Carlotta looked at her.
"If you don’t drink your milk, the big wolf will co and eat you tonight."
"There’s no wolf!"
Maria’s eyes trembled even as she said those words.
Carlotta smiled aningfully.
"Then don’t drink."
Maria hesitated, then grabbed her cup and started drinking.
Carlotta smiled.
A small, tired smile that faded as quickly as it ca.
Once breakfast was over, she helped Dion with his clothes.
Then she tied his small satchel across her shoulder so she could carry him more easily.
"Wear your slippers today. I’ll bring the new shoes when I co ho," she told Nikos.
"Okay!"
She grabbed Nikos’s and Maria’s hands as they left the apartnt together.
The morning air was cool.
The streets were slowly coming alive with cars and people heading to work.
Carlotta walked them to their school, a public one about fifteen minutes away. It wasn’t fancy, but it was enough.
"Bye, sis!" Maria waved as they ran to their friends.
Carlotta waved back. "Be good, both of you!"
This was a public school.
Even with their current financial state, her siblings could study here.
The only money needed for their school would be books, stationery, uniform and as such.
Like most public facilities, the amount of money needed for education was quite low compared to private schools.
But even that was expensive for their household.
That was why Carlotta had dropped out to earn money.
They never had a dad, and their mother died a few years ago, since then Carlotta had been working as the sole breadwinner.
She started running.
She still had to drop Dion at the public daycare before heading to work.
Her watch showed 7:40.
She was going to be late again.
Before, Henry used to handle the morning routine.
He would drop off the younger ones and picking them up later.
But Henry had disappeared three weeks ago.
Since then, Carlotta had been doing everything alone.
She reached the daycare, signed Dion in, and kissed his forehead before leaving.
"Be good, okay? I’ll co to get you after work."
He nodded, already playing with blocks on the floor.
Carlotta hurried out, her shoes slapping against the pavent as she ran toward the construction site.
She checked each shop window along the way, hoping to see "Help Wanted" signs.
Nothing today.
The site was only a few blocks away.
It was a large area where a new housing complex was being built.
She wiped sweat from her forehead as she arrived. The workers were working.
She prayed the boss wasn’t there in the line for attendance.
But he was.
He spotted her from a distance, and his expression darkened imdiately.
"Carlotta! You’re late again!" he shouted, loud enough for everyone to hear.
She lowered her head and hurried forward. "I’m sorry, sir. It won’t happen again."
He walked closer, his face red and sweaty. "You think you’re special? Coming late every ti and still getting paid for the full day?"
"No, sir," she said quietly.
"Then why do you keep doing it? You think I’m stupid? You think everyone else here is stupid for coming on ti?"
Carlotta shook her head, her eyes fixed on the ground.
"I’m giving you work out of kindness, and this is how you repay ," he continued, his voice echoing around the site. "Don’t forget, there are plenty of people waiting to take your place."
"I understand, sir. I’m sorry."
His tone grew sharper. "Next ti you’re late, I’ll cut your pay in half. Got it?"
"Yes, sir. Thank you for forgiving ."
He scoffed and turned away. "Go. Don’t just stand there."
Carlotta bowed slightly and hurried toward the work area.
She grabbed a helt and gloves from the supply corner, then joined the others carrying cent bags.
Her arms ached from the weight, but she didn’t slow down.
She had learned long ago that slowing down ant drawing more attention.
The sun climbed higher as the morning passed.
Sweat dripped down her back, and her clothes stuck to her skin.
She didn’t stop.
Her arms moved steadily, lifting bags of cent one after another.
"Woah, she can lift that much?" A new worker standing nearby stopped and stared at her. "Wait... isn’t she the one who got scolded this morning?"
An older man beside him wiped his forehead and looked at Carlotta with a tired kind of pity. "Yeah. That’s her. Carlotta. She’s stronger than she looks. Strong as any grown man, maybe even stronger."
The younger worker tilted his head.
"Why are you looking at her with pity?"
The old man sighed. "It’s an open secret here, so it’s fine if you know. She’s underage. Most places won’t hire her because of that. And the ones that do pay better are too far from where she lives. She refuses those."
The younger man looked surprised. "Underage? She looks older."
"Yeah, that’s what hard work does to a kid," the old man said quietly. "The boss pays her less, says it’s because she’s young and a girl.
"Cheap and strong labor. He’s happy to keep her here. And she doesn’t have anywhere else to go."
"Poor girl," he added, shaking his head.
Carlotta didn’t look at them.
She just kept working, her breathing steady and slow.
She was using the breathing technique Alan had given her.
It only worked if she was pushing her body hard while using it.
Every breath she took helped her muscles recover a little faster.
’I was hoping I could ask for extra pay today for the shoes,’ she thought, wiping sweat from her chin. ’But that’s not happening anymore.’
She had to pay for milk and other bills, so money was already tight.
When the work ended at three in the afternoon, she quickly collected her day’s pay—twenty euros—and left.
She ran all the way to the daycare to pick up Dion, then stopped by the school to get Nikos and Maria.
As soon as Dion saw her, he smiled brightly. "Sis! Did you get the shoes?"
Carlotta smiled stiffly. "Not yet. I’ll get them later, okay?"
Dion’s face fell a little, but didn’t complain.
Instead, he said, "If we don’t have enough money, then—"
She flicked his forehead lightly.
"Who said we don’t have enough? I was just busy, that’s all. I’ll get them later."
He rubbed his head and smiled again. "Okay."
When they reached ho, Carlotta changed clothes and started cooking.
The small apartnt filled with the sll of soup and bread.
After everyone ate, she washed their clothes, hung them on the balcony, and then started getting ready to leave for her work again.
She turned to Nikos.
"I’ll be back at the usual ti. Keep an eye on Dion, alright? If anything happens, call Aunty Elpida next door."
"Okay." He nodded seriously.
Carlotta crossed her arms. "Now, what are the three rules of the Garcia house?"
Nikos and Maria said together, "No opening doors for strangers. No going out of the house. No turning on the gas."
Dion, sitting nearby, mumbled the sa words with a small smile.
Carlotta smiled.
"Good! Now co here, give your sister kisses!"
The children laughed and ran to her.
She hugged them tightly before leaving.
Her chest felt heavy.
The neighborhood wasn’t the safest.
She beca especially anxious regarding their safety after Henry disappeared.
But she couldn’t stop working and stay at ho.
Soone had to bring money ho.
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