When she entered the office she saw Cynth speaking to Alice, who was sitting across from Cynth's desk in a stylish pantsuit. Alice always managed to look cool and unruffled.
"Hey Alice," Ruby said, smiling. "What's up?"
"Hey Ruby," Alice smiled. "I came to pick your brains. Do you think an opening event would make sense for my store? I mean, should I just open the place and hope that customers would eventually trickle in, or should I do it with a bang?"
Ruby sat down in her chair, and her belly rumbled loudly. Cynth and Alice chuckled.
"Let's talk about it over lunch," Ruby said. "I have a two o'clock appointment at The Pier. Want us to go there and eat? My treat."
"Can I come too?" Cynth asked. "I am heading that way anyway."
"Sure," Ruby said. "I hope the traffic isn't terrible because I could eat a horse."
"Okay." Alice stood up. "All three of us are driving separately, right, because I have to pick up Mia from school today."
"Okay, sure." Ruby inclined her head. "How is Mia? Since you are here I hardly see her anymore."
"She's good," Alice said. "Sorry that I am infringing on her aunty time."
"Don't be sorry," Ruby said. "I know you guys have a lot to catching up to do. I need my own kid, that's what I need."
When Ruby sat in her car she rummaged in her handbag to see if she had hidden any snacks in there. She usually had an energy bar or two, just in case. She found half a bar, but ants had gotten to it. She brushed off the ants, closed her eyes and ate it anyway. It felt as if it hit rock bottom in her stomach. That would have to suffice until she reached The Pier. Once she got there, she planned on begging the waitress to tell the chef that her hunger was an issue of life and death.
When she arrived at The Pier the receptionist greeted her with friendly familiarity, something she was quite used to these days. She and Cynth gave The Pier a lot of business.
"Lunch is on the house," the receptionist said, smiling at her.
"Thank you." Ruby smiled back. "My business partner, Cynth, and a friend are coming too."
"No problem." The receptionist nodded. "Any friend of Let's Party is a friend of ours. When they get here I'll bring them over."
Ruby grinned. "I have a meeting at two o'clock with Errol," she said, referring to the restaurant's manager.
The receptionist nodded. "Good, you have an hour and a half then."
Ruby nodded and followed her to the manager's table. Usually this was where they seated VIPs. It was in an alcove with a direct view of the pier below. Ruby was smiling to herself at the special treatment when she felt somebody's eyes burning a hole in her back.
She resisted looking. The place was fairly packed but when she couldn't resist anymore she swung around and her eyes met Sue-Ann's.
Sue-Ann had an ugly twist to her mouth, as if she was on the verge of a growl.
Ruby read anger and such a raw hatred in Sue-Ann's stare that she felt like shivering at the malevolence in it, even though she knew that the anger was misplaced.
Sue-Ann was not alone, either. She was sitting with her daughter. The little girl was busily eating fries. There was a smudge of ketchup on the side of her face and she was quite oblivious to her mother's tension.
Her eyes rested on the girl. Sue-Ann had combed her hair in two pigtails and she had little tendrils along her hairline that framed her pretty little face. She was beautiful; she had to admit that she was a lovely combination of Sue-Ann and Rory. It was the first time she was actually getting a good look at her. She hadn't been able to do it at church without feeling really peeved.
Her eyes moved to Sue-Ann again. She hadn't seen either her or Rory at church and now their little girl was having lunch with Sue-Ann on a Monday. Didn't she have school? Ruby found herself wondering if the little girl was sick or something, and then she stopped herself. She couldn't help herself where children were concerned, could she? Even now, sitting a few feet from one of her worst enemies, she was concerned about her enemy's daughter.
She swung her head back around. She wouldn't even pretend to greet Sue-Ann. Obviously being polite was not going to work with her. They had done their polite bit last week at church. Ruby hoped that she never had to do it again, but she kept meeting Sue-Ann and Rory. Montego Bay was a big enough place; surely she didn't have to keep running into the pastor and his family?
