Dashboard lights, p.10
Dashboard Lights, page 10
part #2 of Gunpowder Series
"Ruby? Are you okay?" he asked.
She nodded. "Come here." She was crying. "You have got to see this."
He came up behind her and was about to put his hands on her waist.
"Do not touch me! It will destroy the angle. Look at the ring!"
Derek leaned his head over to gain more of her vantage point, and he saw it.
"Wow!" He kept looking just as Ruby did. Mesmerized. "That is the most amazing thing! I have never seen a ring sparkle and glow like that!"
"I'm afraid to move...to let it stop..."
"What even made you get up and do this?" Derek asked.
"I had a dream about it, Derek. I told you I have seen this ring before. I know where now." She turned her head toward him. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "I know who had it. It was my real mother! She gave it to Betsy when I was a baby to give to me when I got older. It was stolen. I remember now."
Chapter Seven – Driving
Ruby rolled over in bed, propped up on her elbow. Her other hand pulled the covers to her. She ran her hand over the navy velvet bedspread. So soft and smooth. When she picked it out for Derek, it never occurred to her she would be sleeping under it. She enjoyed watching Derek dress in the morning. Just the sight of him stirred a 'melty' and amorous feeling inside her. He turned as he was buttoning his flannel shirt, catching her enjoying the view. He wore the jeans Ruby loved to see him in. He smiled.
"I don't know what you find so interesting in watching me."
"Does it creep you out?" Ruby asked, laughing. She didn't care if it did.
"No. I just don't know what you find so interesting?"
"I just love watching the way you move. It is like silent music," she said.
"Silent music?"
"Yes, you must remember I have a long history of people watching. I find it fascinating." Ruby smiled. "I find you fascinating. Your mannerisms, the way you tilt your head when you laugh, and that serious look."
"I have a serious look?"
"Oh! You sure do! In fact, you have been wearing it a lot lately!" She sat up.
"Well, I guess I just have a lot on my mind. Work, school, the cabin renovation. You. And the baby." He sat on the bed next to her.
"I am sorry," Ruby said, looking down.
"No, sweetie." Derek kissed her on the forehead. She looked up at him. He smiled, wrinkles appearing to sides of his deep blue eyes. "You've nothing to be sorry about. It's all a part of our future. I'm glad to do it. I've just got to get better organized to manage it all. Without neglecting you!"
"You do not neglect me. I know you have a lot going on. But Derek maybe I can help you with some of it! You do not have to do it all yourself. We are a team!"
"I know, but you can't run here and there and meet with the contractor." Derek gave her his frank face.
"My not being able to drive is a hindrance, I know. But speaking of that, I got to thinking about something."
"What's that?"
Well, by the time I am eligible to get my permit, I am going to be huge with baby. And after that, I will be taking care of our son! So, I was thinking...maybe I could get my driving hours in now, and then just record them on dates during my permit time. What do you think?"
Derek took her hand and smiled, nodding his head. The warmth of his hand penetrated hers. A feeling she cherished.
"You never cease to amaze me. The things you think of! I think that is a fabulous idea!" he said.
"When do you want to start?" Ruby asked. "This morning?"
"Uh...I guess we could go up to the parking lot by the cave and do some initial instruction."
"Really? I mean, are you sure you have time this morning?"
"Yep! I'm pretty much caught up on my schoolwork. I've got to meet with the contractor around noon, but I can spare an hour or so!"
"Awesome!" Ruby jumped up out of the bed and started for her room.
"Where're you going?" Derek asked. She stopped and came over to him, planting a quick kiss on his lips.
"To get dressed!! I'll be ready in a sec!" She fled off to her room, wondering what to wear.
"I'm going to get some coffee first. Meet me downstairs."
Derek was preparing tall travel mugs with coffee for himself and Ruby when she entered the kitchen. Ruby resorted to wearing leggings these days, where none of her pants with zippers or buttons zippered or buttoned. A long multi-colored sweater and her zipper lace-up boots completed her outfit.
