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“Can you imagine – two kidsandtwo couples?”
“It’s not something that happens every day.”
“It’s literally not even happening,” Ruby balked nervously. “You two are putting the cart before the horse – and the horse is missing. It’s not a horse – it’s a goat. Goats can’t pull much and certainly aren’t…”
“Then I guess you don’t want this present?” Lily taunted knowingly.
“Baaaahhhh…” her mother mockingly bleated, causing both women to burst out laughing as Ruby’s mouth hung open in shock.
“What… present?”
“Michael sent something to you, had it overnighted, and sent me an email asking me to ‘hurry and deliver it to Ruby before she leaves because I don’t know her address and really want to know what she says’…” Lily smiled and added quickly, “End quote. I think my son wants me to report back what you think or how you react when you open his present.”
Lily handed Ruby the gift bag… and Ruby stared at the woman in giddy disbelief, combined with a twinge of fear.
“This… is for me?” Ruby whispered, hating that her fingers were already feeling the bag, trying to identify what it was. Maybe it was something completely ‘friendly,’ since they were emailing and just talking between the two of them.
This was nothing… right?
“Yes,” Lily smiled, glancing at Ruby’s mother. “Sophie, should I take photos?”
“Absolutely.”
“No,” Ruby interjected quickly in a panicked voice. “Please don’t.”
“Awww… you’re no fun.”
“She really likes him and gets emotional when it’s something important to her.”
“Mom! Really?!”
“Remember when we got you that pink Razor scooter and surprised you?”
Ruby put her head down in her hands, the gift bag forgotten.
“Oh, just kill me now…” Ruby muttered under her breath.
“She cried and was smiling, yet hugging everyone,” her mother said tenderly to Lily, and was rubbing Ruby’s back. “She pretends to be tough, but there is a soft spot worth knowing.”
“Just like Michael,” Lily acknowledged, smiling proudly as her eyes glistened when Ruby looked at her. “He puts on this macho act, but is so gentle on the inside. My baby marshmallow peep…”
“Marshmallow peep?” Ruby chuckled openly, laughing with the two women at the description of the guy who always put up such a front or came off as slightly bully-ish when she was little.
“Don’t tell him I told you. I used to call him ‘Peep’all the time when he was little,” Lily winked and patted her on the knee. “Open it please. I’m dying to see what he got you.”
“He didn’t tell you?”
“Nope.”
Nodding, Ruby pulled at the drawstring on the gift bag and took a deep breath before reaching inside… and feeling something hard. As she grabbed the weird shape and pulled it out, she felt her breath rush out of her in shock and recognition.
He’d mentioned that he never wanted to forget that blue dress… and in her hands were two large, encrusted star-shaped hair barrettes – and two clips that looked like ivy.
She had worn tiny little glittery stars in her hair that night years ago, and knew this was his way of encouraging her, telling her silently to do it again. He had liked the way she looked - and was acknowledging it both in word and in deed.
“Oh, how pretty…” his mother whispered, as Ruby turned them over in her hands, reeling.
“Do you like them?” her own mother asked, tucking a lock behind Ruby’s ear like she was a young girl once again. “It will look so pretty against all these pastel colors.”
