What Separates Me and You

Quintin looked at her eagerly. Josephine blinked, and her hands froze in the air. She was stumped. She couldn't recall that word and didn't know the sign language for it.

The man sighed with disappointment at the sight of her troubled expression but soon cheered up and persuaded, "Shall I teach you the signs for it?"

Josephine nodded.

"Look, it's like this. That's the sign for the word husband."

Josephine stared at his fingers. She copied his movements and signed.

Quintin's face lit up with glee. Excited, he grabbed Josephine's wrist. "D-Do it again."

Josephine obeyed and signed the word a few more times.

He was beyond himself with joy, and his eyes sparkled with delight. Although she didn't speak, he remembered her voice well and imagined her voice when she signed that word.

At that moment, he understood why Lewis was reluctant to let Josephine go. Seeing someone learn something new bit by bit under his guidance was gratifying.

It was pleasurable to have the little girl whom he raised cling to him!

The sky was dark, but Quintin's smile was as radiant as the sun, and Josephine smiled at the sight of his smile.

Smiling at each other, they were no different from a couple in felicity in the eyes of outsiders.

It suddenly started to rain. Quintin's smile froze. Almost immediately, he pulled Josephine's hand and ran toward the lobby. "Quick! It's raining."

While he ran, he raised his arm over Josephine's head, shielding her from the rain.

They had just entered the lobby when the rain grew heavier. The sky darkened too.

Rain splattered onto the ground and foliage, giving out a melancholic vibe.

Josephine looked out at the streets that were blurred in the rain and intuitively leaned closer to Quintin.

He had mixed feelings as he watched her come closer to him, wondering if she had reacted the same way with Lewis when she was at this age. Being alone and having forgotten about everyone, did she wholeheartedly trust whoever showed her kindness and looked up to that person as her only hope?

What if it was him who had been living with her all these years? Would she be fond of him as she was of Lewis?

The elevator bell interrupted his thoughts. He snapped back to reality and led Josephine into the elevator.

In the elevator, Quintin was absent-minded.

Unlike others, Josephine didn't lose her general knowledge of the world along with her memory. She knew what an elevator was, understood others when they spoke to her, and could identify common household objects.

He had doubts at first, but he had it all figured out now. There was a difference between a five-year-old and a simpleton, and Josephine was evidently not the latter.

Quintin placed the snacks on the coffee table and beckoned Josephine to wash her hands. Then, he called someone to fix the door.

He was fortunate that the security in the residential area was good. He didn't encounter any thieves though his door had been unlocked since yesterday.

Meanwhile, Conrad got his hands on information regarding Quintin and Josephine's trip to the hospital.

He waited on the ground floor of the inpatient department. When he saw Lewis exiting the elevator, he walked over to him with a solemn expression and handed him the information he obtained. "Sir, the madam is..."

Lewis took the document from Conrad, but Conrad's tone made him pause. Looking at him, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Conrad's lips parted, but he didn't know how to start. Then, he said, "You might want to see for yourself."

Lewis opened the file and pulled out the document. Skimming through the pages, his eyes darkened.

Conrad saw his expression and knew a storm was brewing-and it was, indeed.

In Josephine's current condition, Quintin would completely replace Lewis in her life after the five days she stayed with Quintin. If that happened, Josephine would never come back to Lewis even if Quintin willingly let her go.

However, Lewis would be breaking his promise if he went and insisted on bringing Josephine back to his side.

Lewis didn't say anything. He read the medical certificate for the second time.

Briefly, he inserted the medical certificate back into the file and looked at Conrad. "What did the doctor say?"

Conrad shook his head. "The doctor had no answers. So what should we do next?"

Lewis gazed at the downpour outside. No one could read his expression. The hospital was buzzing with activity, but the sound of the rain overwhelmed the noise in it.

Conrad sneaked a glimpse at Lewis' expression and saw nothing except for his brooding face.

Lewis stood there for quite some time before he left.

Conrad immediately opened the umbrella. Holding it above Lewis' head, he followed Lewis to the parking lot.

On the other hand, the repairman Quintin found had arrived. He couldn't help clicking his tongue when he saw the state the door was in. "The lock is in a complete wreck. I can't fix it. You can only change it." Leaning by the doorway, Quintin glanced at the huge footprints on the door's lock and secretly berated Phineas while saying, "I'll change it, then."

The repairman said, "I don't have locks with me. Do you prefer getting one on your own and having me change it, or should I go and get one for you?"

Quintin tried to save himself trouble. He waved and said, "I'll leave it to you. It's too troublesome."

"Alright. I'll go back and get one. The same model, right?"

"Yes. How much is it?"

"28,000 dollars."

"Twen-" Quintin almost lost his cool. For the life of him, he didn't expect a lock to be so expensive. He wouldn't have minded 28,000 dollars before, but he was now broke! "What's wrong? I have cheaper ones too. Would you prefer that?"

The repairman brooded. How could anyone who could afford a residence in this area lack 28,000 dollars?

Quintin asked, "How much is the cheapest lock?"

"1,200 dollars. Of course, I have the regular ones that come with keys. Those are much cheaper, slightly more than 200 dollars."

Dollar contemplated it. He looked back at Josephine, who was munching away on the snacks, and said thoughtfully, "I'll take the cheaper one."

He had to be more thrifty after this. He had someone to take care of.

"Okay." The repairman ceased talking, picked up his tools, and left.

Quintin wouldn't have repaired the door if he wasn't afraid that Josephine would run out on her own.

After the repairman left, someone came under Warren's instructions to send Quintin money.

The man was in a suit and had a pair of gold-rimmed glasses on his nose. With a black umbrella in one hand, he pulled out a kraft paper bag with the other. "Master Quintin, Master Warren sent me to give you this. He enjoins you to spend it wisely."

Quintin took the bag and looked into it. Pouting, he remarked, "That's not much. How wise must I be?"

The man smiled. "Anyway, that's his message for you. I'll take my leave, Master Quintin."

At that, the man left with the dripping wet umbrella.

Quintin closed the door and lodged the stool against it. He brought the bag to the sofa and counted the money inside.

50,000 dollars.

Not too bad. That should be enough for a month.

Josephine had a bag of chips in her arms as she leaned closer to stare at the money in his hands.

Quintin waved the cash he held and smiled. "This goes to the food you want. Tell me when you crave something and I'll get it for you."

He said that with pride. Josephine's mouth was stuffed with chips, and her eyes were curved as she beamed. It was as though she could imagine loads of snacks before her.

Quintin frowned. "You should eat fewer snacks since you've just had a proper meal. You're overeating. It's not good for your health to overindulge in junk foods."

She immediately hid her snacks and looked reluctantly at him.

His lips twitched. Before he could say anything, someone opened his broken door.