"Mm... Coffee! Which one is mine?" Ruby's nose was in over-drive.
Derek put the finishing touches and stirred each one. Putting a cap on one, he handed it to Ruby. "Here you go, my love!"
"Thanks!" She took a sip, careful to not burn her mouth. She nodded her approval.
"How much caffeine are you allowed to drink?" Derek asked.
"The book says I should limit to one cup of coffee a day." She gave him a frowny face.
"When do you go back to the doctor?"
"March 20th. We have monthly appointments up until a certain point, and then it is every two weeks, then every week until the babe is here."
"Do they give you guidance on what you're supposed to eat and drink?"
"I suppose. They prescribed those prenatal vitamins." Ruby winced, thinking about them. They were huge and hard to swallow. Several had stuck in her throat, and she had to wash them down with several gulps of water. "Most of what I am getting is from that book Amy loaned me. It is pretty informative."
"Are you ready to go?" Derek asked, with coffee in hand.
Ruby went into the hall and got their coats, handing Derek's to him. Out the door they went.
Once they were parked outside of the Bat Cave, Derek switched sides with Ruby. Ruby struggled to get the seat pulled up to where she could reach the gas and brake pedals. She had the seat in the most forward position possible but lacked an inch or so being able to comfortably press the pedals.
"Do you have a pillow or something?" she asked.
"Why?" Derek asked.
"I am not quite reaching the pedals..."
Derek took off his coat and folded it up, tucking it behind her. It helped.
"Okay, so you know the gas and brake pedals," he said.
"Derek, I have told you...I have driven before. When I worked for the old farmer, I drove his pickup truck all over the farm. And I also drove the tractors, so I know the mechanics of driving. I know the gages, the gears, wipers, lights, all of that."
"Okay."
"I just do not have any real road experience. You know, with actual traffic."
"Let's try driving up here first so I can get an idea of where you are in your skill," Derek said.
He reached over and turned the key, shutting the engine off. Ruby looked at him.
"Okay, so I want you to start the truck, and then I will give you instructions on what to do from there," Derek said.
She turned the key, engaging the engine. She sat back waiting instructions.
"Okay, put it in drive."
Ruby put her foot on the brake and moved the gear shift to drive.
"Now ease up on the brake and see if you can circle the parking lot."
Ruby moved her foot from the brake to the gas and pressed gently, trying to get a feel for the truck. It began moving forward slowly. She gave a little more gas and began rolling forward with some speed, turning the steering wheel to navigate around the lot. Once she made a complete circle, she put her foot on the brake and slowed to a stop.
"Now what?" she asked.
"Okay, so I want to see you back up," Derek said.
Ruby put the gear in reverse and gave same gas. The truck began rolling backward.
"Stop!" Derek said.
Ruby slammed on the brake, throwing them both forward.
"Not that fast!"
"You yelled 'stop!'" Ruby replied. "I thought something was wrong!"
"No. I was just giving you instructions."
"Well, please do not scare me!"
"Okay, well let's see how you do driving down the hill, turning around and driving back up," Derek told her.
Ruby put the truck back in drive and headed toward the road. She began descending slowly.
"Okay, if you're comfortable, speed up a little."
Ruby gave the truck a little more gas. The days of driving through the fields and on country roads quickly came back to her. She navigated down the hill and the curves at a decent speed. Derek was quiet. Then when she reached the bottom, she applied the brake slowing to a stop. No jerking.
"Okay, that's good. So now, turn around and head back up," Derek told her.
Ruby pulled forward turning heading slightly left on Country Road, then put the truck in reverse, turning to look backward, and began backing towards East Main. A car was approaching, so she panicked and stopped short. Again, she and Derek were thrown forward.
"Ruby!"
"Well, there's a car coming!" she said. "Please do not yell at me!"
"Has it stopped?" He turned to look out the back glass.
