Hotel for the night

Dan shrugged his shoulders. "We could find another hotel. Maybe one that's better than the one we used last night," he suggested.

Laura gave a strangled laugh. "Yes, one night was plenty for me. There should be a hotel off Parks Ave. that... well, no, that's a little more expensive. I know there are a few budget hotels in that area, though. It's near the convention center. Just head that way, and I'm sure we can find something."

It didn't take long to find a moderately nice hotel that displayed a one-night stay price that was within their dwindling budget. "Fifty five a night, ouch," Dan groaned.

"That's... a little over seventeen hundred a month. Almost eighteen hundred actually, after tax," Laura calculated as she drummed her fingers on the center console. "That... won't work for us."

"No kidding," Dan groaned. "Just for tonight then. We'll try to find something. I don't relish the idea of sleeping out of my car."

"Nor do I. I need a job," Laura mumbled as she bit her lip.

Dan wondered what was bothering her so much but thought better of asking. He had a feeling he knew she blamed herself for their predicament, even if it was irrational. "I'll go in and check-in," he said as he parked the car. "Be back in a few."

A nice lady in a tight blue blouse and sleeveless jacket helped find him a room with two beds. "Just so you know, we have a lot of people today for the convention tomorrow. Parking will be at a premium after six tonight. Keep that in mind in case you're going to go out. Check-out is at twelve," Lola informed Dan with a smile.

"Thank you," he answered and took the two electronic keys.

"Hey, got a room with two beds," he greeted his mother as he slid into the driver's seat.

"Oh, that's good," Laura said with a smile.

"The clerk, Lola, told me that there is some convention in town. It'll be fairly busy after six or so tonight. If we're doing dinner, we need to do it early, probably even earlier than five."

"I'm not super hungry, but I'm sure I will be by then," Laura said as she buckled back up.

The hotel room was on the first floor, near the corridor toward the outdoor pool. Dan saw two girls, preteens if he guessed correctly, and their mother sitting by the pool in the oversized chairs. A group of college-age boys was in the pool, roughhousing and laughing nearby.

"Oh man, this is so much nicer," Laura complimented as they entered the suite. "I call the bed by the wall, you get the one by the window."

"Works for me," Dan answered with a shrug as he dropped the shopping bags down on the short coffee table. "Oh, hey, we don't have to watch porn at least," he commented with a snort when he turned on the T.V.

"Thank goodness," Laura called from the bathroom. "They even have little toiletries we can use to save what we got.

It didn't take long for them to settle in and get at least semi-comfortable for the night.