CHAPTER 69. A suitable environment for a child

The apartment was clean, very clean, but that was the only positive thing to say about it. When Andrea opened the door, the tall, thin woman beside her, about fifty years old with a stern face and firm gaze, momentarily looked surprised. She carried a clipboard, and Andrea felt a chill when she saw her write something down.

"I thought I was coming to evaluate an apartment... but I see there’s not much to evaluate," she said with concern.

There were no rugs, no furniture, no pictures, nothing to soften the starkness of the room. The walls were bare, the windows had no curtains, the floor was cracked, and the light was dim. Andrea felt a wave of panic wash over her. She knew it was the kind of place no one would want to stay in for long, especially not with a child.

The woman inspected the apartment with a critical eye, taking notes as she went along; Andrea followed her with a pounding heart.

"How long have you been living like this?" she