Back at Cloudscape Community, Juniper''s body ached after hours of standing in theb.


    "A nice foot soak will help with the fatigue," Dana said, looking at Juniper''s slightly swollen legs with concern. "I''ll get some water for you."


    When the basin of warm water was ready, Dana knelt down to help, but Juniper quickly pulled her feet back.


    "I''m not used to people touching me," Juniper said apologetically, letting out a yawn. "But thank you, Dana."


    "I''ll take it from here," Shanley said, taking off his suit jacket and rolling up the sleeves of his white shirt. "Could you please make some lemon water? Juniper had a rather rich dinner tonight."


    Juniper nced at him and quietly extended her feet from under the covers again.


    "Of course, sir," Dana replied, her face beaming as she watched the couple. They were growing closer every day. Dating this year, engaged next year, a baby the year after... Hannah''s chances of bing a great grandmother within three years were looking very high. She had to report this progress to Hannah and share the good news.


    Once the door was closed, Shanley knelt by the bed, his eyes on the girl hugging a pillow. Themplight cast a warm glow on him, entuating his tall frame.


    "The water temperature is perfect," he said.


    "Okay," Juniper replied, a little mesmerized by the sight. She obediently ced her feet into the basin.


    "Shall I give you a massage?" he asked. Although they shared a bed, the most they had ever done was hold hands. He wasn''t sure if she would befortable with him touching her feet.


    As he hesitated, the girl flopped back onto the bed, covering her head with the pillow. "Go ahead," her muffled voice came from underneath.


    She was shy. Shanley smiled and began to gently massage her feet. At first, Juniper felt a bit awkward, but his touch was so soothing that she soon drifted off to sleep.


    Just then, his phone rang. Shanley carefully tucked the nket around her and walked out to the balcony to answer.


    "Shanley, we heard back from Cybeic Shadows," Jimmie''s voice came through the line. "We have a lead on my middle brother."


    "The middle brother?" Shanley''s focus shifted from the sleeping girl curled up on the bed. His gaze softened with affection.


    "Yes," Jimmie said, his voice low and amused. "If remember correctly, the three of us are triplets. I''m the oldest, and we used to get the other two mixed up but then Melvin remembered that one of them had a heart injury."


    He continued, "The one with the heart injury is the middle brother."


    Melvin had always wanted to be the oldest, but since he''d lost that title to Jimmie, he''d set his sights on being the second. He was convinced he was the middle one Anything but the youngest.


    "Melvin''s ecstatic right now, more motivated than anyone to find him," Jimmie mused. "I don''t have the heart to burst his bubble just yet."


    "My dear brother-inw is going to be crushed, isn''t he?" Shanley chuckled, his voice deep and maic.


    "Of course he will-" Jimmie started, then cut himself off, his tone bing serious again. "Who''s è your brother inw? You''re not even officially her boyfriend yet, and you''re already getting ahead of yourself."


    "Soon," Shanley replied, counting down the days. Juniper''s exams were just over twenty days away. Once they were over, he nned to move their rtionship forward.


    "About my middle brother," Jimmie said, getting back to the point. "We started with what we knew about Melvin and found that they were both swept away by the river together."