She looked at her watch; she was not going to wait on Cynth or Alice to arrive before she started eating.
She almost jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.
Ruby looked at Sue-Ann's hand scornfully. She wanted to yell, Don't touch me! Sue-Ann's nails were unvarnished and her fingernails were a mess, as if she had bitten them down to the quick.
Sue-Ann removed her hand and then came around to the other side of the table. "Ruby, can I say something here?"
Ruby raised her eyebrows, curiosity eating her. Whatever could Sue-Ann have to say to her?
When Sue-Ann sat down she inhaled and exhaled loudly. Her hands were trembling.
Poor evil witch, Ruby thought mercilessly. She looked a mess. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and up close her eyes looked like they had bags under them and already she had an unhappy slant to her mouth. Her skin looked dull and lifeless. Poor unhappy evil witch. She looked like a woman who had been dragged backwards through life, even though she was just twenty-eight.
"Listen Ruby," Sue-Ann said, her voice sounding quivery. "I know I have done wrong in the past and I am sorry."
"Wrong?" Ruby said incredulously. "What you did was past wrong. You are an evil, manipulative person. I don't want your apology. Keep it. I know that it's not genuine."
Tears sprang to Sue-Ann's eyes. "Please leave my husband alone, Ruby. I know that we all have history. I know that I was not a good person to you in the past, but we have all moved on now. We have our own lives. Rory and I were happy until we came to Montego Bay and you started chasing him. You have your own husband, please, just leave mine alone."
The last bit was said loud enough for the background noises at the other tables to die down, a subtle shifting of sounds as the other diners listened to what was surely a juicy conversation.
Ruby heard a gasp behind her, which coincided with her own. She didn't know what to process first: the blatant lie that Sue-Ann just told loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear or the fact that Alice, Cynth and the receptionist were close to her now.
She closed her eyes and when she opened them, Sue-Ann the actress had tears in her eyes and was getting up from the seat.
Ruby didn't even watch as she walked away. Sue-Ann had timed that barb just so that everyone would hear. She had wanted them to hear the character assassination. The leopard had not changed its spots after all. Sue-Ann was still the same sneaky woman who wanted to hurt her any way she could.
Ruby had the urge to shout after her that Rory had asked her to run away with him, that he realized that being with her was a mistake. She felt like yelling at Sue-Ann, jumping on her back, and squeezing her throat. Her pulse was skyrocketing. She felt like screaming at the injustice of Sue-Ann's statement. She had not tried to chase Rory. She didn't need to. Rory still loved her. One crook of her little finger and Rory would be hers again and Sue-Ann and Jade would be without a husband and father. But that was something she couldn't even fathom doing.
Alice and Cynth sat down.
Ruby sighed and shook her head. "This is not happening. That evil heifer is allowing the devil to use her. That...that..." she was searching for a word to call Sue-Ann that would really describe how utterly conniving she was, but she couldn't come up with one.
"You knew the pastor before this?" Alice asked, curiosity in her eyes.
"Tell me that you are not chasing a man of God when you have the very fine Ian?" Cynth said at the same time.
"Ready to order, Ruby?" The receptionist asked.
All three of them were asking her questions and looking at her curiously.
Ruby nodded.
"Yes to you, Bridgett. I will have to defend myself to you guys later. Right now I am starving."
"She's leaving," Cynth whispered after they had given Bridgett their orders.
Ruby sighed. "It would be nice if she could slide on a banana peel and land face-down with her clothes over her head." She giggled at the image in her mind.
"She dresses like a bag lady," Cynth said loyally. "I mean, that dress is not flattering to her at all. Her tits are too huge for that floral print to be flattering and the length of the skirt..."
Ruby chuckled and then drummed her fingers on the table.
"Thanks for that, Cynth."
"Anytime," Cynth said. "So shoot. Tell us. Are you chasing the new pastor? Is he your ex-boyfriend or something?
Ruby sighed and sipped her water. She looked at both Alice and Cynth. "What I am about to tell you, my own husband doesn't know."
