by Janna King
Otto smiled. “I have another engagement anyway.” He kissed Jade’s neck and held her hand for a beat, then slithered out of the booth. He looked Mac in the eye. “But I’m glad I could drop by.”
All eyes were now on the scene. Jill and Cole watched from the dance floor, so engrossed they were barely keeping beat. Cole snapped a photo with his phone. As Otto left through the front of the restaurant, he winked at Jill. Cole’s brow knit.
In the booth, Jade opened her closed hand and looked: a vial of cocaine with a tiny gold diamond-tipped spoon. She tucked it into her pants’ pocket.
Presley, standing at the bar, couldn’t take her eyes off Mac.
Ruby drove Mia down the shore to Brant Point. Exhilarated, Mia smiled the whole way there. They parked near the lighthouse that stood at the water’s edge, surrounded by rocks, and got off the ATV. Mia didn’t bother to smooth her windblown hair. She smiled forcefully. “Do I have bugs in my teeth?” Ruby giggled. Mia pulled her smartphone from her purse and clicked on her camera to examine. When she looked up, Ruby had disappeared.
“Ruby?” Mia glanced around.
“Over here!” Ruby’s voice came from the opposite side of the lighthouse. Mia crossed through the ramp and climbed the rocks to Ruby, whose backpack was sitting in a crevice.
“I love this spot!” Ruby’s voice soared over the harbor. “No one comes out here at night. It’s so peaceful.” The rippling water glowed rhythmically with each flash of the lighthouse’s red lamp. Ruby lifted her right foot and crooked her knee so she could survey the bottom. It was dark gray with dirt and sand. Blood seeped from cuts in her big toe and her heel. She shrugged and put it back down.
“You don’t seem to mind getting hurt.” Mia’s eyes fell on a long horizontal scar on Ruby’s right wrist. When they met for coffee, Ruby’s many bracelets had covered it, but tonight, it peeked out.
“After a while, you don’t feel it anymore. Which is why you do it.” Ruby looked hypnotized by the triangle of moonlight reflecting off the water.
“There are other ways to feel,” said Mia.
“I don’t care about the pain. It’s the other stuff I care about. Joy, happiness. Those are harder to come by.” Ruby glanced at Mia.
“Would you wear all the bracelets if you didn’t care about the pain?” asked Mia.
“Well, the bracelets are part of my vibe.” Ruby gave a short giggle. Her eyes welled with tears. “People see these scars, and they automatically think I have so little respect for myself, it doesn’t matter what they do to me. But these scars don’t make me weak. They make me strong.” She sniffed and smiled. “So that’s my only regret—that I can’t make people see them that way.”
“People only understand what they can see right in front of them,” replied Mia. “They don’t look for the whole picture.”
Tears spilled over Ruby’s cheeks.
“I happen to love your vibe, by the way.” Mia’s tone lightened. “But I think you need one more bracelet.” Mia removed one of her thin blue enamel bangles and lifted Ruby’s right hand. It was bony and cold. She slipped the bangle on.
“You said your grandma gave this to you.” Ruby examined the bangle, then looked up at Mia. “I saw your Instagram style tip video.”
“She did.” Mia took a deep breath. “She killed herself.” She touched Ruby’s wrist scar. “Not that way. She didn’t want to watch my mom die. She would say ‘No parent should outlive their child.’ I think she felt guilty.”
“Mamas need to take care of their cubs,” said Ruby. “That’s how my mom ended up like she did. She tried to handle everything. It was so much pressure. The drugs relieved that, but, you know, it’s a slippery slope.”
Mia nodded.
Ruby threw herself onto Mia in a hug, holding tightly. “Thank you.” Mia relaxed into Ruby, embracing her. After a long moment, Ruby pulled back, then looked out to the water. She wiped her tears.
“Let’s go swimming.” She clamored down the rocks.
Mia followed. “What? Swimming?”
On the sand, out of the tide’s reach, Ruby pulled her dress off her shoulders and let it fall. She yanked down her lace thong and tossed it aside. Naked, she ran into the water before Mia could catch her.
