“Listen up. I don’t care if Mrs. Penny lets you sleep on her bed or not. You aren’t sleeping on mine. Out!” When they still didn’t move, Ruby shouted again. “Oh, shit!” She stormed out of the room and stomped down the stairs.
Obviously, she was doing something wrong or else the animals didn’t like her. It was their first day. She was a stranger. Maybe she had to change her attitude. Maybe she needed to be more patient . . .
Something strange was happening to her, something that was within her grasp. All she had to do was open up, reach out. The moment was gone a second later. Her heart pounded in her chest. She wasn’t sure why.
In her life Ruby would never understand how three animals could drop so much poop. They must have been house-trained. How could an old lady clean up after three animals?
For five whole days Ruby tried her best to fasten the collars and leashes on the animals so they could be walked. They refused to come within a foot of her. Neither would they go near any of the doors in the house. She spread newspapers all over the place, hoping the animals would hit one once in a while. They didn’t. She’d gone through two bottles of liquid cleanser and almost a gallon of bleach. The new beds hadn’t been slept in. The dog and cat toys were in a red basket by the fireplace and hadn’t been touched. The litter box by the pantry door was used, but that was it. The only thing the animals permitted her to do was feed them.
She’d read all the books, tried all the tricks. Nothing worked. She called Arthur Bidwell and said she had to bring the animals back. “I’ve done everything, Mr. Bidwell, they won’t cooperate. I’m so tired of cleaning up their messes. If you can’t come up with something, I really will have to bring them back.”
Biddy shook his grizzled head. “They should have come around by now. They love to go for walks. Fred especially. She knows how to get the leash off the hook. She gets it when she has to go. Maybe they’re afraid you’re going to bring them back here. They don’t like cages or pens. No animal does. Now, wait a minute, I seem to recall hearing Agatha call them by special names. Let me think now so I get this straight. Fred was honey button, Sam was her honey bunch, and Doozie was her sweet honey. Try that. Hell, ma’am, it might work. They’re scared is all. I’d stake my life on it.”
“I don’t think they like me.” Ruby wanted to cry. No one liked her anymore, except her son.
“That’s not true, Mrs. Blue. Animals are smart. I think they’re afraid you’re going to go away. Why do you think they picked your bed to lay on? You said you have other beds. That means something to them.”
Ruby brightened considerably. “Okay, I’ll give it a few more days.”
“How’s Charlotte?”
“I now know most of the words to the national anthem, what does that tell you?” Biddy allowed himself a small chuckle when he hung up the phone.
Ruby felt silly as hell when she walked upstairs to her bedroom that wasn’t her bedroom anymore. The animals didn’t acknowledge her in any way. She walked to the center of the room, where they could all see her. She called them by names Mr. Bidwell suggested. Fred opened one eye; otherwise she ignored her. Sam’s tail swished, but he, too, ignored her. Doozie lifted her head at the sound of the familiar name and then lowered her head to her paws. It wasn’t working.
She found herself pleading; her eyes filled with tears. “I thought we could be best friends, that you would like me. Don’t you understand? I don’t have anyone, and neither do you. Mrs. Penny is gone. I know you loved her. Can’t you love me just a little?” Ruby asked brokenly. “Mr. Bidwell couldn’t keep you. You were hungry and you were dirty. You were sleeping in a cage. Now you’re sleeping on pillows, eating steak and chicken. I don’t rub your noses in the messes you make. I’ve been more than fair, haven’t I? All my life I’ve been fair, and what happens? They stick it to me every damn time. Now you’re doing the same thing.”
The dogs stared at her. The cat leapt to the back of the rocking chair, her eyes on Ruby. Her plumed tail swished.
“I don’t think it was too much to ask. I never had animals before, so maybe I’m doing something wrong. Don’t you understand? I need someone to love me, someone to care about me. Somehow, I screwed up everything. Well, you know what? I don’t care anymore. I don’t care about you anymore, either.” She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.
Sam inched closer to Fred, nuzzling her furry neck. Doozie stared with unblinking eyes at the distraught woman.
