Duet on Fire

by Brenda Barrett

  "Aunty Ruby," Mia said, alighting from the car with a plant in her hands.

  "Hello my favorite niece," Ruby said, hugging Mia sideways. "What are you doing with that?"

  "I am going to present the parable of the seeds in class today. This is the seed that grew on good soil."

  Alice reached into the car for a dried-up looking plant and said, "This is the seed that grew on rocky soil and was choked."

  Ruby laughed. The plant looked pathetic.

  "I'll be with you guys shortly," Alice said, "I have to help Mia set up for her presentation."

  "Okay," Ruby said, watching as the two of them walked away together. They were dressed in yellow and had on matching shoes and were talking animatedly to each other. She wanted a daughter to do stuff like that with. She almost envied Alice for Mia, but then again not. Alice went through a really tough time. It kept her away from her family for ten years. It was just a month since Alice returned and obviously she was making up for lost time.

  "How is it going at home?" she asked Carson, who had a besotted expression on his face as he watched his two girls walk away.

  "Great," he responded. "Really good. Mia is loving having Alice around. It goes without saying that I do as well."

  "Pretty soon you guys will be working on baby number two," Ruby said wistfully.

  Carson and Ian looked at each other. Carson raised his brows and Ian shrugged. It had started in earnest, the baby fever.

  Carson said cautiously, "We agreed to wait a while, for Mia to get adjusted to the changes. A new baby would probably not be the best thing at this time."

  Ruby nodded. She had seen the looks darting between the two of them. Usually she would ask what the looks were about, but she had bigger fish to fry now. She had to look her invincible best heading into church. She would be facing a specter from her past, Cedar Hill's new first lady.

  She took one last look in the car's mirror. Her peach suit fit her perfectly. Her hair was flawless, laying on her head in obedient curls, not a frizz in sight. She glanced at her husband; he looked like he walked off the pages of a male calendar. She wanted Sue-Ann to see that she hadn't done too badly in the man department after leaving Manchester and Rory. She wanted her to know that her meddling criminal ways hadn't broken her. She wanted Sue-Ann to see her and know that she was happy. Her only wish was that she had a child of her own to perfect the picture.

  When Ruby walked into church she looked around covertly. She had her hand firmly hooked in Ian's, and they headed to their favorite pew. Just when she sat down her eye met Sue-Ann's. She was sitting in the first bench on the left side of the church in a black and white hat and a white skirt suit. She must have seen when Ruby entered church. Ruby looked at her and tried hard not to show any emotion. Sue-Ann Gayle, now Panton. Oh, how she had fought hard to be Sue-Ann Panton—nothing, not even murder, was beneath her.

  Sue-Ann looked away from Ruby quickly and faced the front of the church. She looked the same, Ruby realized: same medium brown skin and heart shaped face. Her best feature was her soft pillow lips; because of them she had the kindest smile. Her eyes were not completely happy, though. They had sadness around them and she could see it from a distance. Ruby supposed that she was now a nurse, as that was what she had studied when they were in college.

  She closed her eyes and tuned into the song service that was going on. They were singing some lively praise and worship songs. The praise team sang, "It only takes a spark to get the fire going..."

  Sue-Ann couldn't help herself. She looked around at Ruby again. Ruby ignored her this time.

  Let her stew in her guilt and her insecurities, Ruby thought. She should have some. Rory was here as a pastor in the church that Ruby attended, and knowing what she had done should be haunting her right about now.

  The church service was surprisingly good. Rory gave a well-thought-out message on the importance of Christian witnessing. He didn't look in Ruby's direction, not even once. He held his head so stiffly to the right that it didn't go unnoticed by Ian, who was frowning when the service ended.

  He glanced at Ruby and then over at Sue-Ann, who was at the church door with her husband. No doubt Ian was wondering about the tension between the three of them.

  "Are you going to tell me what the furtive looks in your direction from the pastor's wife were about?"

  Ruby smiled. "She was an evil witch when I knew her back in the day."

  "Seriously?" Ian said, intrigued. "How evil? What did she do?"

