Hidden Sins Read Online Free Page B

you need,” the driver said.
    I turned around feeling sheepish for not having any extra cash to tip him.
    “I’m sorry. I don’t have…”
    “Mr. Fletcher has taken care of everything.” He nodded, smiling.
    “Ohh… Well, thank you. No. I don’t need anything else. Thanks for your help.”
    I heard voices behind me and watched as the driver walked down the steps. I glanced behind me and didn’t see anyone, so whoever was talking must be in another room. I walked outside and began pushing the boxes into the entry when a female appeared in front of me. She looked to be around my age and far kinder than the official greeter.
    “I’m Rikki.” She came outside and began pushing a box inside to help me, which I was grateful for. She had blond hair, but it wasn’t as light as mine and her eyes were hazel. She was dressed in frayed jean shorts and a black camisole.
    “I’m Hannah.”
    “I know. We’ve been expecting you. And don’t mind Nancy. She’s a bit of a militant but completely harmless.”
    We finished getting my belongings inside when Nancy reappeared.
    “Hannah, I see you’ve met Rikki. I’ll show you around and to your room. This house has rules, and I expect everyone to abide by them…no matter what the reason. You already went against one of the first rules you were told to adhere to, which was to drive yourself here. That makes me wonder about your understanding of the situation you’re in.”
    “I know and I apologize. It won’t happen again,” I replied.
    Nancy gestured for us to follow her. The hall was in disarray with items stacked haphazardly on shelves, and piles of shoes and coats strewn about. The kitchen was no better.  The cracked white tile on the counter was piled high with all sorts of magazines, papers, plates, and cups. It looked like someone needed to come in here and give this place a good cleaning.
    “This is the kitchen that everyone shares. I keep the fridge stocked, but there’s a quota per person. You can have one cup of milk, two tablespoons of butter to use how you wish, two slices of cheese, and four slices of bread per day. If you bring in your own food, make sure to mark it, to not cause confusion.”
    An allotment of food? What had I gotten myself into?
    “You can have one tablespoon of peanut butter as well.” Nancy looked at me and crossed her arms in front of her. “You understand why our rules are in place?”
    I glanced at Rikki, who rolled her eyes.
    “To make sure everyone gets enough…”
    “To make sure we’re all safe. Everyone here is running from something or someone, and if you can’t stick to the rules, no matter how small, you’re endangering everyone else who lives here.”
    I nodded. “I understand.”
    “I’m not sure you do,” Nancy said, as she began walking out of the kitchen.
    I followed her down another hall and Rikki was right behind me.
    “This is the main bathroom for everyone to share. A shower schedule is posted. If you miss your time, you need to wait until the next day,” Nancy said, flipping on the bathroom light. There was a clipboard with several names written down the side and times listed at the top.
    “I haven’t had a shower for far too long. Since I just got here would it be okay if—”
    “You don’t get it. Do you?” Nancy snapped, her brow arching. “It isn’t about a shower.”
    Apparently, I didn’t get it. I was twenty-two years old and wanting to take a shower didn’t seem like that big of a deal. I understood the food thing because it had to do with money and making sure everyone had enough to go around, but a shower? That just seemed like a power trip.
    “If I made things easy for you and everyone here, do you think any of you would ever want to leave? This isn’t a spa. It’s a place for you to get your shit together and leave. So no. You need to wait until your allotted time tomorrow to take your shower. Just imagine how grateful you’ll be when you finally get it.” Nancy pursed her