Ruby called the animals by Mrs. Penny’s pet names. She stayed with it for a full hour. Finally her shoulders straightened, her eyes sparked. “I cannot believe I am standing here, talking to you, begging and pleading with you.”
The two dogs were huddled into a tight ball, their eyes on the cat, whose tail was swishing furiously.
“Okay, that’s it! You hear me? That’s it! I’m sick and tired of your crap. I’ve had it!” Ruby screeched at the top of her lungs. “I did my best. I cooked for you. I goddamn cooked for you. Real food. I sneaked in that dog food only once in a while. I bought you toys, beds, leashes. And what the hell do you do? You sleep in my goddamn bed, that’s what! I sleep in the guest room! No more! Get your goddamn asses off my bed. You’re going back to Mr. Bidwell. Live in a stinking cage, see if I care. Ungrateful, stinking animals. I hate you! You’re supposed to be my goddamn best friends, and what are you? Takers. That’s what you are, just like everyone else in my life. I give, you take. Bullshit! Get out of here! Now! I don’t ever want to see you again! You hear me, dammit, get out of here!
“You’re just like Dixie and Nola and Calvin. They didn’t care about me. I did everything, went out of my way to be the best friend I know how to be. For God’s sake, I practically did their . . . thinking for them. I was always there for them, but were they there for me? Hell, no, they weren’t. Time and again they . . . they . . . disappointed me. I expected . . . I expected . . . Oh, God, it wasn’t them at all, was it? It was me. I expected. If they didn’t measure up to ... my standards, to my way of doing things, I copped an attitude. The way I’m doing now with you. I was so damn busy blaming everyone else but myself.” Andrew was right, she thought. She was stupid for not seeing it. Well, she was going to ... to ... bawl her damn head off.
Ruby dropped to her knees and howled, her shoulders shaking with sobs. She had the animals’ attention now, but she didn’t know it. Fred crept to the edge of the bed, Sam alongside her. They looked at one another. Both of them looked at Doozie, who was standing at attention on the rocking chair. As one they leapt, knocking Ruby off balance. They licked her, they pawed her, they snuggled against her, pushing at her hands and arms so she would pet them.
Hiccoughing with pure joy, Ruby was a child then, rolling and tussling, tickling and scratching, yelping and hollering. Doozie purred. The dogs woofed. Ruby cried some more. The animals backed off, waiting to hear the strange sounds they heard before. They crept closer, gentler this time as they licked daintily at her tears, pawed her more carefully, woofing softly.
“Okay, you can stay.” Ruby hiccoughed. She blew her nose loudly. They were on their haunches now, lined up like little soldiers. It must mean something, Ruby thought wildly. What? “You want to go for a walk? I want to go for a walk. Get the leashes.” Doozie streaked ahead of the dogs and had the leash in his mouth. Fred couldn’t seem to make up her mind if she wanted the red or green one. She finally settled for the red one. Sam was left with the green one. Once again they lined up.
“You little devils,” Ruby muttered. “You knew how to do it all along. You put me through hell this past week,” she cried happily.
Like a Park Avenue matron walking her prize show dogs, Ruby sailed through the open kitchen door with her two mutts and her stray cat. They walked beautifully, even the cat. They all did what they had to do in record time. As one, they turned. They wanted to go back. Doozie’s back was up, Sam’s tail between his legs.
“Okay, we’re going back. You did real good. We’ll do it again after supper. I’m going to give you a s
pecial treat tonight, real liver and bacon. For you, Doozie, I’ll split my salmon steak.” She thought she saw Fred nod.
“I’ll be dipped,” Ruby mumbled as each animal went to the red basket to pick out a toy and chewie. They carried them back to their beds. She watched, a wide grin splitting her features as Doozie and Sam waited for Fred to make her choice. “So, you’re the boss.” She laughed. “Now I know who to defer to.” With a wild flourish she removed the dishtowel from the bird cage. “Ninety-nine bottles . . .” Ruby threw the towel back over the cage.
