His 181St Second (Laverne and Marina) novel Chapter 39

**Winds Carry Lost Promises by Asa Holt Vale**
**Chapter 39**

These were not the sort of concerns that should occupy the mind of an assistant like Robert.

After a brief moment of uncomfortable silence, Robert let out a soft sigh, attempting to lighten the mood. “Mr. Ross, why don’t we head to that hotel you used to enjoy? It might be a good change of scenery.”

Lavern’s voice dripped with annoyance as he replied, “I have a home; why on earth would I choose to stay at a hotel?”

Robert found himself momentarily at a loss for words.

In the past, when he had a place to call his own, he often preferred the anonymity of hotels. But now, it seemed that such options were suddenly off the table for Lavern.

The cool breeze that slipped through the restaurant’s door had sent a chill through Robert, and he could see that Lavern’s head was beginning to throb from the alcohol. “Call Marina and ask her to come pick me up and take me home,” he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Robert felt utterly helpless at that moment.

Marina had left so abruptly earlier; it was hard to believe she would return for Lavern.

Yet, pondering over the situation, Robert decided he would at least attempt to reach out to her.

Marina had just parked her car at her place when Robert’s call came through. “What’s going on?” she answered, her voice icy, laced with irritation at being disturbed, devoid of any concern for Lavern’s condition.

A wave of guilt washed over Robert as he spoke to her, knowing how much he had assisted Lavern in keeping his troubles hidden from her.

“Ms. Finley… Mr. Ross is intoxicated and has nowhere to go. He asked me to call you. Should I drop him off at your place?” He lacked the courage to suggest that she should come to collect him.

Marina let out a mocking laugh. “He has nowhere to go? Come on, Robert, do you really believe that?”

Robert found himself rendered speechless once again.

Marina continued, “I’m sure there’s someone who would be more than happy to take care of him in this state. Why not give her a call? Just drop him off there and see what unfolds.”

Robert felt a tension build within him. Unsure if this was some sort of test, he replied cautiously, “Ms. Finley, who are you referring to? I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.”

Marina chuckled lightly, the sound sharp. “Robert, you’ve worked alongside me for years; you know my methods. If you’re pretending to be clueless, then stay that way forever.”

A cold shiver crept down Robert’s spine. “Ms. Finley, I’m sorry, I…”

Before he could finish, Marina cut him off. “Everyone looks out for their own boss and fulfills their responsibilities. I get it; you’re Lavern’s assistant now, after all.”

With that, she abruptly ended the call.

Robert sat in the car, glancing into the rearview mirror. Lavern had already succumbed to sleep, leaning against the seat, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing around him.

His own head began to throb in tandem with Lavern’s drunken state, so he pressed his fingers to his temples, trying to ease the discomfort.

In the end, he took Marina’s insinuation to heart and drove Lavern over to Shawna’s apartment.

Shawna came bounding down the stairs to greet them, her energy infectious and bright.

As Robert assisted her in maneuvering Lavern out of the car, the inebriated man stirred slightly, his eyes barely open.

He draped an arm around Shawna’s shoulders, pulling her in closer. “Marina, I knew you wouldn’t leave me hanging,” he slurred, his words thick with alcohol, clearly oblivious to the fact that it was Shawna beside him, not Marina.

Shawna froze, her face paling as the realization hit her.

Robert pretended not to notice, continuing to support Lavern as they made their way toward the elevator.

Once they reached it, Shawna shot a sideways glance at Robert, her brow furrowed with curiosity. “Was coming here Lavern’s idea, or…?”

Without missing a beat, Robert replied, “Naturally, it was Mr. Ross’s request.”

A flicker of relief crossed Shawna’s face. “You can hand him off here.”

Robert nodded, releasing his hold on Lavern.

The drunken man leaned heavily against Shawna, staggering unsteadily as she worked to guide him into the elevator with some effort, a small smile dancing on her lips despite the situation.

Robert watched the elevator doors slide shut, a heavy weight settling in his chest as he returned to the car. He couldn’t shake the feeling that it might be time to start looking for a new job.

Meanwhile, Marina had gone inside, freshened up, and slipped into bed.

With Lavern absent, the quiet of the night felt blissfully serene.

Just as she began to drift into sleep, her phone buzzed with a notification. Yawning and squinting at the screen, she saw it was a message from Shawna.

Shawna: [Marina, Lavern’s drunk and ended up at my place. No need to wait up for him.]

A wave of disgust washed over Marina, her stomach twisting at the thought.

Marina: [Thanks for the hassle, free nanny. Don’t wear yourself out and lose your bargaining chip.]

She quickly sent the reply, then blocked and deleted Shawna’s contact in one swift motion.

Daron: [I’ll wait.]

She began the download.

Marina: [Download and update should take about ten minutes.]

Daron: [Okay.]

A typical short-and-sweet response from him.

Marina paused, then typed: [Go ahead and start a match without me. I’ll be ready when you finish.]

Daron: [Okay.]

As she waited for the download to complete, she browsed some finance headlines, trying to distract herself from the chaos of her evening.

Once the download finished, she logged in. They were already connected as friends, so there was no need to add him again. She saw he was in a game and clicked to spectate.

He was playing his go-to AD carry. The match was about fifteen minutes in; both teams seemed evenly matched, gearing up for an intense late game.

But his plays… they appeared much sharper than what she had witnessed before.

Intrigued, she continued to watch until the end. His team emerged victorious.

She set up a room and sent him an invite. No reply. She tried again, still nothing.

Growing impatient, Marina exited the app and messaged him.

Marina: [Mr. Zamora, still game?]

Silence.

Marina: [Mr. Zamora, did you fall asleep?]

Still no response.

Marina was left speechless, frustration bubbling within her.

Marina: [Mr. Zamora, that last match… you didn’t nod off and let the AI handle it, did you?]