Trouble With Alice

By Donald Kemp

The unknown always follows when we least expect it.

A trip to work soon changes Alice’s life. Trouble seems to follow her at every turn. Though she’s used to disappointments, she refuses to concede to the craziness she calls life.

Her aspirations are nothing more than a means of survival. Determined in overcoming the tragic death of her devoted father at the age of twelve and the influences of her drug-addicted mother, Alice manages to survive on her own. From the moment she’d lied about her age at an early age, she’s made do with whatever job has landed in her lap.

Alice often imagines what it would be like to live a different life. To have the little things she can’t afford. Life may kick her down, but she always gets up again. If she’s to succeed in moving forward, she’ll have to put her trust in someone else’s hands. Only then will she find the happiness that has always eluded her.

• Language: English
• Publisher: LDB Press
• Release date: Jun 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005826840

Donald Kemp

Donald Kemp claims he was born and raised in Southern Michigan and lived in North Carolina for over thirty-five years. He graduated from a combination of high school and aircraft mechanics school. Two years later, he became the supervisor for the Michigan National Guard Air Section Maintenance Shop. He then married his beautiful wife, Gerry, and has three children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.Serious writing began with thirteen weekly articles in the Rochester City newspaper about his heart bypass surgery in the very early days of the procedure. Donald later published the book, I Live With A Mended Heart, and distributed it to doctors and hospitals all over the United States.Donald wrote and directed three stage plays for a senior acting group in Southern California.” He has also written numerous short stories about his relative’s blips and/or accomplishments for the family archives. Several children’s books will hopefully soon be on the market. Nowadays, airplanes, helicopters, furniture building, and consulting for interior decorators have given way to writing novels and short stories based on his varied life adventures.

Book preview

TROUBLE WITH ALICE

DONALD KEMP

TROUBLE WITH ALICE

First Edition

Copyright © June 2021 Donald Kemp

Published © June 2021 Lysestrah Press

Cover Art Design By: L. B. Cover Art Designs

Formatted And Edited By: S. H. Books Editing Services

All rights reserved.

The author retains sole copyright to his contributions to this book.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of the publisher.

For information and inquiries, please contact: Donald Kemp, via: [e-mail].

This book is a work of fiction and any similarities to any persons, living or dead, or places, events, or locales, is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

ALSO BY

I LIVE WITH A MENDED HEART

(Re-Release TBA)

RENDERING

SENIOR TOURING SOCIETY

DEDICATION

To my editor, Nancy, and my publisher, Lysestrah Press, for making all of this possible.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

COPYRIGHT

ALSO BY

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my friends, family, and other readers, who are passionately waiting for each new book, thanks again for all of your good work.

CHAPTER ONE

BUS 86

WALKING THE SAME short distance home from the bus stop seems darker tonight. Perhaps it’s the overcast sky, or she is more tired than usual. Alice wants to hurry, but she’s too weary to change her pace.

She takes the two steps up to a very small landing in front of the door leading to her street-side apartment. Alice enters without looking, hanging her light blue coat on the hook, kicking off her shoes and slipping her feet into the pink bunny slippers that have been waiting for her since she left that morning.

Another day. Another night alone.

I should get a dog. Someone to wag its tail and be happy to see me. Nah, there’s no place around here to take him out.

I know! A cat. Yeah, a cat. They have a litter box and don’t have to go outside to do their duty.

You can’t have a cat or a dog, Alice. No pets allowed here.

Weighing almost a hundred and twenty pounds, like she did in high school, her figure is graceful and slim. Alice’s auburn hair is loose around her head and face, curling several inches below her shoulders. She uses very little make-up, primarily because her paycheck doesn’t allow for extra nice things.

Some say her auburn-colored eyes match her hair. Others say they’re hazel, or just brown. For Alice, it doesn’t matter. She’s who she is. Her father died when she was twelve years old, and her mother is an alcoholic. The last time she’d had news about her, she was somewhere in Mexico. Her highest grade in school had been a C, and that had been in gym class. It wasn’t because she was dumb. She wasn’t motivated to learn by spending time with one aunt and then another. Sometimes, she’d spend time with a complete stranger one of the aunts knew.

At seventeen, she’d hit the streets, getting an education on how to survive from other homeless people. She’d lied about her age and went to work at a local fast food place. Two years later, she’d gotten hired by Merchants, a baby crib manufacturer.

She closes the door and sets the lock. Alice glances at the queen-sized bed to the right of where she’s standing, obstructing part of the room’s small window.

Can anyone tell me why I bought a queen-sized bed? Dummy, you’re all alone and those sheets cost more than a regular or twin-sized bed. It takes up more room than I have in the rest of my thirty-eight-fifty a week apartment. I’ve got to get a new curtain for this rod to hide things in the closet. But why bother? I don’t have guests coming here.

She climbs over the bed, taking two small steps into the kitchen. Alice tugs open the fridge’s door.

A cup of blueberry yogurt sits on the top shelf. Two eggs lie in a dish below, alongside half a loaf of bread. A small oleo carton is tucked into the butter compartment.

I should have stopped for a pizza or something. I have the same thought every night and never follow through with it.

Alice, you need to get a life. You’re