My Mute Bride

Shutting the door, Nancy gripped Rachel’s arm.

“Why would you find him a job?”

Rachel, however, was dazed. Grandpa Irwin is our neighbor and he is always good to me. If he were to move in, you could take care of each other! Besides, you don’t know a lot of people in Riverdale, so it’s a win!

Seemingly anxious, Nancy frowned and mumbled, “You don’t have to worry about me.”

What’s wrong, Grandma?

“Irwin… However, Nancy stopped after muttering his name. “Nevermind. I’m sure it’s hard for him as well, being so old and living without his children. We’ll go as you wish, then. Plus, he gave us a lot of help back then.”

Revealing a smile, Rachel grabbed Nancy’s hand.

I know what you’re worried about, Grandma. Often, those who approach us come with ill intent, but not all people are evil, are they?

Besides, seeing Grandpa Irwin today reminded me of many fond memories from my childhood.

“Really?” Nancy asked, her eyes shimmering.

Yes.

Rachel sternly nodded her head.

At the sight of Grandpa Irwin, Rachel was able to piece together many fragments of her memory, including the one when he bought her a cotton candy from town and it was her mother that opened the door for him.

“Cotton Candy for Rae! Do you like it?”

“Say your thanks, Rae.”

Her mother whispered into her ears. The scene was rather unreal. After all, this was the first time Rachel had recalled it after twenty years.

Pondering on it, Nancy expressed, “Must have been fate. Some things are meant for you to remember.”

Very soon, Victor returned with the chives and Nancy promptly started making the dumplings.

Meanwhile, Rachel contacted the management team about the security post, which the administration kindly agreed to.

‘Where do you live, Grandpa Irwin? I’ll help you move to the workers’ hostel tomorrow’

and rejected, “It’s fine. I don’t have much to transport. I’ll go home later and return tomorrow. You just carry on as usual,

that, Nancy was visibly annoyed as

main

before they get cold, Madam Tiller and Rachel. I

interjected, “Join us,

My grandma’s waiting for me to have dinner with her

that, Rachel caught his arm. ‘Let

no need

signal, she grabbed her bag and put on her

response, Grandma uttered, “Go on. Drive

who scratched his head and was forced to follow her

doorstep, Rachel gave him a box of pierogi and told him to share it with his

taken aback by this, and he murmured, “That’s

an envelope from her bag and placed it on

he opened the envelope and saw a neat stack of hundreds. He was utterly

response, she showed

lending this money to you, so remember to write me an IOU. Take this money and sign up for night school. Take up classes that you’re interested in so you can take care

Rachel dumbfoundedly and hastily

she could hear choking

his weeping face. It was not until he was far away

driving the car amid the

notice that when she had left the alley,

“What are you doing?”

“Grab him!”

restrained by two big men and his face was pushed against the unpainted concrete

the pierogi and envelope had fallen

up the envelope. “And I was wondering why you’ve been so distant with me. It seems to me you have

“Give my stuff back!”

her and patted his face with the envelope. With a vile expression on her

favor, and it’s solely up to me whether to fulfill it or

on her face, the woman grew infuriated as she

have the balls to do

The woman took a step backward.

screams of pain as he

she looked down on him. Then, she grabbed the