes never leaving the motel.
"It\'s fine, son," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"It\'s fine."
Damon and Aoife walked towards the office, their feet crunching on the gravel parking lot.
As they approached the door, they noticed a woman sitting on the ground.
She was dressed in tattered clothes, her hair a mess of knots and tangles.
When she saw Damon and Aoife, she smiled, revealing yellow teeth.
"Hey man, I can give you head, just give me some money, man," she said, her voice slurred and desperate.
Damon widened his eyes in shock, his mind screaming \'What the fuck!\'
He looked at the woman, trying to process what was happening.
"No, sorry," he said quickly, trying to move past her.
Aoife followed close behind, her eyes fixed on the woman with a mix of sadness and relief that her son never did drugs.
They passed by the woman, relieved that she didn\'t pester them further.
Damon didn\'t feel bad for refusing her, he was sure that everyone who passed by knew that giving in to her requests would only help her ruin her life more.
The woman\'s eyes followed them, her smile fading into a scowl.
Damon could sense her desperation, her addiction, and her hopelessness.