I ate quickly, then picked up my basket and walked into the kitchen, looking for something I could bring Sadie. Taking her bits of food each week seemed like a meager gesture; I felt as if I should be doing more. But she needed food and seemed glad to have it. And it was really all I could do.

I peered into the icebox. There was a plate of freshly cut salami and cheese, neatly arranged. There was no way to take any of that without it being noticeable, though. On the shelf below was the remainder of a quiche from Ana Lucia’s lunch party the previous day, typical of the pretentious French cuisine she loved to serve. I pictured Sadie’s delight in having some of the special treat. Just a bit off the edge, I decided. I reached in and pulled up the wrapping, which crinkled loudly. I cut off a piece of quiche and wrapped it in wax paper, then put it in my basket. As I replaced the dish, I heard footsteps behind me. I shut the icebox and turned. Standing there was Hanna.

“Hanna, I didn’t hear you. I was just...” My voice trailed off as I searched for an explanation, but found none. “I was still hungry,” I finished lamely. Hanna’s eyes traveled to the basket where I had placed the food. My heart pounded. Hanna worked for Ana Lucia, and despite my stepmother’s awfulness, she was still the one who paid the girl. Surely Hanna would tell.

But Hanna stepped around me wordlessly and reached into the icebox. She pulled out the cheese tray, took several pieces off and wrapped them in wax paper. She rearranged the cheeses on the tray so it was not as obvious that some of the pieces were missing and put it back in the icebox. Then she handed the wrapped package to me.

I hesitated before taking it. “Hanna, no.” I wasn’t sure if she knew what I was doing and wanted to help or simply thought I wanted food. If Ana Lucia found out, she would fire Hanna and put her out into the streets.

Then, thinking of Sadie, I relented. “Thank you. I will take this with me and eat it for lunch.” Hanna continued to stare at me, not believing. Then she turned and walked from the kitchen.

Outside on the pavement, I paused as I always did before setting out to meet Sadie. Though it had been a few weeks since Ana Lucia had voiced her suspicions about my going to Dębniki, I was still afraid she might be on to me. But she was not home, and even if she was, she would not follow me herself to the distant, working-class neighborhood. I promised Sadie I would come again and I wanted to bring her food and make sure that she was all right.

Forty minutes later, I stepped off the tram on the corner of Rynek Dębnicki. I made my way around the corner of the square toward the grate. As I reached the top of the alleyway where the grate was located, I froze, stopping dead in my tracks.