Countdown to My Divorce

Chapter 72

Rachel smiled weakly at them.

“What a coincidence,” 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 plane, which was poorly ventilated and packed with people. William and I were worried, so we brought her here for a check–up.”

Samantha then took it upon herself to make introductions.

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

At Samantha’s explanation, Charmaine Clark 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 ever labelled her as disabled before.

mom had spoken too rashly, Samantha felt awkward. She explained cautiously to Rachel, “My morn is a straight talker and doesn’t think much when she speaks.

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

as if she were

face darkened and his brows furrowed,

to pull William to stand before Rachel as though she were presenting a prized possession of

her lip, the anxious

William. “So this is Ms. Judd’s

He looked up and signed to

was done signing to her, Rachel said, “I shan’t bother your family of

say anything further and simply held Charmaine’s arm. “We’ll take my mom to

Rachel nodded. “Go ahead.”

still rooted to the spot. She

his shirt.

number is about

“Okay.”

brushed past her, but she didn’t even bother looking at him. She continued