“Tomorrow you’re learning a new song or you’re heading back you know where.”
Ruby chirped happily as she set about preparing a gourmet dinner for her new family.
Her world was right side up.
The following morning Ruby called her attorney. He came on the line and wished her a good morning. “Alan, I want you to hire the best private detective in the country. I don’t care what it costs. I want him to find Dixie. Tell him to use all his operatives.”
“Ruby, I thought . . . are you sure you want to do this?”
“I’m sure. Someday I’ll explain, not right now, though. And, Alan, that check Amber sent back after my parents died? Deposit it. It was important to Amber to send it. If we’ve held it too long, write to her and ask her to issue a new one. I have a feeling that check was a milestone for Amber, and it needs to be acknowledged. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to do it. I’ll write her a letter myself as soon as I get some things straight in my mind.”
“Sounds like you’re clearing away a lot of mental cobwebs.”
Ruby beamed. “Alan, that’s exactly what I’m doing. Thanks for saying it out loud.”
“So, what’s on your agenda?”
“First, I’m going to get myself duded to the nines and attend the fashion show of the year. A very old, dear friend personally invited me.”
“Good for you, Ruby. I’ll do as you ask. By the way, I suggest you turn on your answering machine. Detectives call in their reports and you won’t want to miss them.”
“Good point, Alan. Thanks for everything.” Ruby happily hung up the phone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ruby weighed her options as the day of Nola’s private showing drew near. Part of her wanted to go, to see Nola again. They could compare nervous breakdowns. She’d never seriously given a name to what she’d gone through the past year and a half. The doctor hadn’t given it a name, either. A breakdown was so ... so unstable. When you had a breakdown, you lost control. Other people couldn’t depend on you.
She had turned tail and run. She had thought it was to her credit that she went off, alone, to lick her wounds and not subject other people to her fits of melancholy and depression. Now she wasn’t so sure. But at least she’d turned herself around and gotten her health back. She was almost the old Ruby again. Seeing Nola again might make her feel even more like the old Ruby. It was at that moment that she discovered she didn’t want to be the old Ruby any longer. But she did want to see Nola.
Ruby settled herself at the kitchen table to pen off a note to Nola. She scribbled furiously and then read the letter several times to make sure it said exactly what she wanted it to say.
Dear Nola,
Of course I’m going to attend your showing. Thank you for inviting me. I’ll be the friendly face in the front row in a blue dress, designed by Nq, sewed by Hattie Semolina. I’ll explain when I see you.
I’ve missed you, Nola, and no explanations are necessary regarding that old phone call. I’m the one who needs to do the explaining, if you have the time to listen.
Good luck, or do I say break a leg or something like that? Whatever, consider it said. I can’t wait to hug you, Nola.
Affectionately,
Ruby
She had other unfinished business to attend to. She ripped a sheet of paper off the tablet.
The letter was short, instructing her attorneys to file a law suit against Calvin Santos for money he owed her. He had borrowed much over the years and had never paid any of it back, including the loans she had given to him for his campaign. She included copies of canceled checks and itemized lists. She also included two letters Calvin had sent, in which he mentioned his intention to repay the money he owed her.
“You deserve to be sued, Calvin,” Ruby muttered, “but maybe you don’t deserve to be hit between the eyes.” She wrote a second note. On her seventh draft she decided it sounded right.
Dear Calvin,
I instructed my attorney to file suit against you for money you owe me. I had hoped to avoid doing so and believed you when you said you would repay me when you were solvent. I’m sure it simply slipped your mind, so if you would like to pay me, let’s say, within thirty days, we can avoid litigation.
I’m sorry about everything, Calvin. I’m willing to take the blame. I expected too much from our relationship. When you didn’t measure up, didn’t do what I expected, I reacted. I guess if I have to say there was a bottom line, it was that you broke my heart twice, once back in Washington and then again when you were elected. The affair was wrong for both of us. I’m not willing to take all the blame for that, though. You did say you were getting a divorce. I guess all men say that when they enter into an affair, and I guess all women believe it.
