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“Merry Christmas, Michael,” her father said simply, smirking… and turned to her. “Ruby?”
“Merry Christmas, Michael,” she said dutifully – gaining her father’s slow nod of approval and her mother’s encouraging smile.
She ignored Michael’s glare and the knowing grins of his friends. The annoying pest had lost face, no matter what he thought… and unfortunately had earned a bit of respect with her father.
Disbelieving, she saw her father was watching him walk off, and it wasn’t often she saw admiration in his gaze for anyone other than family. He was very closed off and kept to himself – but it was there. He liked that Michael had stood there and took the high road… and that just irked her, because she didn’t understand why.
“He’s annoying,” she said flatly, crossing her arms.
“He’s got the makings of a half-decent young man if he can keep his head on straight,” her father said simply, not looking at her but still watching Michael walk off. “He’s a lot like his father – and while he irks me? I like John Griffin. I would have been proud to fight at his side… if I was a grunt.”
“You would have been in the skies and we both know it,” her mother said softly – and Aunt Glory nodded.
“Flyboys don’t change,” Glory said easily. “They like their planes and their freedom that comes with being able to soar. Hunter sneaks away to fly with the kids all the time, and that’s their time together.”
“You ought to give it a try again, Aunt Glory,” Ruby volunteered, remembering the stories that she’d heard as a girl.
“Oh no,” Glory laughed. “I’m plenty happy on the ground, and that is a moment shared with their daddy. I can bake cookies with the twins or work in the garden with the entire family… safelyonthe ground.”
The four of them looked at each other knowingly.
“Speaking of – Michael and Madison are awfully quiet, which means they are probably up to something,” Aunt Glory said, quickly walking away as her mother looked at Ruby.
“Have some fun, honey… and don’t worry about what anyone says to you,” her mother encouraged. “Be yourself, be confident, and when you stop caring what people think about you – that is when you are finally free to be the beautiful woman I see lurking inside.”
“You listen to your mama, Ruby…” her father said dotingly as Ruby immediately wrapped her arms around her mother, hugging her.
“I love you both,” Ruby whispered, hugging her mother’s waist tightly and closing her eyes, breathing in the scent of her vanilla perfume. She felt her mother kiss her head and whisper softly against her hair.
“Besides,a real manwould know that you fixed your hair up like mistletoe and holly, now wouldn’t he? I’m just glad no one noticed, because I’m not ready for my baby girl to be kissing all over boys.”
“Mommm…” she drawled nervously, glancing at her father’s soft smile.
“I knew what that was what it was whole time,” he said simply – making the both of them laugh as he pulled Ruby into his arms, kissing her forehead several times noisily.
* * *
Three years later…
Ruby walkedinto the hangar with her parents – and watched her brother take off immediately when he spotted Rose Griffin by the refreshment table.
Gosh, the goober had it bad for her, and the entire family knew it. Her mother had pulled her aside and told Ruby not to tease Ben about it, because he was going to have a hard enough time dealing with Rose’s father.
“It’s not our love to celebrate and not our fight. This is something Ben has to figure out on his own,” her mother said softly one evening, reaching up and tucking a lock of her hair behind Ruby’s ear lovingly. “When you find your person, you will not want anyone interfering – much less your family. It’s special when you meet the right person. You laugh a little harder, you smile even wider, and you realize how beautiful the stillness of the world can be…”
Her father smiled indulgently at her mother and nodded at Ruby, holding his cup of hot cocoa in his hands.
“Best move I ever made was letting your mother tell me what to do,” her father teased, taking a sip… but not before both of them saw his knowing grin, quickly hidden behind the mug as her mother rolled her eyes.
“You’ll know when it’s your turn… and right now, Ben is just starting to find his way. His path is going to be long and full of bumps – and family is there to help when you fall, not when you take the first step or as you make a wrong one.”
“Yes, mama…” Ruby said softly, trying to process those words repeatedly over the months, trying to figure out the meaning behind some of it as she watched Ben.
This year, Ruby was determined to have a nice time – despite anyone else or their comments.
She was fifteen, had her whole life ahead of her, and was finally figuring out what she wanted to do with her life. She wanted to mold people, give them support, lift and teach, while helping others… and celebrate the differences – like tonight.
Tonight, she was celebrating alright.
