AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Did Michael write you?” her mother asked pointedly. “I didn’t know you two were close friends. How is he doing?”
Ruby hesitated for a moment, feeling very brittle, nervous, and exposed right now as she met her parents’ knowing gazes. She swallowed as the full impact of this entire interaction, what it could mean, and her thoughts hit her at once silently.
“He was always a good kid,” her father said simply, nodded to her mother, and walked away – leaving the two of them there to discuss whatever was going on.
It had always been that way in the house.
Her father tackled the hard discussions with Ben, claiming ‘manly solidarity’… and her mother pulled her aside to talk to her several times over the years when she was going through changes, getting her period, wanting to get her ears pierced, or questioning about boys.
Her mother walked into the room, shut the door behind her, and sat down at the foot of the bed, leaving the computer untouched between them.
“Michael, huh?” she said gently – and Ruby felt tears touch her eyes as she nodded quickly, looking away. “I didn’t know you liked him. You never even hinted at it or said anything, Ruby.”
“I don’t,” she retorted immediately to her mother’s softly spoken statement. “This is nothing. Just a couple of people talking, and I think he’s lonely or desperate.”
“He probably sees the beautiful woman before him – just like I do.”
“Mom…” she groaned, rolling her eyes. “You arerequiredto say that. It’s part of a parent-clause somewhere in the fine print. Everything I ever drew was ‘beautiful’, every song I sang was ‘lovely’, and every outfit I wore was ‘perfect’…”
Her mother laughed easily, shaking her head.
“Oh no, dear. There is no clause – and not every song was lovely. I’m sorry.”
“Geez…”
“You know your father and how much he values honesty – we don’t sugarcoat things and never have. You’ve grown into a very lovely, strong woman who needs no one… and we are both incredibly proud of you.”
“But?”
“But,” her mother smiled, “but when you choose to let someone in – it needs to be someone that recognizes just how precious that circle of trust is, because you don’thaveto let them in… youselectedthem.”
Ruby didn’t say anything.
“And I hope that if you talk to Michael, give him a chance to look at you differently, that he realizes just what a treasure this ‘opening’ is in your shell. You’ve never needed anyone, but sometimes even the strongest people need to have a person at their back, just to hold them when they feel vulnerable,” her mother whispered lovingly, getting this look in her eyes that made Ruby’s nose burn as tears stung her eyes once more.
“Your father was like that when I met him,” her mother spoke, closing her eyes at the memories. “He was so prickly, such a bitter person… but that was hiding the most beautiful soul. When he chose to let me in, there was no turning back for either of us. He was there for me when I needed him – and I will always be there for him. There’s a strange beauty between us and some people said it would never work, but that is because they don’t know us… the real ‘us’or how wonderful our family is together.”
“Daddy loves you and it’s easy to see.”
“I know,” her mother said, sounding almost in awe. “I don’t know what I did to deserve a miracle like him… but I recognize it. I hope when you find yours, that you do the same.”
“And you think Michael is that? My miracle?”
“Only you can decide who that person is, Ruby,” she smiled, patting Ruby’s knee, and got up. “I think I am going to go see my ‘miracle’ and make some hot cocoa. Do you want a cup, baby?”
“Please,” Ruby replied, feeling more emotional than before as she wanted to read Michael’s email once again – and reply to him.
As the door shut behind her mother, Ruby opened the laptop and immediately clicked reply.
Hey Michael,
I was really surprised to see you on your father’s phone – and your request for my email address. This is nice and I was touched to see that you had written me already. I’ll be honest – I wondered if it was simply another way for you to pick on me this Christmas… for old times’ sake.
I’m doing well in college and graduating a semester early. I haven’t started applying at schools yet because I’m trying to think of where to settle down, you know? I always thought I would come back to Yonder, but it would be strange to work with Aunt Karen at the school… or your mother in Tyler.
How do you like New York? What does it look like there? I’ve always wanted to travel and heard the upper northeast is pretty. Dad says, ‘A tree is a tree’ and then does this shrug, like it’s the end of the conversation… but I know it’s different.
Things are going well here – and home is what it always was. The faces are a little older, the smiles a little more knowledgeable, and the buildings are the same.