What I would like, Calvin, is for you to square off your debt to me so we can look each other in the eye if we ever chance to meet. I think it’s the honorable thing to do.
Part of me will always love you, Calvin. From this point on, I wish for you what I wish for myself, the best. My son gave me a plaque to hang in my kitchen. I’d like to pass it on to you, Calvin. It pretty much says it all. If you have a mind to be open, that is. JUDGE YOUR SUCCESS BY THE DEGREE THAT YOU’RE ENJOYING PEACE, HEALTH, AND LOVE.
You, Calvin, are someone I used to know.
Ruby
Ruby read the letter over twice before she scribbled her phone number and address at the bottom and again on the envelope.
Ruby called Federal Express and asked to have all three letters picked up. She gave directions to her house and listened while the operator said the letters would be delivered by ten o’clock the following morning.
More unfinished business. She called Martha. Her office said she was out on a site and offered to take a message. Ruby declined to leave one.
The last of her unfinished business. She called Andy. Ruby smiled, as she always did, when her son’s voice came over the wire.
“How’s the troops?” he chuckled.
“We’re a team these days. Not one accident and Charlotte is learning a new song today.”
Andy whooped with laughter, not because of the bird but because of the lilt in his mother’s voice. She was finally coming around. He wished he were with her so he could hug her.
“Listen, Andy, about that acreage. I have an idea. Can an access road be put in from the top of the hill to the back end of the property?”
“Don’t see why not. Why?”
“Do you think you could come up this weekend and take a look? The Semolina brothers are working on the outbuildings. They should be done any day now. I’ve been thinking about building a larger animal shelter, one that can accommodate more animals, and a wildlife preserve of some kind. A small cottage for the caretaker. I mean caretakers, plural.”
“It’ll cost you some bucks, Ma. You want to spring for a whole bunch or a little bunch?” He laughed.
“Whatever it takes. I’ll ask Mr. Bidwell and Mikey to come by while you’re here. They might have some ideas. I want it to be ... a ... ah, a sanctuary for them and the animals. Like this place is for me.”
“I hear you, Ma,” Andy said softly. “How about Saturday?” And will you make me a pineapple upside-down cake?“
“You bet. I might even throw in some whipped cream to top it off.”
“Now you’re cooking. I’ll see you Saturday.”
“Andy, do you have the time to take on a project like this?”
“Ma, I’ll make the time. I’m in business for myself, remember? By the way, speaking of business, how’s yours?”
Ruby threw back her head and laughed. “I have no idea. Okay, I guess.”
“No word on Dixie?”
“Nope, but I’m hiring a private detective to find her.”
“That’s great. They’re paging me, Ma. I love you.”
“I love you, too, Andy.”
“You’re gonna love him, too,” she said to the snoozing animals.
While the animals slept, Ruby went through the file folder in which she kept the design Nola had given her so many years ago. Her eyes puddled up as memories engulfed her.
The past.
Two hours later Hattie Semolina was taking Ruby’s measurements.
“Can you have it ready in a week?”
“Don’t see why not,” Hattie muttered around the pins in her mouth.
“Is this going to be a creation?”
“Everything I sew is a creation,” Hattie said.
“Do you think the fabric is ... it has to be special. This is very important. It has to have a one-of-a-kind look,” Ruby said anxiously.
“It’s going to be one of a kind. I’m only making one. Stand still, Mrs. Blue.”
That was all she was going to get from Hattie Semolina by way of assurance.
Ruby’s hand was on the doorknob when Hattie said, “Miss Quantrell won’t find fault with my sewing.”
“You know Nola?” Ruby said in amazement.
“I can read.” Hattie pointed to Nola’s signature on the design.
Ruby smiled. Nola’s design was in good hands. She was never more sure of anything in her life.
Ruby climbed out of bed. Today was the day she was driving into New York. She’d made reservations at the Plaza. She would change into Nola’s creation after she showered and put on fresh makeup. She wanted to look as good as she could when she saw Nola again. God, she was excited.
Seasons of Her Life Page 63