“Ruby! What are you doing?” Mia’s heart pounded. She glanced around—no one anywhere. She looked out at the dark water. She couldn’t see Ruby. She scanned the areas lit by the moon and the red lighthouse lamp. The water’s natural ripples were uninterrupted by any swimmers.
At the Y pool during summer day camp, Mia had never gone past the shallow end. She’d walk until she reached the buoys that were slung across. They differentiated the swimmers from the non-swimmers. She was fine staying with the non-swimmers. But now, all she could think about was Ruby, her bloody foot, the self-inflicted wounds along her arms, and what Mia assumed were needle marks between her toes. She threw off her sandals, put her purse on the sand, and waded into the ocean. When water hit her thighs, the freezing shock stole her breath and stung her body.
“Ruby!” she yelled. Her teeth chattered. Her arms were out in front of her, searching while simultaneously helping her balance in the current. She pushed at the sandy bottom with her feet, glancing around. She wiped the burning saltwater from her eyes because she didn’t want to miss any sight of Ruby. “Ruby!”
As she moved farther out, the current became stronger. Her feet slipped from the bottom and she dropped under the water. Instinctively, she waved her arms and ran in place with her legs, getting enough momentum to lift her head above the surface. She coughed and spat. As the current yanked control from her, she grasped at the water. It flowed through her fingers. Her head went under. All her frantic movement seemed fruitless and ineffective against the power of the undertow.
Suddenly, hands grabbed the back of her dress and lifted her enough for her to catch her breath without choking. Through the blurry film covering her eyes, she could see Ruby’s face. Ruby’s expression was determined as she swam with Mia back to the shore.
“Kick!” she yelled.
Mia flapped her legs, wishing her feet would touch the ground. They finally did as she and Ruby made it to shallower waters. She tried to leap to shore, but her legs felt heavy. Her dress clung to her. Ruby never let go.
They both fell onto their hands and knees and crawled onto the shore, then turned over and flopped on their backs out of the reach of the water. Both were breathless. Mia’s dress was caked in sand.
“You can’t swim, can you?” asked Ruby.
“No.” Mia’s chest heaved as she sucked air.
“And you went out there to save me?” Ruby looked at her with disbelief.
“I didn’t know what you were doing,” answered Mia. “But you saved me.”
“We saved each other.”
Mia turned onto her side facing Ruby. “Fuck. That was cold.”
“Doesn’t it feel good?” Ruby opened her palms toward the night sky. “Brings you back to life!”
“No. It doesn’t.”
They both started laughing.
When the lighthouse lamp pulsed on, Mia saw paw-size bruises on the insides of Ruby’s thighs.
Presley smoothed her skirt over her legs as she stepped out of the restaurant. She took a deep breath, scanned the area, and, confirming that no one was around, sashayed to the side of the building where the kitchen door was located.
Mac smoked a cigarette by the closed door. He saw Presley. Her face was flush, her eyes burning, as she strode toward him. He tossed his smoke to the ground and grabbed her. They kissed with passion and urgency. After long hungry moments, they parted. Presley turned on her heel and strode back off. He dropped his head, shaking it.
NINETEEN
Mia couldn’t bring herself to say anything to Ruby about the bruises. They drove back on the ATV. Mia, still soaking wet, fringe hem dripping water, shivered in the wind. When they were a few yards away from the restaurant, Mia tapped Ruby’s shoulder and leaned in to her ear.<
br />
“Stop here.”
Ruby took her hands off the throttle and the ATV slowed to a smooth stop.
“I think it’s best if I get off here,” said Mia.
“Not door to door?” Ruby glanced back, smiling.
Mia dismounted. “No. If for no other reason than you’re not my servant.” Mia tilted her head toward Ruby’s. “You’re not anyone’s servant.” They hugged. They both jumped at the buzz of a text from the phone inside Mia’s purse pressed between them. Mia lifted it out and looked. She had a text from Presley:
Where r u?
“I’d better go up before someone sends a search party,” said Mia.
“I’ll see you soon,” said Ruby. “Next time we’ll swim with dolphins.”
“You are really overconfident,” Mia chuckled. With a wave, Mia scurried up the beach, still shivering. Through the open deck doors, she could see that the party was breaking up. She ducked around the side of the building and walked to the G. She texted Presley:
At the car.
