Love Unspoken

Completely worn out from a day spent scrubbing dishes, Quinn fell onto her bed the moment she stepped into her bedroom. Her gaze fell upon her fingertips, raw and peeling from the day's labor.

Thoughts of Abigail's messages filled her mind, and she found herself slipping into a daydream. A knock at her door yanked her back to reality. Standing in the doorway was Juliet, her frame hunched and weary. She regarded Quinn with a look of concern. "Are you hungry, dear?" she asked.

Pushing herself up from the bed, Quinn moved towards her, surprise evident in her gesture. "Why are you still awake at this hour?"

"I was waiting for you," Juliet responded simply.

"You shouldn't have. You should get your rest," Quinn advised, concern tingeing her voice.

Juliet merely shook her head, a soft smile gracing her lips. "Sleep doesn't come easy at my age. Haven't had your dinner yet? Let me fix something for you."

gaze. The thought of being cared for, being considered, felt incredibly precious. It was like finding a safe harbor for her heart, a place where she belonged, a home. Leaning on her cane for support, Juliet

What did you do today to work up such an

flashing back to the long day and the images of Alexander and Getty on the television screen. A pang of sorrow rose unbidden within

helping. Accepting the

tender exchange. There was something different about Quinn's smile when she was with Juliet. It was genuine, full of warmth, as if her eyes were shining with happiness.

running water from the bathroom. The hazy silhouette of a tall figure behind the frosted glass startled

in a towel, his hair still wet. "Did you get

eyes and moved towards the bathroom. Just as she was about to enter, a hand grabbed her arm. She turned in surprise, her eyes meeting his. Droplets from his hair dampened her sleeve as he held her

Quinn stepped back, intending to fetch her clothes, but Alexander didn't let go. She tried to