  Ruby faked a stern look at him. "We can't gossip in church, but let me tell you, she was a horror."

  When it was time for their pew to be ushered out, Ian said softly, "I hope she doesn't cause any problems here."

  "Me too," Ruby said darkly.

  When she approached the door with Ian behind her, Rory gave her one of his long, searching looks and then shook her hand politely. "Nice to see you again, Ruby." His eyes looked haunted, though, as if he was not quite happy, and they clung to hers longer than it was polite to do so.

  When Ruby stood before Sue-Ann she looked at her outstretched hand and reluctantly placed her hand in Sue-Ann's. Ruby had to angle her head to look up at her because she was so tall. She was the perfect height for Rory, to be honest.

  "Sue-Ann," she said curtly. She was not going to call her Sister Panton. She had never been good at hypocrisy and she would not start now.

  Sue-Ann nodded, "Ruby. Lovely seeing you here."

  Liar, Ruby thought. Sue-Ann's smile was brittle and didn't reach her eyes. She glanced behind Ruby, an envious tightening to her mouth.

  "And this is your husband?" she asked in Ian's direction.

  "Oh yes," Ruby said, smiling sweetly. She wanted to add, and I didn't have to scheme, plot or try to trap him into marriage like you did with Rory, but she held her tongue.

  Sue-Ann shook Ian's hand and smiled at him like butter couldn't melt in her evil mouth.

  "Wow," Ian said as they walked down the steps. "There was enough tension between the pastor and his wife to singe the air. Those two are having serious problems."

  Ruby nodded. "It seems so."

  Then she spotted Mia holding the hands of a little girl in a frilly white dress. She had the cutest innocent face. Her waist-length hair was combed in a curly ponytail; she looked very much like Rory and Sue-Ann. She didn't have to ask, she knew instinctively that this was his child…Sue-Ann's daughter.

  "And who do we have here?" Ian stopped and asked Mia.

  Ruby wanted to run away. Why did Ian have to be so friendly? She didn't want to hear it confirmed.

  "This is Jade," Mia said brightly, "She is the pastor's daughter. I took care of her in children's church today."

  Ruby couldn't help it; she looked at the little girl who was smiling at her and Ian and then she glanced behind her and saw Sue-Ann looking in their direction. Ruby's eyes connected with hers and all the anger and betrayal that she was feeling shone from her eyes.

  She could see Sue-Ann's shocked recoil. Yes I remember, Ruby wanted to communicate and I'll never forget.

  Ruby swung back around and headed for the car, almost tripping on the last step in her high-heeled peach shoes. Did that woman not realize that naming girls from gems was her family tradition? Hers. That little girl was supposed to be her Jade.

  Chapter Five

  "I am so sorry that you won't be able to go out for your anniversary today," Cynth said sympathetically to Ruby.

  Ruby grunted. She was on the floor looking through their old files for a particular account.

  "That's okay. When Ian comes back tomorrow we can celebrate."

  "I didn't know he was gone overnight," Cynth said. "You poor baby. All alone on your anniversary."

  "It's not that big a deal," Ruby mumbled. She got up with the file. "I think I am going to go home early, shower with my favorite French vanilla shower gel, and then put on my favorite red dress and walk down to Marco's on the beach. I will have a nice dinner and reminisce about how fortun
ate I am to be married to such a wonderful man. I might even call him."

  Cynth chuckled.

  The phone rang on Ruby's desk and she answered.

  "A delivery is out here for you," Toni-Ann, their secretary and receptionist, said excitedly. "The person carrying the delivery is heading for the office."

  Before Ruby could put down the phone, she saw Carson in the door with a huge gift basket.

  "Happy Anniversary from the best man at your wedding."

  "Aww." Ruby grinned. "Thank you, best man."

  "Actually, this gift is from the band." He put the large gift basket on her desk. He went back to the reception area and came back with a brightly wrapped package. "And this is from me, for you specially."

  "Thanks Carson." Ruby came around the desk and hugged him. "You really are the best man."