She leaned against the car, which blocked some of the breeze. Presley and Grant exited the restaurant. Other guests left and split off, most good-and-inebriated.
“Some crazy shit at that party!” exclaimed Grant.
Presley’s attention was on her phone. She looked up to see Mia’s wet state.
“What on God’s green earth?”
Grant laughed, touching Mia’s damp dress. “You weren’t kidding about swimming, were you?”
“Serious as a heart attack.” Mia brushed his hand away. “Because the water is so cold, I almost had one.”
Vincent emerged from the restaurant. “I want to get the bella roommates of Lyndon Wyld together in front of the restaurant.” He looked curiously at Mia, then pulled a towel out of the car and handed it to her. “But only one of you is dry.”
Mia wrapped the towel around her shoulders.
“I’m always camera-ready.” Presley furrowed her brow at Mia, then moved off with Vincent for some photos.
Grant leaned in to Mia. “That Ruby chick is a total tease,” he said in a low voice.
“Maybe she’s not interested in you like that.” Mia wrapped the towel tighter.
“She gave me her number.” Grant waved his smartphone. “Because all the ladies are interested in me like that.”
“That day you picked me up from the dock, you told me to stay away from her. That doesn’t apply to you, Grant?”
“I said them’s the rules and you’re not a rule breaker.” Grant shoved his phone in his pocket.
Cole, J.P., and Jade exited the restaurant. Cole mouthed “What happened?” to Mia, who shrugged.
Presley finished posing.
Vincent motioned to the three guys. “Gentlemen, one more shot.”
“I never pegged you for sexist, Vincent,” said Jade, who joined the guys for a photo. She planted herself in the middle of Grant, Cole, and J.P. Presley scowled as she watched. The group parted, giving each other high fives.
“Aw, Presley,” said Jade. “You can’t always be the center of attention.”
As Mia stood alone, wet in her fringed Lyndon Wyld dress with the monogrammed towel around her shoulders, Vincent snapped a candid.
Presley stepped up to Mia. “I thought you couldn’t swim.”
“I can now,” said Mia “We’re in Nantucket. Had to do it sometime, right?”
“At least you had your own personal lifeguard.” Presley held up her phone and showed Mia Wear National’s Instagram. It was Otto’s selfie on the beach, walking toward the restaurant, captioned:
The life of every party. #WearNational #smokinsummer #killinnantucket
Mia and Ruby were in the background.
Presley put her phone back in her purse.
Mia gripped the towel and looked down. “Why?” she said softly.
“That’s my question,” retorted Presley, equally as soft.
“I’m hungry.” Jade looked at J.P. “I want a burger at Stubbys.”
“That sounds good,” said J.P. “Later.” He waved at the others and walked off down the street with Jade.
“Let’s hit the Spark,” shouted Grant. “I heard when the bubble machine comes out, the tops come off.”
“I think I’ll pass,” said Mia.
“Mia’s not coming. She’s moist already.” Grant gave a drunken cackle.
“Ech. I hate that word.” Presley grimaced. “As a matter of fact, I hate it so much I’m not going to go.”
“I’ll go,” said Vincent.
“Vinnie! I knew you had it in you!” Grant threw an arm around Vincent, who was pushed off balance by the enthusiasm.
Vincent tossed keys to Presley. “You can take the car back.” They fell through her palms and clattered on the ground.
“Nice catch,” teased Grant. “Presley’s got nothing on you, Mia.”
“I just had a manicure.” Presley daintily picked up the keys.
Grant grabbed Cole in a headlock. “Cole, you’re my wingman!” They wrestled each other to the ground, laughing.
A black Crown Victoria drove by and stopped. The man with the two different colored eyes got out. “Let’s tone it down, fellas.” He tapped Grant, who was laughing on top of Cole. Grant rolled off and caught his breath, looking up at him.
Cole stood and glared at the man. “You might want to think before physically accosting anyone.”
“Cole, dude, chill,” said Grant. “We don’t want trouble.”
The man pointed at Grant and Cole, then got back in the car and drove off. “Behave.”
Cole took a deep breath and composed himself. He looked at Vincent. “You still coming?”
