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Luke and Nicolette are doing good – and the baby is beautiful! I’m pretty sure Amelia has a thing for Emmett Wilkes, but Madison made a face when she caught the other girl gawking at him, so maybe I’m wrong? Luke Hody and Jillian still fight like cats and dogs, but… Ohhhh! Claire and Esteban were talking tonight! Like ‘talking/talking’ - I think something is going on there finally!
I don’t mean to sound like a gossip – but sometimes it’s fun to share the dirt with someone you can trust. This is me, trusting you, so please do not say a word to anyone… or you will be cut off from the gossip stream, got it?
I’ll admit – I was very surprised to see you on the screen or that you called me out in front of everyone. You sure know how to make an entrance, Mr. Griffin. The gossips will be talking about us now… and I missed your smile, too.
Yeah – that was weird to type. I understand how you feel, and I would like us to be friends. There’s nothing to make up for over the years, because that was just kids-being-kids. We are both grown and can wipe the slate clean, starting fresh from here. Okay?
‘Your hair never looked like evergreen poop’ --- Thank you for telling me this. I had quite a complex that I kept buried deep-down inside. I appreciate the honesty and let’s keep that going.
I think I like this new side of you that is trying to be nice to me… let’s keep that going, too. I’ve never thought of myself as unique or rare – and that made me feel good to read that.
Write when you can, Michael… and thank you. This was a terrific idea to keep in touch and talk.
Ruby
CHAPTER4
MICHAEL
Michael literally fist-pumpedthe air as he read Ruby’s long email, feeling an overwhelming burst of happiness and joy within him.
This was literally the best Christmas present he could have received. If he couldn’t be there to enjoy the festivities with his friends in the hangar at Flyboys – then she was delivering it to him, passing along the news, and befriending him… finally.
Gosh, looking back, he’d been such a jerk to her over the years.
He’d picked on her scrawny legs and knobby knees. He’d taunted her about coloring her hair, mocked her clumsy nature, and yet? Here she was, being the same amazing person that he’d always known and was jealous of, because she was just an incredible soul.
There was something about Ruby Merrick that had always struck a chord, resonating inside of him. It was like a deep place within him recognized her, and despite fighting against it?
He wanted to know more.
Just seeing her there, with her pink, white, yellow, and faint wisps of blue hair… it had made him melt. He wanted to see her smiling at him, see that beautiful cascade around his face if she leaned over him to kiss him – and in that moment, he’d spoke up.
She was a rare treasure – and he knew it with every fiber of his being. His mother always talked about how ‘Ruby was doing so well’or ‘Ruby was volunteering’… which made him wonder if his mother knew something was there all along.
He’d taken the idea to have Ruby write him from his parents’ own history of how they’d met.
His parents were pen pals when his father was stationed overseas, and had never looked back. His father claimed they were in love before they’d ever met each other, simply because of their shared letters… which made him wonder what they said to each other.
He knew his mother kept them tied up somewhere in a box, along with a few other trinkets from Afghanistan. He knew when his parents married, they’d put that part of their life behind them, focusing on moving forward and building from there.
… And surprisingly, Michael wanted Ruby to look at him differently.
He wasn’t just the twerp that picked on her, but a man who recognized the woman before him and wanted a chance. He’d noticed a difference when he’d seen her in that blue dress with the stars in her hair – and had almost said something then… and regretted not doing so.
If he was scared to open his mouth, afraid to lose face, or worried what she would say to him – then maybe ‘talking’ via email would give him a chance to open up to the girl he admired so much and felt intimidated by.
Hitting reply, he immediately responded to her long email.
Dear Ruby… my unicorn,
No picking on you – I promise. In fact, I was really glad you replied so quickly. I get a chance to email every evening and can even make calls sometimes on the weekends.
I had to rush at the Christmas party because I was supposed to be on duty and didn’t want to get caught away from my post – but I also wasn’t going to miss out on Rose and Ben’s moment. I’m very happy for them – and know she’s loved your brother for forever and a day.
Congratulations on your early graduation! That’s fantastic! I’m sure wherever you end up working, the children will love you as their teacher. You have a gift of letting the twerps not get to you (myself included)… and I know my mother would be thrilled to have you teaching down the hall from her.
New York is honestly beautiful – and I never imagined it. There are so many pine trees and, in the fall, all the other trees turn bright red and gold. Where West Point is located, we are near Bear Mountain, and it’s just absolutely stunning to behold. Maybe someday I can show you around?
