bChapter /bb72 /b

Rachel smiled weakly at them.

“What ba /bbcoincidence/bb,/b” she barely managed. “You’re here at the hospital too?”

Samantha found the encounter strange too, and said awkwardly, Rachel, this is my mom. She just got off the neb, /bwhich bwas /bpoorly ventted and packed with people. William and I were worriedb, /bso we brought her here for a check–up.”

Samantha then took it upon herself to make introductions.

“Momb, /bthis is my colleague, Rachel Lloyd. She’s great and often helps me out at work.”

At Samantha’s exnation, Charmaine rk immediately grabbed Rachel’s hand and thanked her profusely. “Ms. Lloyd, thank you so much, really. Samantha is still so young and doesn’t really know much. She needs as much help as you can give her.”

Samantha whispered to Charmaine, “Mom, my colleague is hearing–impaired, but she can lip–read. Talk slower.”

“Huh? She’s disabled?” Charmaine blurted out.

Rachel’s face stiffened. She had a hearing impairment, but no one had everbelled her as disabled before.

Knowing that her mom had spoken too rashly, Samantha felt awkward. She exined cautiously to Rachel, “My morn is ba /bstraight talker and doesn’t think much when she speaks. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Charmaine pulled Rachel over, surveying her from head to toe as she started speaking to her like they were age–old friends. “You’re so pretty, just like my daughter! Please don’t take my words to heart. I’m just like this, shooting my mouth off. Let me introduce you, this is my daughter’s boyfriend.”

Charmaine pulled William to stand before Rachel, as if she were at a show–and–tell session.

William’s face darkened and his brows furrowed, his jaw tense.

Samantha’s face turned paleb, /bpletely not expecting Charmaine to pull William to stand before Rachel as though she were presenting a prized possession of hers.

She lowered her head and bit her lip, the anxious look on her face way too tant.

Rachel cast a questioning gaze at William. “So this is Ms. Judd’s boyfriend.”

William’s face was dark with displeasure. He looked up and signed to Rachel, “I’ll exin things to you when we’re back.”

Before he was done signing to her, Rachel said, “I shan’t bother your family of three, then.”

Samantha didn’t say anything further and simply held Charmaine’s arm. “We’ll take my mom to the doctor now, Rachel.”

Rachel nodded. “Go ahead.”

Samantha was about to leave when she realized that William was still rooted to the spot. She reached out and tugged the hem of

his shirt.

“William, let’s go. Our number is about to be called.”

“Okay.”

William finally left with Samantha. He took another nce at Rachel when he brushed past her, but she didn’t even bother looking at him. She continued looking straight ahead, her eyes dead as still water.

No one realized how deeply her nails were digging into the flesh of her palms.

They hadn’t gone far when they bumped into Tyler.

After settling the bill for Rachel, Tyler walked back and saw William and Samantha with a middle–ageddy. He also spotted

Rachel with her bback /bfacing himb, /bher entire body shaking.

bHe /bdidn’t bneed /bto think much to realize what was going on.

bHe /bstepped forward and blocked their way, casually greeting William.

“Mr. Lewis, what ba /bcoincidence to see you here at the hospital! Did you finally realize that you should be apanying her bto /bbthe /bhospital for a check–up?”

W