Chapter 4 - An Understanding

Later that afternoon, Penny heard a gentle knock on the door and expected it to be the girls.

“Hi Penny, I am just checking to see if you are settling in all right,” said Nick, a tall, slim, young man with long, blonde hair and intense blue eyes. “Is there anything you need help with?”

“Hello there, Nick. I was not expecting to see my new landlord today,” replied Penny, with a welcoming smile.

On meeting Nick, she had immediately liked his personality, soft-spoken voice and gentle mannerisms.

“No, I am doing just fine. Thank you for asking though. I do appreciate that.”

“I am just letting you know that I will be changing the lock on the door, tomorrow morning, about eleven o’clock,” said Nick, with a smile. “No, there is no problem, but I always change the locks when I rent to new tenants.”

“Thank you. That is probably a good idea,” said Penny. “You are welcome to stay for lunch, when you come. I may even bake a fresh lemon cake.”

“Super!” replied Nick, heading down the long hallway. “My mom used to do that before she passed away, several years ago.”

“So, he does not have a mother, either,” thought Penny to herself. “Anyhow, we need to have a long talk, as those twins are too young to be left alone.”

Penny was growing increasingly concerned about the girls, as she had heard them tearing up and down the hallway and stairwell, into the wee hours of the night. “I thought I had rented an apartment in an adult building.”

“Those two families have been here ever since I bought the units in this apartment building,” explained Nick, the next day, when Penny made a comment about having met the three girls. “We have a mutual understanding. Their unit rentals are government subsidized, so I know that I will always get my rent money. I just love those girls!”

Penny decided not to say anything more about the twins being alone all day.

They both enjoyed their conversation over lunch.

True to his word, Nick changed the lock on the door, as planned. He became concerned when he found a partly burned piece of paper in the lock. He was stunned, as he read the words written on the paper.

“Kids, always something,” he thought to himself, as he handed the piece of paper to Penny. “I will show you where the fire alarm is in the hallway, just in case,” he said.

“I may have to have serious talk with those children about the danger of playing with fire,” Penny thought to herself, as Nick left shortly thereafter.