“What’s there to be afraid of? Viola was always soft-hearted. She gave so much of herself for our sake,” Gloria said, her voice gentle. “I just hope that, in the end, she finds happiness.”
She paused, a wistful smile touching her lips as she added, “She often said how happy she was that Skye was there to keep her company all those years in the countryside.”
Skylar’s heart tightened at the mention of Viola’s name. Her eyes welled with unshed tears. She missed Viola more than she realized. To Skylar, Viola had been more than a grandmother—she had been her closest companion in the countryside, more so than anyone else, even Gloria. Viola had rarely spoken of her past, and Skylar had never pressed her on it. Often, Skylar would catch her grandmother staring off into the distance, gazing at the mountains, lost in thought. Skylar had always thought Viola was lonely, so she made sure to stay by her side, hoping to make her feel less alone.
“Has Viola ever mentioned me, Skye?” George’s voice cut through the quiet, his eyes filled with unspoken longing.
Skylar hesitated, then shook her head. She spoke honestly, “Grandma Viola rarely talked about her past. She used to say that some people keep certain things hidden in their hearts. As long as they don’t forget, everything’s okay.”
George’s face softened, and for a brief moment, he seemed lost in thought. He nodded slowly. “That’s right. As long as they never forget.”
Gloria’s eyes, too, became a little misty. “Viola always had such clarity,” she said, her voice tinged with fondness.
After a moment, the conversation drifted, and Viola’s name wasn’t mentioned again. George left shortly after, but not before inviting Skylar to visit him at his home sometime.
As George exited, Gloria shot him a playful look, a silent warning not to steal Skylar away from her. Skylar couldn’t help but smile at their bickering—it was like watching children spar over something trivial.
When Joe entered the room, he found Skylar and Gloria laughing, the warm atmosphere between them almost palpable.
Joe paused at the door, noticing the soft smile on Skylar’s face. It made him feel a strange sense of longing. He greeted Gloria first, his usual stiffness present in his tone. “Hi, Grandma.”
Gloria, now favoring Skylar, glanced at him with a hint of disapproval. She saw Skylar as delicate and precious, someone to be protected. Joe, on the other hand, had become harder and more complicated as he’d grown older. He wasn’t as warm, and it often made Gloria uncomfortable.
Joe noticed her judgmental look, but he was used to it by now. He didn’t let it affect him, though his expression remained as cold as ever.
“Skye’s been talking with me and George for a while. I’m sure she’s thirsty. Go get her some water and peel an apple for her,” Gloria instructed Joe, her voice filled with affection for Skylar.
Joe raised an eyebrow in surprise. Peel an apple for Skylar?
“I’ve had some water, Grandma. I’m fine, and I’m not hungry enough for an apple right now. I’ll peel it myself when I feel like eating it,” Skylar replied quickly, a little uncomfortable with the idea.
She wasn’t close enough to Joe for him to do something so intimate for her, especially not in front of others.
Joe hesitated for a moment, his hand still reaching for an apple, before he slowly withdrew it, his gaze flicking toward Skylar. Just then, their eyes met. There was a brief moment of shared understanding between them, an unspoken acknowledgment of the tension between them. But as they quickly looked away, it felt as though Gloria was watching them closely, sensing something unspoken between the two.
Their brief moment of connection lingered in the air, awkward and charged. They had to keep their relationship hidden, and in front of Gloria, they were just an ordinary married couple. The truth between them needed to remain a secret—for now.
Gloria, however, wasn’t oblivious. As she watched them, her heart quickened. The way they looked at each other—it reminded her of the couples she’d seen on dating variety shows. That shared, hesitant glance—it was usually how love started to bloom.
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