  "Yes he is." Cynth was looking at Carson dreamily. "Tell me something, was there a requirement when you guys formed the band that you all had to be fine?"

  Carson chuckled. "Hi Cynth. You are looking beautiful today. Actually, we still have three single members: my brother Xavier, Aaron, and Jayce."

  "How come I never knew that you had a brother? I thought the other band members were your church friends or something." Cynth sat up in her chair. "Can I get his number?"

  Carson laughed. "As soon as he comes to JA, I am sure Ruby will introduce you guys. Have a nice day, Ruby."

  Ruby nodded. "I'll try. Ian is not coming back tonight, and that sucks."

  "Want us to take you to dinner?" Carson asked. "Alice has been dying to try out the House Boat Restaurant."

  "No." Ruby shook her head. "I can manage. I will take a rain check on dinner with you three, though."

  "Okay." Carson walked out and Cynth swung in her chair, a dreamy look on her face. "Xavier. I like that name."

  "Forget it," Ruby said, tearing into her gift. It was a box of fine Belgian chocolates.

  "Why should I forget about Xavier?" Cynth asked, coming over to Ruby's desk and staring down at the chocolates, almost licking her lips in anticipation. "When are you going to open this?"

  "Now." Ruby giggled. "And you should forget about Xavier because apparently he has unrequited love issues with Farrah Knight and we are the ones who are planning her wedding."

  "So?" Cynth bit into a piece of chocolate. "Obviously Farrah Knight does not feel the same toward Xavier. She is getting married to somebody else. Which makes him very available."

  Ruby shrugged. "Some people don't get married for love. They get married on the rebound or out of guilt or necessity. I should know. My new pastor is married to an old rival of mine and at church I could sense, without anybody having to say a word, that those two are not happy."

  "You don't say." Cynth picked up another chocolate. "Tell me more."

  Ruby closed the box of chocolates and shook her head at Cynth. "Not today I won't. If I leave this in the office you will scarf down the whole lot in one go, and I can't have that."

  Cynth groaned. "When have you turned into the food police?"

  "Since you made me swear not to allow you to eat sweets. Remember?"

  "That was yesterday. See, this chocolate piece here says Indulge. I feel a need to obey. Give me one more chocolate piece, for the road. I am going to check out the Burnsteins’ venue. Lock up this evening, will you?"

  "Okay." Ruby reluctantly opened the box of chocolate and had to shake her head when Cynth took two pieces instead of the one she said she would.

  *****

  Ruby entered the apartment at four o'clock. The weather was perfect for a swim. It was one of those evenings where she appreciated living in Montego Bay. The sun was partially hidden behind some clouds and the air was cool. She opened the balcony doors and allowed the golden sunshine to come in and paint the place yellow. The sea looked calm from where she was standing. It was a placid blue; the sun was playing with the gentle waves like mini-diamonds. This was perfection.

  That's what she had thought too, five years ago when she and Ian had gotten married. The weather had cooperated for their beachside nuptials, except for a brief shower of rain that came out of nowhere just when the minister said, "What God has put together let no man cast asunder."

  Her mother had said it was a blessing, a sure sign from God that she was doing the right thing. Even then at the wedding she had a little niggling of doubt as to whether she should have gone through with marrying the hunky Ian Scott.

  She knew she lusted after him at the time but she hadn't been sure that she loved him. She was confused about what love was after being so horribly let down by Rory. He had chosen to listen to Sue-Ann over the woman he had professed to love.

  She shook her head at those thoughts. She didn't want to think of Rory now, not on her anniversary. She should be thinking of Ian and what they meant to each other and based on the weather, the beachside was the perfect place to do it. Later she might consider going to Marcus' on the beach and eating escoveitch fish and bammy. Then she would call him and tell him in detail how absolutely lovely it was. She chuckled to herself and then prepared to walk over to Doctors Cave Beach.

  *****

  Marcus' was surprisingly busy for a Thursday evening, Ruby could hear the buzz of conversations from upstairs and see flickering lights on the outside tables that were strategically placed on planks that led out to the sea.

