Addicted to Midnight

By Chrystal V Hollins

In the book Addicted to Midnight, Lyla is an independent woman that loves God but wants companionship. Lyla’s father Pastor Johnson encourages her to wait until God sends Mr. Right in her life but she seeks out her own mate which causes conflict between Pastor Johnson and Lyla. Lyla’s best friend Nina wants to help Lyla find a man bu

• Language: English
• Publisher: URLink Print & Media, LLC
• Release date: Jul 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781643675572

Chrystal V Hollins

Chrystal V. Hollins is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. She received her B.A. in Liberal Arts at University of Missouri in Columbia and her M.A. in Christian Theology emphasis Youth Advocacy. Currently, she lives in Blue Springs as she continues to write stories and supports the youths in her community.

Book preview

Chapter One

David met Lyla at the Golden Capri hotel, when Lyla left her ex-boyfriend Benjamin. She was going through a hard time. Her father fired her from his firm, her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend and Nina had become the enemy.

She couldn’t accept the idea of her father firing her, but being angry at Benjamin and Nina for what they had done made perfect sense. Lyla deserved better. Her father, Albert Johnson was a very busy man. Pastor of the Pure of Heart Baptist Church and the owner to one of the largest firms in Brooklyn, Albert’s hands were busy with his work schedules and other responsibilities. Albert needed people who were willing to be corporative and respectable to him but Lyla didn’t follow up.

She was deeply influenced by the world’s embrace that she’d forgotten about the morals of respect and corporation. As she sat in the loud golden yellow taxi, she replayed the last conversation that she had with her father. After recovering from her injuries, she wanted to celebrate. Lyla had invited all her friends including Nina, when they were close at the time. What followed afterwards was unexpected as Benjamin arrived with his arms crossed with Nina’s as they entered into the room. The party had mostly girls and two other guys.

The guys were some friends of Benjamin. What a night! She waited for everyone to leave to clean up, when her father came home in full rage. Once everyone left, the real party began when her father’s voice shook the house.

As long as you are under my roof, you will abide by my rules, he said pointing his finger in her face making him clear about the matter.

Then maybe I should leave, she said. I wasn’t giving you anything, but a headache anyway, she rolled her eyes and showed rebellion.

That is completely up to you, but if you leave now, you cannot come back. I will not allow such sinful living in my house. And you could forget about coming back to the firm, young lady. Your attitude is unacceptable, he said shaking his head in disapproval.

Then I’d go," she said as she gathered her belongings.

Now she sat in the backseat of a musty yellow taxi, while her mind pondered on life. She had been very disrespectful to her father for no reason at all. She needed to get away, she had become a prisoner to her own lust. As she closed her eyes, the taxi driver took her far away into a neighborhood that appeared strange to her. Blinded by the pouring rain, she felt like she had gone into another world, a place where everything looked new. She had never been here before.

The hotel sign said: Golden Capri.

Could she afford to stay here? With only a hundred and fifty-five dollars to her name, Lyla was broke with no money. She didn’t know what to do or where to go. Hoping she would find somewhere to lay her head with kind people around, she walked into the Golden Capri hotel to find a room. Her creamy-white blouse was soaked from the rain outside and her black slacks were ripped down the bottom. Lyla looked like a famous movie star playing a role of a running away child, because she looked very beautiful in spite of being drenched.

Her brown hair fell from her face to her back as she swirled around looking for some kind of assistance.

Hello, how may I help you? a woman behind the front desk asked. She looked around Lyla’s age, in her mid-twenties. She was tall and pretty with curly black hair. Her name tag read: Valerie. She repeated the question again to make sure that Lyla heard her, but this time she included her name.

Hello, I’m Valerie. How may I help you?

Hi, my name is Lyla and I need a room to stay in, replied Lyla.

All right. Do you have reservations ma’am? asked Valerie as she tapped on the mouse under her palm.

No. I am just walking in.

Okay. So you are a new guest checking in. Would you like a single or double bedroom? asked Valerie typing information into the computer.

Excuse me? I just need a single bedroom. It’s only me, said Lyla looking at Valerie strangely. Why would she asked me that? Doesn’t she see that I am the only guest here in this lobby?" thought Lyla confused. Being an attendant at the desk, it was Valerie’s job to ask the guests for either a single or double bedroom, when staying inside. But Lyla wouldn’t know the procedures, because she never been there.

Chapter Two

The single bedrooms were $130.00 to $205.00 a night depending on the room’s location and the double bedrooms were $210.00 to $280.00 night depending on the room’s space, said Valerie professionally. May I see some identification and would you like to pay with cash or credit?"

Are you serious? For a single bedroom it cost one hundred and thirty dollars to two hundred and something dollars? asked Lyla. Wow!