“You boys need a babysitter,” replied Vincent, rolling his eyes toward Mia and Presley. He got between Grant and Cole and walked off.
Mia and Presley climbed into G. Presley took the wheel and drove them off. “That Cole—kinda hot, huh?”
“Kinda dumb.” Mia huddled down to avoid the wind.
“Speaking of . . . why’d you leave the party to go off with that urchin?” asked Presley.
“I don’t know,” answered Mia.
“And having coffee with her in town?” Presley’s eyes shifted to Mia. “Everyone saw that Instagram post. Why, Mia? I don’t get it.”
“For the same reason you went off with Mac.” Mia’s response was surly.
“Oh, you like her?” smirked Presley.
“Oh, you like Mac?” mimicked Mia.
“Mia!” Presley’s eyes went wide. “I thought you didn’t do women.”
“I’m not doing her, Presley. But she’s a friend. I like her. Mac’s your friend.”
“He’s not my friend.” Presley tossed her hair. “I’m just toying with him. Summer here requires toys.”
Mia shook her head in disbelief.
“That girl is bad news, Mia.” Presley motioned to Mia with one hand, steering with the other. “I mean look at you.”
“What?” Mia crossed her arms. “I’m moist.”
Presley shuddered.
“She taught me how to swim.” Mia chucked the wet towel in the back seat. “You know what? Summer might be about toys for you, but I’m not a damn puppet. I am not going to have anyone tell me who I can and can hang out with!”
“So you’re hanging out with her to spite me?” snapped Presley.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a narcissist?” Mia snapped back.
“Never!” Presley burst out laughing.
Mia lightened up. She looked up at the moon, which was a sliver-shaped crescent, like the scar on the inside of a Ruby’s wrist. She grew serious. “She needs a friend, Presley.”
“She’s got plenty of them, in that Wear National house. They can all rot there, for all I care. You should have seen Otto prance into our party like it was his.”
“Otto isn’t her friend,” said Mia.
“That’s not your problem, sugar. Like I said, you’re a fixer. My sister is a fixer. She’s been marri
ed three times because some people can’t be fixed. And then they break you.”
They drove in silence, out of downtown and into the residential neighborhood, toward the shore.
Mia thought about her high school boyfriend, Trevor. Trevor was broken. He grew up with parents who fought constantly, like hers did when she was little. He was in Sean’s year. Mia and Sean had given him a ride home from high school one day after baseball practice. His dad was standing on the sidewalk in front of their apartment building while his mom chucked clothes and shoes out the window. An alarm clock followed, hitting Trevor’s dad in the head.
“Time to get the fuck out, Henry!” screamed Trevor’s mom.
Neighbors had been peering out their windows. Mortified, Trevor had shrunk down in the back seat.
Mia glanced at him. “Let’s go get ice cream.”
The three had driven off without Trevor’s parents noticing, they were so self-involved. That year, Trevor started drinking and smoking pot. He never stopped, even when it cost him his college baseball scholarship and he was kicked out of school. That’s when Mia began dating him. He was her first. She’d liked how he’d buried himself in her as if he could hide there. He couldn’t get enough of her, of anything that felt good. Though he was trying to get sober, he craved pleasure, so Mia assumed that when he started getting regular texts from “Sharon” that he was cheating on her. The betrayal led Mia to a one-time hookup with a guy who worked at the fabric store she frequented. She then discovered from friends that Sharon was Trevor’s AA sponsor.
Trevor had confronted Mia while she was at a busy Starbucks with Sean. He’d told her that AA rules frowned on hookups in the program. “I wouldn’t do that!” Then he called her a “cheating slut” and Sean punched him in the face. A week later, she saw Trevor and Sharon outside the Y where the AA meetings took place. They were all over each other.
Mia let that memory flow through her brain file. Her mind fast-forwarded to Ruby tonguing Quentin and Axel on the beach at the summer’s start.
“Broken people can’t help themselves,” Mia said to Presley.
“Bullshit!” Presley slammed on the brakes. Mia gasped and grabbed the dash handle. “Damn cats!” hissed Presley. A black cat scurried past the headlights into the shrubs around the estate’s driveway.