Prologue
"Violet, I need new school shoes, " wailed nine year old Walter Nelson looking at his old school shoes which seriously needed replacement as he had outgrown them. His twin, William, looked at his own shoes too but didn't utter a word to their nineteen year old sister Violet. He could see that she was struggling to make ends meet.
Violet sighed as she saw their school shoes. She knew they needed a new pair but she didn't have any money. A week more to go till she received her pay. There were bills to be paid and food to be put on the table. Still she would buy their shoes first after getting her salary.
"Just give me a week, Walt," she pleaded and they nodded, disappearing to their room.
Violet Nelson couldn't attend college last year after graduating from high school when her mom died. Her mom, Maria Nelson had separated from her drunkard husband, Jimmy Nelson ten years back.
Maria Nelson had brought the children, Violet, and her two brothers with her to W Crest Boulevard in south LA. It was her parents house in a cheap affordable complex when they were alive. She worked at a local departmental store as a manager and they led a good life. After her death in a car accident, Violet and her siblings at least had a roof over their heads to call their own. It was a small two bedroomed apartment with a tiny living area with a kitchen fitted into one corner and it was home to the Nelson family.
Their neighbour, Mary Jane Lee was a sweet woman thirty years older than Violet who lived with her husband, Michael Lee and 10 year old son Emmett. She worked as the restaurant manager at a five-star hotel, Parker Suites in Beverly Hills, LA.
After their mom's death, she helped Violet get a job in her hotel. Due to her lack of qualifications, all she got was the job of a housekeeping staff. Still the pay was good and Violet had no other alternative than to continue. Mary Jane gave her a lift to the hotel in the mornings and in the evenings after duty she took the hotel's shuttle bus till Galveston street and then walked home.
After changing she went to work as a waitress for four hours at a small cafe near Galveston street and returned home late by 9 o'clock. The extra pay helped her a lot as she had to spend on her brothers' education too. She couldn't afford to take any day off.
It was a Saturday and she had to get ready for work. Emmett came in with his old books and went straight to the boys room to dump them. She didn't have money to buy so many books and Emmett's older ones helped the twins a lot.
While she and Mary Jane went to work, Michael stayed at home and looked after the three boys. He worked at the departmental store at the cash counter and had two days off, Saturdays and Sundays. It helped them as they could go to work without having to bother about the kids.
She quickly got ready wearing a white shirt and a pair of denims. She fixed her chestnut brown hair into a tight bun and packed her uniform in a carry bag. She picked up her handbag and rushed out.
"Walt, Will, be good and listen to uncle Mike. I'll see you tonight, " she yelled on her way out.
"Don't worry, we will. Bye," they chorused and she left with a smile on her face.
She went next door and was just about to ring the doorbell when it was flung open and Mary Jane rushed out wearing a pair of black trousers and a pale pink top.
"We're late, let's hurry. Hope the traffic's not a bother today," she said with a laugh and they climbed down the narrow stairs to the ground floor. Mary Jane's Ford Focus was parked infront of the building and they climbed onto it and sped off. They had to start at 6:30 in the morning to beat the traffic.
"I'll speak to Dominic for a raise of your pay. That way you can leave that waitress job, Violet. I seriously don't like it," Mary Jane said frankly. Dominic Evans was the HR manager at Parker Suites and kept all the employees in a very tight line.
"Thanks Mary. I'd really appreciate that but he won't listen," Violet told her. She knew it. Last month Dominic made her clean the penthouse upstairs, everyday where the owner of Parker Suites, the sinfully gorgeous Lucas Parker stayed whenever he was in LA. Dominic hadn't even considered giving her a raise for the extra cleaning and she didn't even ask. She just did her duty, cleaning her employer's apartment to the best of her abilities. Thankfully, he was always away when she went upstairs to clean which made her work all the more easier for her.
They reached Beverly Hills in an hour's time and parking the car in the employees parking spaces, they went inside the hotel. While Mary Jane went to talk to Dominic, she went to change into her uniform.
Inside the washroom, she heard her colleagues, Greta and Cassidy talking, "He's a player. I heard that he slept with his brother's wife and caused a divorce between them," said Greta, the gossip queen.
She knew they were talking about Lucas Parker and his million affairs. True, he was the hottest topic at Parker Suites but she really didn't have any time to indulge in such gossip.
"Really? I know he's notorious but he's so droolworthy, I'd jump into bed with him anytime if I could," said Cassidy, with dreamy eyes.
"Hey girl, you're engaged," said Greta, frowning at her. "Leave Lucas for us single girls. What say Violet?" Said Greta.
"You're welcome to him, Greta. I have to provide for my brother's, I can't afford it, " Violet said, quickly changing into her uniform which was a black pencil skirt and a white shirt with black pipings around the half sleeves and collar. The hotel's name was embroidered onto the chest. She pulled her hair into a neat bun and pinned her name badge onto her chest above the hotel's logo.
"If I had your looks, believe me, I would," said Greta who was seven years older than her.
Violet rolled her eyes,"With your own good looks you can. All the best," Violet said with a smile and left the washroom. She had a huge workload and she had no time to stand and chat.
She went to the housekeeping room and got her trolley with the cleaning stuff. Dominic came out of his office with the housekeeping Head, Sarah Browning.
"Violet, you have to go to the penthouse now and clean it," said Sarah, looking at Violet with a smile. She was a very nice middle-aged woman who looked too strict to those who didn't perform but she liked Violet. Violet was as old as her own daughter and she worked so hard that Sarah felt bad for the teenage girl who should have been in college.
"Yes ma'am. But what about the guest suites, especially suite 101. Mr Marshall would get upset," she said, looking at them with worry. Tim Marshall was their regular customer who visited the Parker Suites regularly to hold business conferences. He was very particular about cleanliness and Violet cleaned his suite first every morning to keep him satisfied.
"I'll send Cassidy there today," said Sarah and Violet nodded. "Now go immediately."
Violet didn't understand what the urgency was today. She went to clean the penthouse everyday at 11 o'clock when it's owner was away. He returned at lunchtime everyday and she would have completed by then.
She rushed into the private elevator that took her straight up to the penthouse. The elevator opened and she pushed her cleaning station towards the door of the penthouse. She punched in the code and went inside, pulling the trolley station with her. She locked the door and went to clean the kitchen first. Then she would clean the ensuites and then the bedrooms and the other rooms and lastly the living room and the reception room.
She set about her work switching on her mobile in her skirt pocket to her favourite love song and plugged the earphones into her ears.
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Featured picture: Ana De Armas as Violet Nelson
