"How did youe by that information?" a voice inquired. "The source of my knowledge is Linda," came the response.


    "Isn''t it amon belief that those who are less intelligent have impaired hearing as well? Is there any truth to that?""Really? But surely, if one is simplycking in intellect, their auditory abilities should remain unaffected. I''ve always been under the impression that it''s the inability to hear that leads to ack of speech, correct?""Perhaps you should put it to the test."


    Quinn had justpleted the task of meticulously cleaning the final basket of dishes. She ced them carefully in the sanitizing cab, turning around only to be greeted by the sight of two female coworkers making their way towards her."Hey, are you even capable of hearing our conversation?""Are you, by any chance, deaf?"


    The women studied Quinn with a curiosity that was devoid of any ill-intent. After all, they had never encountered someone like her before and were unaware that their words might be considered offensive. Quinn observed them in silence, offering no response. "It appears she truly can''t hear," one of them mused."How unfortunate," the other added.


    Quinn found such expressions of pity and sympathy to be most distasteful. They served as constant reminders of what others perceived to be her deficiency.Ignoring them, she made her way to the break room, intending to take a brief nap. She was utterly drained, too exhausted to even raise a hand.After a mere two hours of rest, it was time to resume her work at five in the afternoon, a shift that would continue until eleven at night.By the end of the day, her fingers were nearly raw, and her arms throbbed from the strain."Here''s your pay for the day," Linda said, handing over a fifty-dor bill.


    "You broke a dish, so today''s pay is only fifty. If the job is too much for you, feel free to not return tomorrow."Quinn''s gaze lingered on the crumpled money before epting it.With the fifty dors safely tucked away, she exited the restaurant. The street outside was eerily silent and cloaked in darkness. She pulled out her phone to check the GPS. Her home was thirty miles away, an eighty-dor cab ride. Her earnings for the day wouldn''t even cover the fare.A bitter smile graced Quinn''s lips as if the harsh reality of Alexander''s words had been reinforced. Leaving him meant she wouldn''t survive. And he had made his point quite effectively.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    Quinn stood there, feeling overwhelmed. Shecked the funds for a taxi, and the subway and buses were no longer in service.


    However, the thought of walking home alone filled her with fear. So, she remained there, lost and indecisive. The daunting prospect of a future filled with days like this caused the idea of divorce to slowly fade away.Suddenly, a car sped past her. Then, the driver mmed on the brakes and reversed the vehicle, stopping right in front of her.Quinn looked up slightly to see the car window roll down, revealing Walter''s face.


    "Quinn, is that really you? I thought my eyes were deceiving me." After speaking, Walter exited the car and nced around. "Are you out here dining?"Quinn shook her head and gestured, "I work here."Walter looked surprised. "You were working?"


    She nodded, confirming that he had understood correctly."Is Alexander picking you up?"Once again, she shook her head."Do you need a ride home?"Quinn bit her lip and stared at him. Suddenly recalling Alexander''s words, she hesitated. Walter offered a reassuring smile. "Come on, get in. I''ll take you."Just as he spoke, another car pulled up in front of them.