Alice and Cynth looked at each other.
"After I eat I'll tell all," Ruby said, looking around as the waiter carried their food. "I just need to eat."
Chapter Ten
College Days, 2003
"Hey you guys, want to play a game with me?" Sue-Ann asked, her expression eager, as soon as Rory and Ruby stepped through the living room door. After saying a polite hello to Sue-Ann they headed for Ruby's room. From as far back as first year, they had stopped pretending that they slept in different rooms. Most of Rory's things were in Ruby's room and they had literally moved in together.
They had weathered the challenges of university so far and were closer than ever. Rory liked to joke that they were on the same page and were so close that they literally finished each other's sentences.
"Sorry Sue-Ann, not tonight," Ruby said semi-regretfully. She was suspicious of the way that Sue-Ann was suddenly eager to include her and Rory in her life. So far they had lived in the same house for close to three years but they remained just polite acquaintances.
This was the final year for both Ruby and Rory, but Sue-Ann had another year to go to complete her nursing degree. Since the current semester started, Sue-Ann had upped her efforts to interact with them socially by trying to include them in her activities. She had even gotten chattier, expressing to Ruby just last week that she wished that they could be friends.
Ruby glanced at Rory. He was imperceptibly shaking his head. They had plans, which involved studying and chocolate syrup. Ruby almost dropped her books as Rory licked his lips.
"Er, Sue," she said. "We have loads of things to do before tomorrow."
Rory nodded eagerly and picked up the refrain. "Lots of things."
"It's Monopoly, you guys; you are doing business. This should be an exciting game for you wheelers and dealers." Her voice had a lonely quality to it, enough to tug at Ruby's heartstrings.
The poor girl didn't have many friends. She was reserved, somewhat of an introvert, and was making an effort to reach out to her and Rory. But as usual, they were caught up in their own little world of two. If they were not studying they were out together, would be having friends over, or would be out at a party.
Ruby wouldn't have liked it if she was living with two people who constantly ignored her. She quietly cursed her personality. She was constantly thinking about what she would do if she were in Sue-Ann's position.
"Okay," she said to Sue-Ann. "Let us just put down these books. We'll come join you in five minutes."
Sue-Ann nodded eagerly. "Great."
Rory groaned as soon as they were in the room. He ran his fingers through his thick hair, leaving some standing on end.
"Why Ruby?" he whispered fiercely. "Why are you so friendly to that girl? She always looks so sad, like woe-is-me-for-I-am-undone kind of sad, and she looks at me too intensely, like she is stripping me of my clothes or something. It makes me feel uncomfortable."
Ruby giggled. "She's okay. She's probably sad because she is lonely. She doesn't have any friends." She shrugged. "Nobody comes to visit her except for her parents, and she doesn't have a boyfriend."
Rory sat on the bed, his plaid shirt opened over a white t-shirt. He shook his head. "I don't even like Monopoly; it takes too long. By the time we are done playing, we'll be sleepy." He took the chocolate syrup from the bag. "Have you forgotten why I bought this?"
"No," Ruby said, sitting in his lap. "You said you want to spread it all over me and lick it off slowly."
"Yes," Rory groaned. "Let's ditch that girl." He pressed his lips to her throat.
"But we promised," Ruby whispered hoarsely.
Just then they heard a knock on the door. "Come on, you two. I am eager to start."
Rory swore in Ruby's neck, which caused her to erupt in giggles. His hand crept under her skirt and he massaged her legs, his hand inching up slowly.
"I am eager to start, too, and it's you that promised," he said, his voice sounding shaky. "And the bad thing about that game is that you cannot even predict the outcome. Let's both play crappy so that it can end quickly," he said looking at Ruby intensely. "I want to dip you in chocolate."
Ruby's eyes melted. "I could suddenly develop a headache?"
"Yes," Rory said, "that's brilliant. And tell her that you are seeing doubles as well. Go tell her." He almost pushed Ruby off his lap. "Oh, and tell her that we'll take a rain check, say a Saturday night. That should pacify her."