When Lyla was working, spending one hundred and thirty dollars or more wasn’t a big deal because another pay check would be coming soon. But now that her father has fired her and she was given her last pay check, she tried to spend wisely and buy the things she really needed like this hotel room.

Well if possible can I get a single bedroom that is no more than one hundred and twenty dollars but less than two hundred and ten dollars in a smaller location on the second or third floor? asked Lyla.

I think so let me check the records on the computer. There is a single bedroom located on the second floor. The location is average and the space is small. said Valerie as she scanned the computer.

Yes. I will take that room. How much does that room cost? asked Lyla.

The room cost one-hundred and forty-five dollars. That room has a special today, because of the small room space, said Valerie. So call it a blessing that you’ve got the room.

That’s great. I’m happy I got the room. Now if only I had the money. Ms. Valerie, I have a confession to make I don’t have a lot of money right now but if you let me stay here for a few nights I promise to pay you back for the hotel room, asked Lyla so quickly that the words came out before she could take a breath. Lyla made sure that Valerie heard her plea before shutting her down.

I do have some money on me, but if I spend it I don’t know how I will eat or get the personal things that I will need. I don’t have any other place to go and it is pouring outside. But if I have to leave I understand, since I don’t have any money, said Lyla sadly as she walked toward the door.

So how were you going to pay if the room will have cost two hundred and something dollars? I thought that you at least had a hundred dollars. said Valerie with the concern. If you would have told me earlier, we could have saved time.

I know, but what do you say now? asked Lyla Can I stay or do you want me to leave? Being hesitate, Valerie didn’t know what to do. She hardly knew this woman to be giving her any special privileges and yet she felt a sense of sympathy for the poor woman. So Valerie decided to let Lyla stay at the hotel.

Well…I usually don’t do this, but you seem like a person in need, so I am willing to let you stay here until you get the money to pay for your room. said Valerie. It would have been rude to ask you to leave in this pouring rain, so I would try to speak with my supervisor to see what he would say about this, said Valerie.

Thank you so much. I will pay you back as soon as possible. Thank you again, said Lyla with gratitude. The room is on the second floor, room #203.

This is the room that you’ve asked for earlier, said Valerie.

Someone had spilled some milk on the stairs carrying a lingering odor in the hallway, so Valerie suggests taking the elevators.

Please excuse the mess. I’ll clean it up soon. I just have been so busy. Taking the elevators, Lyla’s room seem to be only a five minute walk down the hallway by the Jacuzzi and the snack machine on the first floor. The hallway was long and narrowed with velvet carpeting and white plastered wall. Settling into the room, Lyla put a few picture frames on the small bed night stand of her dogs. She still couldn’t believe it.

Chapter Three

The next morning, Lyla woke up around seven o’clock with a grumpy attitude. She wasn’t use to waking up alone without seeing her man beside her. It made her feel uncomfortable. But that’s what happen when Lyla winds up in a fight with her man. She slept and woke up alone, but when she saw Charlie and Miley smiling in the pictures she got a sense of some joy, yet she was still upset about that. She didn’t remember what they were fighting about exactly; she said over and over again to forget the scars that he left imprinted on her heart. The TV was on from last night, playing re-runs of who knows what, while Lyla took a long shower and washed her hair.

The hot steam from the shower floated in the air, when she stepped out to dry off. Her hair was dripping wet when she wrapped it up. It was Saturday morning and the sun was shining brightly. A glimpse of the sun light covered the room through the rotating blinds. Drying off, Lyla put on her pajamas that Benjamin bought her when they were together. Wearing the pajamas, stirred up old feelings about him. She was beginning to miss him.

She wondered why she put on those pajamas, whatever happened to her Betty Bop pajamas? She searched through her bag to find them. She hoped Nina didn’t take them. If she did, this would not be the first thing that she had took from Lyla. Nina was always jealous of her. Why? Lyla didn’t know and left too soon to find out. Lyla just needed some time alone.

She knew that if she would have ignored the past, that she would only leave room for resentment in her heart. But she didn’t know how to face it. She could pray, but what would she say to Him? Her life was full of skeletons, that she trembled before Him. Still Nina could have taken her pajamas; only the Lord knows. Lyla put her hair in a ponytail before leaving the room. She wore her red ruby robe and black slippers.

Grabbing the room key, Lyla closed the door behind her. As she walked down the hallway, the smell of smoked bacon, sausage, eggs, waffles, pancakes floated in the air coming from the lobby. Mmm…that smells good, Lyla said as she sniffed the air. I need to go downstairs now thought Lyla. Breakfast was being served in the lobby. As Lyla walked, she reached the end of the line that was very long. Twenty people were already in the line waiting to be helped.

A few of them looked familiar. Lyla saw Valerie and a handsome guy standing beside her. His name tag read: Joseph. Both were welcoming the guest into the breakfast area. "Good