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Chapter Thirty
The next morning, Ruby found it hard to believe that her bruised hip hurt so bad that she had to call in sick for work. Rather than accepting Molly’s invitation to remain with her on the farm, she asked Jill to pick her up after lunch and take her back home.
She was glad to have escaped while Kurt had been out. Less explanations, or possibly arguments, if he felt as Molly did about keeping her there. Not that she wouldn’t have liked to be able to hang out at the farm… as Molly referred to her place. She fell in love with the animals, especially Jupiter who had the run of the place during the day.
In fact, he often wandered up on the porch in the shade and it shocked her to see Dandy, the ginger cat lay curled up on his back as if he rested there often. Pepper, the toy black poodle made her laugh with his hesitancy to come close, and yet he wagged his nub of a tail and back end so hard in greeting, he almost took a nosedive.
It wasn’t until Molly sighed, picked him up, and gently held him toward Ruby that she could pet him, and he stopped shivering. Looking into his large black watery gaze, she saw fear and wistful adoration mixed. It touched her, and she crooned, telling him how beautiful he was.
Soon, she was able to cuddle him herself and knew she’d been accepted. She’d watched the interplay the night before between the dog and Kurt and it had made her laugh. Kurt had a hard time taking a step without Pepper being glued to his right leg. The dog peeked out from that safety zone and ran away if anyone else got too close.
The one thing all the animals had in common was they all worshipped Molly… as did Kurt. It showed clearly, and it thrilled Ruby to know this woman would be there for her baby.
Before Jill arrived, Molly sat with her on the porch after breakfast and they discussed how the daily baby routine would eventually operate best for them. Between Jill, Ruby, and Molly, they would be able to make it work. Breathing a sigh of relief from knowing she had a plan in place, Ruby felt her whole body relax.
Just that morning, she’d found herself able to eat a decent breakfast while she sipped her ginger tea, and that alone had brightened her world. Now, all she needed to do was find out who fathered her child and have things get back to a kind of normalcy in her life.
Holding Pepper on her lap, stroking his soft curls, she glanced out over the view and breathed in the fresh air. “I can see why you love it out here, Molly. It’s beautiful. Even the way Kurt aligned his trailer behind the cedars looks good.”
Molly laughed. “In case you haven’t picked up on it yet, my son is a very stubborn man. He was determined to stay close and yet not live with me. When he came up with the idea of the trailer as a second home for the property, I wanted to move into it, and he freaked out. “No way my mom’s going to give up her home!” He was horrified I’d even suggest it. So, I backed right off. But one day, when he settles down, I’ll be picking up that battle again, and he’ll be taking over this place, tearing it down, and rebuilding his dream home.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, Molly. Would you be happy in the trailer?”
“In a heartbeat! It’s lovely and modern, like a tiny house, and easy to clean with every commodity one needs. Of course, it would all depend on if he gets hitched and if the wife he chooses wants the place to herself. Then I’d have to move to town.”
“He’d never love a woman like that, Molly.”
“Funny… you already know that about him. But, darling girl, when a man’s thinking with his pecker and not his brain, stranger things have happened.”
Laughing as Molly intended her to, Ruby looked into the distance and saw her mother’s car getting closer. “Mom’s here to get me, Molly. I called her to come, hope it’s okay.”
“Of course, it is. Glad to show her around.”
Jill pulled into the driveway, got out of the car to walk closer, and stopped to laugh. “Do you know you have a pony leaning against your chair, baby?”
Ruby glanced to her side to see Jupiter lounging close, and she grinned before lifting her hand to caress his face. “He’s my friend.”
“I suppose the poodle crouched on your lap is too?”
“Yep. But Pepper is a bit timid, so you’ll have to go slow in making friends.” She cuddled the dog close to shield him and felt him trembling from the sight of a stranger.
***
An hour later, on their way back to town, they passed an SUV stopped on the side of the road. The woman driver kept her face down as they drove by.