  She had worn her red dress, the one she had bought especially for this occasion with Ian in mind, of course. It was strapless and hugged her body closely. She would wear it for Ian at another time; she also carried a black shawl in her hand. The evening could be downright chilly if one was sitting closer to the seaside and not in the restaurant. She could smell the lemongrass candles that were used to chase away the mosquitoes, and cooked fish with the tantalizing aroma of spices. She stood near the reception desk and inhaled with her eyes closed.

  The receptionist grinned at her when she opened her eyes. "Ruby!"

  Ruby grinned back. She had done quite a few events at Marcus' and the staff knew her well. She looked at the nametag on the receptionist's blouse and smiled.

  "Helen! Tonight is my anniversary but hubby is away on business. I want a table outside on the deck, far away from the..."

  She heard a clearing of a throat behind her and when she spun around in mid–sentence, she saw that it was Rory Panton.

  Her head clarified, as if it had to ascertain that it was him, while her mouth stayed open in mid-sentence.

  "I could sit with you," he said, smiling, his left dimple showing. "I am your friendly neighborhood pastor; I wouldn't mind."

  He was not anybody's friendly neighborhood anything, Ruby thought in despair. He was dressed in all black. He looked like one of the characters from the Matrix except he was not in dark glasses, but he looked dangerous and he certainly was dangerous to her senses.

  "I don't think it is appropriate for me to be having dinner on my anniversary with my er..." She didn't want to say ex in front of Helen. As it was, she was looking between the two of them too interestedly now.

  "Of course you can," Rory said. "I am an old friend and now your church pastor. What could be more natural?"

  Ruby grimaced. What was she protesting about? It was just food; they had been friends at one time; they had a load of unresolved history together. Maybe tonight she could put some of those things to rest and then they could move on properly.

  "Okay," she said and turned to Helen. "Table for two please, at the far end of the deck."

  "As much as it pains me to say this, happy anniversary," Rory said, leaning toward her. The flickering light from the mini-lamp was intimate, giving them the illusion that they were the only two people at the restaurant.

  Ruby grunted. "Thanks. What are you doing here without the wife on a weeknight?"

  Rory leaned back in his chair. "She's at work. She works at the Cornwall Regional Hospital and a church sister recommended that I check out this place for the fish. I just got the opportunity to stop by."

/>   "So, Sue-Ann did become a nurse." Ruby frowned. "What about your daughter, where is she?"

  "Jade is with Sue-Ann's parents back in Mandeville. We had just gotten her into a private school there before we were asked to come to Montego Bay. We thought we'd allow her to stay there until the New Year or until we find a school for her here."

  "You named your daughter Jade?" Ruby said, sipping her water. "How could you?"

  "I like the name," Rory said. "I sometimes wish she was our Jade."

  Ruby put down her glass abruptly. "You are crazy, you know that?"

  Rory sighed. "I know."

  "You got married to the wrong woman and the two of you don't seem happy at all," Ruby said, looking at him, a small smile on her face. "I wish I could find joy in your situation but I am really not that vindictive."

  Rory cleared his throat. "Sue and I have our ups and downs, as I am sure every other couple has."

  Ruby shook her head. "Nah. I think you and Sue will have a lot more downs than any other couple because she schemed and plotted her way into your life, and like a lamb to the slaughter, you went along with it. And now I imagine after getting you, the prize, she realizes that she can't make you love her the way she loves you. That's a recipe for an unhappy woman. She can't be content. How accurate am I?"

  "Too accurate," Rory said uncomfortably. "We are basically together because of Jade."

  "I hate it that you called her that," Ruby said sadly. "But she's a beautiful little girl."

  Ruby drummed her fingers on the table, a frown on her face. "I really, really hate it that you called her Jade."

  Rory leaned forward. "Why haven't you and Ian had any children yet?"

  Ruby shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe God is not ready to bless us with one. It's not as if we haven't tried."

  Rory winced. "I don't like thinking about you trying with another man."

  "Too bad," Ruby said waspishly. "This whole scenario is mostly your fault."