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Chapter 44 – The Glass Wall
Ruby
I lay in bed staring into space, Vander’s side already cool, long past the time I should have gotten up to go to Spuds.
I rolled over and went back to sleep. One more hour wouldn’t hurt.
When I next woke, I flew through my morning routine, dually driven to make it to Spuds with enough time to prep and to escape the emptiness of the house. The familiarity of Spuds offered little respite, and the hand that reached to remove the closed sign trembled like a leaf in the wind. The stress from the last few days visibly catching up to me.
I moved into the back room and began putting away the delivery before beginning preparations for the lunch rush. A vague sense of something being slightly off teased the edges of my consciousness. I checked the locks on the back door, double-checked the front door, and went back to my prep. Still not comfortable, I turned the music on, then turned it off again. Neither helped, and I had to force myself to finish up. I prepared half the options as usual, but for today it would have to do. Tomorrow would be better.
Between customers I paced back and forth. I watched the clock. I called Yiayia to check in. I gathered my papers for franchising into a large pile and placed them on my desk when what I really wanted to do was pitch them into the trash can.
My skin felt too tight and the urge to flee intensified. As soon as the clock reached two-thirty, I closed up shop. I sent out a text, then drove to the school to pick up the boys. I’d drop Alex off at home and visit Yiayia.
She was sitting, disgruntled, in the family room when I arrived.
“Hi, Yiayia,” I called out.
Her face lit up. “Koritzaki mou! Agoria!”
The boys bussed her on the cheek and headed into the kitchen to get themselves a snack. Gus kept two drawers in the fridge filled with ready snacks for the boys. His system was genius. I tried to get Yiayia to incorporate it but she wanted to prepare their snack when they got home from school.
I leaned over and kissed her soft cheek. “How are you, Yiayia?”
She scowled. “How you say… bored? I so bored!”
I thought for a moment. “You know, Yiayia, I might have something to help with that. I’ll be back.”
I ran home and grabbed the tablet that I rarely used. Back at Amber’s, I curled up on the couch on Yiayia’s left side, away from her sore arm.
“Okay, Yiayia. Let’s introduce you to Pinterest and get your Instagram set up on this bigger screen.”
By the end of the hour, I had written out instructions for her explaining how to navigate onto Pinterest, Instagram, the Greek news for her hometown, Greek radio, and Spotify.
She loved Greek radio.
The music sounded tinny coming from the tablet so I ordered a portable Bluetooth speaker that would arrive the next day. Gus or Alex would set it up for her.
I prepared dinner for them, leaving Minty’s meals in the freezer for the next day when I wouldn’t be off work so early. As five-thirty rolled around, I called Jace, and we headed for home where Vander would meet us.
Puttering around my own tiny kitchen, preparing dinner for the three of us, tickled me. This would be the first of many hours making dinner for my little family. And George, too, when he came home, I conceded happily.
The three of us ate in the tiny kitchen, Vander’s knee butting up against mine under the table. Jace regaled us with tales of his day, Vander told a funny story from his, and I caught them up on Yiayia’s success with the iPad. I smiled a lot over dinner. There would be more happy memories made in this house.
The next morning Vander drove Jace to school while I got ready for work. Stepping out of the shower, the silence of the house roared.
Did they lock the front door?
Did Jace remember his lunch? His coat?
I heard a noise and my stomach hollowed out. I placed my palm over it and breathed in deeply.
I crept towards my bedroom door, carefully closed and locked it, then got dressed.
Silly.
I took a deep breath and laughed a little as my stomach settled. I glanced into the bathroom. Today, I needed a little pill. I swallowed one down with water from the tap. I gathered up my phone and my purse and headed downstairs.
