Chapter 4. His High-Handedness

Lucas saw the neighborhood and immediately understood how much she needed her job. The stairs were too steep and chipped off from the edges. They were badly in need of repair, but in a low-budget housing complex, no one had the funds to repair it. He simply followed her wordlessly up the stairs.

Violet chewed her lips nervously as she climbed up the stairs. She didn't have any coffee or tea to offer. In fact, she didn't have any drink apart from the watery milk, which they drank. She had to add equal quantities of water to the milk to make a sufficient quantity for all of them.

She climbed to the second floor, followed by Lucas towards her apartment, and rang the doorbell. She didn't know why he insisted on coming to her humble home. Walter opened with a depressed look and downcast eyes.

"What happened to you?" she said, going inside and allowing Lucas to come in too.

"I'm sorry, Violet. I didn't mean to but my school shoes tore and fell apart today. I don't