"Yes." Ruby looked at the back-up camera screen and confirmed over her shoulder.
"Okay, well finish backing up, and then turn back up Bat Cave Road."
Ruby did as Derek instructed. Once she backed far enough, she turned and headed back up Bat Cave Road. She gave it gas, and the truck climbed the winding gravel road. She smiled to herself. This was the first of many times she would drive up this road to her home. Her house. As she passed the cabins, she noticed some trucks in the clearing. A backhoe was knocking down the dilapidated wooden cabins. She only took a quick glance. How had she not seen this on the way down? Concentrating, she supposed.
"Ruby! Stay on the road!" Derek shouted.
Ruby was veering off towards the left shoulder, distracted by the cabin activity. She swerved, over-correcting and started to slide on the gravel shoulder. Derek reached over and grabbed the wheel, trying to help her straighten the truck out. Finally, between the two, the truck came to a rest in the middle of the road, sideways.
"Sweetie! You've got to keep your eyes on the road. You can't be distracted!"
"I understand," she replied. "But should I not be aware of what is going on around me? In case like a car pulls out unexpected?"
"There were no unexpected cars pulling out," he said curtly. "Can you straighten the truck out?"
"I am pretty sure I have got that." Ruby put the truck into reverse and backed up towards the side of the road. Then she put it in drive, and turning the wheel, straightened the truck out and continued the rest of the way up the hill. When they got to the parking lot, Ruby drove to the middle and put the truck in park. She opened the driver's side door and got out, closing the door. She walked around to the passenger's side and looked at Derek through the window. He opened the door.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"I am done," Ruby replied.
"What? Are you giving up so easily?"
"No. I have just realized you are not the one to teach me to drive and help me get my hours."
"Huh?" Derek seemed confused.
"No offense, Derek. But you just do not have the patience! I cannot drive with someone who is so nervous like you!"
"I'm not nervous!"
"Yes. Yes, you are. And you're worried about your truck." Ruby motioned him to get out. He did. "I'll get Jonah or someone to help me get my hours. It is not worth us getting upset with each other, and that is how I see this going."
Derek walked around to the driver's side while Ruby climbed back up into the passenger seat. He unfolded his coat and struggled to get his seat back into position for his own legs. Once he got situated, he sat there a moment, and then looked over at Ruby.
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Derek, there is nothing to be sorry about. I appreciate you trying. You are just sending me your nervous vibes. I need someone who is going to be more relaxed," Ruby replied. "I think you are just too worried about me." She also wanted to say: And your truck.
On the way down the hill, Ruby got a better look at the demolition of the wooden cabins. It made the clearing seem so much larger despite the trucks scattered about. The stone cabin stood alone, and it seemed to smile. As if proud it stood erect while the others were gone.
"I did not know they had started," she said.
"Yes. And they'll start bulldozing around the cabin to level the area, and then they'll dig footers for the addition. Kent said the stone structure and foundation of the cabin is sturdy enough for the second story! But they will do some shoring up with iron," Derek replied, glancing briefly at the work and back to the road. "That's why I need to meet with him later."
"Can I go with you?" Ruby asked.
"Ruby, you'll get cold, and this is really not your thing."
"Derek, you forget who drew the design up for this. I would like to be part of the actual process." She sensed he held low confidence in her knowing anything about construction. He forgets I have built many a shelter! Sometimes she wondered how serious he took her experiences as a homeless person. Especially now that she was becoming part of his family and lived in one of the most respected households in Gunpowder. As if Ruby's new life completely erased her years of suffering and struggling to survive.
Chapter Eight - Not Your Momma No More
Ruby longed to visit the Gunpowder Library and to see Megan. With the snow and colder weather, it had been almost a month since her last trip, and she had many things to tell Megan. Derek was again submerged in his books and was working on another paper, so Ruby decided it was a great day to make the walk and catch up with her friend, the librarian.
