Love M
Love M 37

Love Unspoken.

Chapter 37

Alexander said, I gotta go, and turned to leave, Getty, barely holding back her frustration, shouted, “Alexander! But he didn’t even look back.

Getty was foming. She’d just come back from the hospital, and he coat even offer a kind word.

Meanwhile, Alexander drove to the restaurant, only to replace it closed and dark. He sat in his car, staring at the place. After a moment, he tried calling Quinn, but it went straight to voicemail.

Annoyed, he lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, then flicked it out the window before steering the car back towards the Villa.

Upon arrival, he found the Villa seemingly deserted. The bedroom was immaculate, with no indication. that Quinn had returned. It suddenly occurred to Alexander that he had frozen Quinn’s credit cards. Without funds, how could she have possibly made her way back?

Without wasting a moment, he dialed Kyle’s number, stepping outside as he began to converse.

Elsewhere, after dropping Juliet off at her makeshift shelter–a tarp thrown over an old car frame near a dump–Quinn felt a wave of overwhelm wash over her, Juliet had mentioned that the shelter was a gift from the owner of the dump, a token of pity.

り

Quinn had just returned from a 24–hour convenience store and, upon stepping into the shelter, was met with an indescribable smell. Juliet switched on the solar–powered lamp, revealing the dirty bedding on

the floor.

Quinn looked at her with a complex expression, her eyes filled with pity. She remembered when Juliet used to teach her to write, fold origami, and tell her bedtime stories. The Juliet in her memories should not be living like this.

Juliet extended a hand to touch Quinn, but seeing the frail and dirty skin, she hesitated and drew back. Quinn, however, didn’t hesitate. She grasped Juliet’s hand and sat down next to her.

“Don’t touch me. Your clothes are too nice to get dirty, Juliet murmured, her eyes welling up with tears as she thought of her son and daughter–in–law.

Quinn bit her lip and gestured to Juliet, “Don’t worry. From now on, I’ll take care of you.”

Tears shimmered in the old woman’s eyes as she attempted a feeble smile. “You don’t need to, dear. You’ve got enough to deal with the Kennedys, and I’m not getting any younger. Just visiting is more than enough. You don’t have to look after me.”

Instead of responding, Quinn busied herself tidying up the bed and then motioned to the elderly lady, “Would it be alright if I stayed over tonight?”

1/2

Chapter 37

“This place is too dirty for you, child. Don’t trouble yourself, Juliet said, her voice cracking with embarrassment and guilt, feeling bad that she couldn’t offer Quinn a proper place to stay.

“It’s not dirty at all, Quinn reassured her, shaking her head. “To me, it’s cleaner here than anywhere else.”

A laugh escaped Juliet, carrying within its layers of life’s hardships and sorrows.

Quinn kicked off her shoes and lay down beside Juliet. Having allocated every last cent to purchasing groceries for Juliet, she found herself penniless for the journey home, and her phone battery was depleted.

Moreover, venturing out to flag down a cab at this ungodly hour was out of the question. Even if she managed to make it back, it would be to a home devoid of warmth or welcome. She far preferred the company here.

“Silly girl,” Juliet sighed in the dark.

Quinn closed her eyes. Despite the unpleasant smell clinging to the bed, sleep claimed her.

The morning cold woke her sooner than she wished. Upon opening her eyes, Quinn was greeted by the first light of dawn, casting a golden hue over the crumbling facades.

Juliet had risen early. She was perched on th outdoor stone, tending to a pot of boiling water. Approaching quietly, Quinn crouched beside Juliet only to see that she was boiling eggs–the very ones Quinn had bought the previous evening.

“Awake, huh? Give it a moment more; the eggs are nearly done,” Juliet announced without a glance back,

Quinn nodded with a smile.

All night, Alexander had been searching for her, retracing her steps to the modest shelter and scouring the restaurant area, but she was nowhere to be found.

Chapter Comments

17