It was a bright morning, sunlight filtering softly through the curtains as Lucretia dragged herself out of bed, still half-asleep. Checking the clock—almost 7 a.m.—she realized something was missing.

“I guess I’m on my own today,” she muttered, noticing that Philip hadn’t called or stopped by as he usually did to walk her to school. With a small sigh, she moved to the washroom to get ready.

"Lucretia! Are you still in bed?" her mother, Mrs. Angelica, called, pushing ...