Dressing warmly in what had become her uniform of sorts, she donned leggings, a t-shirt, thick socks and a heavy sweater, and she slipped her feet into her zipper boots. Most of her wardrobe in her closet was now unwearable, at least until after the baby. She wondered if she would be able to get by with leggings and loose-fitting shirts, rather than having to do maternity clothes. Ruby was fine with wearing the same few things over and over; however, Elise constantly mentioned various outfits at the store that would look adorable on her. Ruby politely thanked her for thinking of her but told her she felt more comfortable in what she had. And warm.
One surprise the pregnancy brought Ruby was her new-found inability to withstand the cold. When she was out on her own, living her migrant homeless life, she had an incredible tolerance of cold weather. But as soon as pregnancy set in, she found herself shivering and shaking, seeking refuge in blankets and throws. Probably Mother Nature's way of keeping the baby safe. Ruby could do nothing other than respect Mother Nature's wish, so she bundled up. Constantly. She wondered if she would have an intolerance to the hot weather as well. Time would tell.
Ruby walked over to her nightstand and pulled out the leather journal book Abby gave her and the pen she was fond of. Looking at the alarm clock, it was still a little too early to head over to the library. Although it opened at nine, Ruby wanted to allow the temperature outside to rise a bit before heading out on foot. She figured she’d journal a bit while she waited. Get caught up on her thoughts.
The coffee was waiting for her as she set her journal and pen on the kitchen table. Elise always made a full pot of coffee before she left in the morning. Norman got his coffee at the McDonald's. She turned on the pendant light above the table and headed for the cups. No travel mug today. Ruby wanted to have the full experience of sitting casually at the table with a nice cup of coffee in a real cup and plot her thoughts on the blank pages. Like a real person. This was extravagance to Ruby.
Her coffee steaming next to her, she opened the brown leather journal. There were not many entries yet, but Ruby had filled several pages. She took her time looking over her previous work, stopping to inspect her drawings of the cabin renovations. She had recreated the drawings she gave Derek for the contractor, only on a slightly smaller scale to fit the pages. She decided the renderings in her journal were even better than the originals. Satisfied, she turned to the next page, reviewed more of her written thoughts. Arriving at a blank page, she took a long sip of coffee, picked up her pen and began to leave strings of tiny letters in straight lines. Anyone looking at her passages would think they were typed. Uniform, each 'a' looked identical to any other 'a' and so on.
Ruby had plenty of time to practice her penmanship growing up. She would find scraps of paper, junk mail, envelopes, insides of cereal boxes, and spent hours writing words, letters, numbers. If she was in a room with Betsy's friends, Ruby even wrote down what they said or what was said on the television. Of course, all of this got thrown away. Her transient life with Betsy did not allow for keeping a journal or saving any of the things she wrote on scraps. They traveled light and with bare necessities only. A journal was in the extravagant category not the need category. Besides, once Ruby filled a journal, where would she have kept it? It was not practical.
After another long sip of coffee and a moment of contemplation, Ruby began busily scribing more thoughts about recent events, including her driving experience with Derek. She knew she needed to find someone else to help her get her driving hours. It would not be her love. Derek was too protective. Anxious. And it put one more responsibility on him with all the others. She didn't want him resenting her.
"Hey, babe!" Derek said as he walked into the kitchen. He was dressed casually in jeans and a crew sweater and loafers. "Is there any coffee left?" He had an empty cup in his hand.
"Yes, there should be plenty. This is my first cup." She continued to write then glanced at Derek preparing his coffee. She put her pen down and took a sip of her own.
"As much coffee as this family goes through, you'd think we owned a plantation!" Derek mused.
"Or a McDonald's McCafé," Ruby said. That was where the household's coffee came from unless Elise stumbled upon a special blend she wanted to try. There was a Costa Rican coffee Elise liked to keep on hand for special occasions, or just when she needed a special 'pick-me-up,' she called it. Today was a McCafé day.
"I thought you were going to the library this morning?" Derek asked. He sat in the chair opposite Ruby.
