Chapter Seventeen
The next morning, the three of them sat at the small table near their kitchen.
"We can all go to the departmental store to work, Violet. Don't lose hope," said Walter. They could see that Violet had completely lost faith in herself.
"No, I will go to the departmental store and search for work. If I get work, I will enrol you both in your old school, next week, " she said, looking down at her hands. She should have been firm in her decisions. One false step had her family in such a situation.
The twins nodded. They didn't want to argue and add to her worries. She gave them their old breakfast of bread and watery milk and went out to the departmental store in the neighbourhood.
"We need salespeople to guide and handle customers. Can you do it?" Asked the strict manager in charge, Mr James Howard.
"Yes sir, I can," she said confidently.
"Look, you don't have the required qualifications or experience but we will hire you since your mother used to work here. But your initial pay will be less than what we pay our salespeople. Once you prove us your worth in the first three months, we will increase your pay. Are you willing to join?" He asked her.
"Yes sir. When do I start?" She asked him.
"Tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock, " he said and she thanked him and left. The pay was the same as what she was getting at Parker Suites. She was satisfied that after three months they would increase her pay.
She returned home and smiled at the twins and told them the happy news. They hugged her and all three of them discreetly wiped their own tears. Violet tried to keep herself busy to avoid all thoughts of Lucas out of her head. It was an impossible task though since all her heart and mind did was miss him. She missed his smile, his touch, his kisses, the way he looked at her, the way he spoke to her, she missed everything about him.
She ran to her bedroom every now and then to compose herself and try to control the tears that spilled out every time. The day went by slowly and she just couldn't wait for it to get over. She was eager to join work tomorrow. At least it would keep her busy and she could just drown herself in work. Thankfully the day came to an end and she dragged herself to bed.
The next morning, she made breakfast and served the twins. She made lunch for them to eat when she was away. "Don't open the door to anyone. Stay inside and do whatever you want. Here's mom's old phone. If you want you can call me anytime you want on my mobile phone, " she said.
The boys nodded, "Don't worry, Violet. We're big boys. We will study and stay at home, " said William.
Violet left for work. The whole day she was busy with different types of customers and dealt with different situations. She didn't get time to sit. She worked four hours overtime for the extra pay. The manager was very happy with her. She came home, tired and haggard. The twins made sandwiches for all three of them. They had it for dinner and went to bed.
Violet went to work the next two days. She had the overtime pay paid to her daily. With money in her hands, she decided to enrol the twins to their old school on Monday. It was Friday already and she had a leave the next day. She did five hours overtime and left the store happily with the extra money.
Going towards her apartment, she thought of cooking something better for the twins tonight. A commotion nearby made her look up. A huge group of local people had gathered around a luxurious black sleek Cadillac Escalade parked right opposite her apartment door. A uniformed chauffeur was leaning against it.
Whose car was that? Lucas didn't possess a Cadillac. Neither did he have a chauffeur. He preferred to drive himself. But if not Lucas, then who? She approached her main door and looked up. Everyone was peering at the car and the commotion it created from their balconies and windows.
"Excuse me. Are you Violet Nelson?" Asked a male voice from behind her. She whirled around and saw a young man, a year or two older than herself, wearing a pair of denims and a branded sports tee shirt standing behind her. He smelled of expensive perfume and cologne. His branded expensive sunglasses were casually dangling from his pocket.
"Yes, how do you know me?" She asked. The man grinned at her heaving a sigh of relief. He looked back at the car and gestured with his hands. The door opened and a beautiful brunette, with long silky hair and brilliant blue dazzling eyes came out. She wore a pair of black denims and a red tee shirt. She grinned at her too.
"Found her?" she asked the man with a smile of relief.
Violet looked from one to the other. Who were they? They looked familiar. Did she know them? The woman looked at her and smiled,"I'm Serenity Parker, Lucas's younger sister and this is Liam, our youngest sibling," she introduced. Violet stared at her with her jaws dropped to the floor. What were Lucas's siblings doing here? Did they come to insult her just like his fiancée? She looked at them with wide, round eyes.
"Sera, you're scaring her. Hi, you look too young to be with bro. Are you an adult?" Asked Liam, looking at Violet with mischief as Serenity punched his arm.
Violet blushed at his question. "I'm nineteen, okay," she answered, rolling her eyes.
"Aww. Now I've found someone younger than myself. We can all pull her legs, Sera," he said and received another punch.
"Shut up, " said Serenity. "Violet, don't mind him. He's dumb. Look, we need to talk. Can we go up to your apartment?" She asked and Liam glared at his sister. Big sisters were a bully.
"Sure, come this way," said Violet, leading up to her apartment. She opened the door and led them inside. Walter and William came rushing out of their rooms to see who came into their home. They all sat down, "They're my brothers, Walter and William," she said. "Boys, this is Lucas's sister, Serenity and his brother, Liam," she introduced.
"Hi," the boys chorused and Serenity waved at them and Liam shook hands with them.
"What did you want to talk about?" Asked Violet apprehensively.
All of you need to pack and come with us to Las Vegas, " said Serenity with a lot of seriousness.
"Why should we?" Asked Violet in confusion.
"Because mom wants you to. She sent us to fetch you," said Liam, trying to make her see sense but Violet was more confused than ever. Why would Lucas's mom want her? Did Leilani complain about her?
"Why?" She whispered in a scared voice. "What have I done?"
"You have committed a crime," said Liam with a serious face. Serenity smacked him in his biceps. Violet looked at both of them with a scared expression. She couldn't think of any crime that she'd committed.
"I swear upon God that I haven't done anything, " she said to them in a panic stricken tone.