Ruby straightened her dress and opened the door slowly. Sue-Ann was sitting in the living room with the game laid out on the center table.
"Sue-Ann, I am not feeling so well. Can we do this another night?" Ruby asked in a rush.
Sue-Ann's fair complexion was suffused with color when Ruby was finished speaking. Her cheeks had gotten all puffed up like she was holding in a sob.
"Okay," she said wanly.
Ruby's heart melted for her but Rory's pull was stronger and what they were going to do was much more fun than Monopoly. "Goodnight."
She didn't wait for Sue-Ann's response; she rushed into the room and closed the door. "I feel so guilty," she said to Rory. "Like I kicked a puppy or something."
Rory wasn't even listening. He shook the bottle of syrup at her. "In this game," he said hoarsely. "It's either me or Sue-Ann. Who are you going to choose?"
"You, of course," Ruby said huskily, heading toward him.
They were both unaware that Sue-Ann had her ear pressed to the door, a look of sheer hatred crossing her face as she heard them giggling and obviously having sex. She stood there and punished herself by listening through it all: their whisperings and declarations of love.
She wanted Rory for herself, and she wanted Ruby gone. When they were finally quiet she slid down the wall beside the door, tears streaming down her face. She fell asleep with dried tears on her cheeks.
At midnight, Sue-Ann got up off the floor, her bones squeaking as if she was an old hunchback. Her neck was hurting and she rubbed it absently. Her right leg was numb so she hopped to the sofa. She needed a plan to break up Ruby and Rory. She absolutely adored Rory but he sometimes looked through her as if she didn't exist. She slowly packed up the Monopoly pieces that were still spread on the table.
What was it about Ruby that was such a pull for him? Sue-Ann wondered. Was it because she was petite and pretty and bold and flashy? Ruby was not afraid to speak her mind and she had loads of friends. She was also immoral and loose, Sue-Ann thought judgmentally. They hadn't been in the house for two months properly before Ruby and Rory were sleeping together, and she knew that Ruby was the one who instigated it. She was the one who had no qualms about walking around scantily clad and leading Rory into sin.
Now, three years later, they were living happily together without the decency of marriage. She knew that both Rory and Ruby were from Christian backgrounds and that they both pretended to be straight-shooting Christians when their parents came over. She hadn't even seen either of them go to church in the past year. They were so wrapped up in each other and their little sexually-fueled world that they didn't even have time for God.
Sue-Ann jumped out of her reminiscing when she heard the door open and Rory tiptoed out, clad only in his boxers. A few slashes of light were streaming into the living room and she could make out his bare chest. She didn't want to move or make a sound. She didn't want him to know that she was out there as she ogled him with some of the lustfulness that she had just accused Ruby of in her mind.
He headed to the kitchen and her eyes followed him.
He took out some orange juice, the fridge's light highlighting his ruffled hair. He drank some of the juice and then quietly asked, "Why are you up, sitting in the dark?"
Sue-Ann's heart leapt; she didn't realize that he had seen her.
"I was just thinking," she said, clearing her throat. "Couldn't sleep and too tired to study."
"Mmm," Rory said, washing out his glass. "I have an exam tomorrow. I think I'll study out here. Can I turn on the light?"
"Yes," Sue-Ann said eagerly. This would be the first time since they were in the house that Rory would be spending time alone with her, without Ruby around.
She jumped up. "Since you are going to be out here I'll just go get my books as well."
She ran to the bathroom, washed her face, and brushed her hair so that it lay flat and looked shiny around her face. She even put on some lip gloss. She rummaged in her closet for something sexy to put on, but alas, the only thing she had was a long nightgown which was fairly low cut. She dragged down the top some more to expose the top of her cleavage and spritzed on some perfume.
She went back to the hall. Rory had pulled on a t-shirt and shorts. His hair was still tousled and he had a large economics book opened.
"You know, I had to take that course," she said, sitting across from him and tugging her top down a bit.
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