Dashboard lights, p.7
Dashboard Lights, page 7
part #2 of Gunpowder Series
Grateful. That is the only word she could think of. Grateful to the glorious God for leading her to Gunpowder, the turning point of her life. Grateful to be surrounded by girlie pillows and under a cheerful yellow comforter while the snow flew outdoors, not reaching any further than the windowpane.
Oh, crud, Ruby thought. She and Derek planned to go to the cabin that afternoon. That wasn't happening! She finally summed the courage to leave the bed again to put on warm clothes. Rummaging through the dresser drawers, she found a pair of leggings, a thick pair of socks and a thick, over-sized sweater. Slipping a t-shirt on under the sweater, she glanced in the mirror. Sad. The baby bump was now bigger than her breasts. Everyone told her they would get bigger, but she still did not have enough to fill even a training bra. If the baby had to depend on breast feeding, the poor thing would starve! She began to think she would be forever wearing little girl's t-shirts!
Downstairs, Elise and Norman were in the library drinking coffee and watching the weather forecast on the television. Ruby joined them, nursing her cup of coffee doctored with cream and sugar.
"Good morning, Ruby!" Norman said.
"How's our gal feeling this morning?" Elise asked.
"So far, so good. Just cold!" Ruby took her spot on the velvet couch tucking her legs under her. Elise had opened the shutters in the library so they could watch the snow outside. Brightness filled the library, the light reflecting off the snow.
"Derek's closing up. He should be back any minute!" Norman said. "He's taking Cassandra home on his way."
"Yes, he called me and said he would probably close. From the looks of things, no one should be out!" Ruby replied.
"Oh, honey! They're telling us that this storm has hovered over us, and it's staying with us until tomorrow!" Elise told Ruby, adding, "It's a darn good thing I stocked up at the IGA the other day! We'll have plenty of good nibbles to carry us through!"
Ruby smiled. Elise was always prepared, whatever the situation. The thought of food was not sitting too well with her. She wasn't nauseated, but just had an unsettled stomach. Hopefully, the cream and sugar would fight it off. She joined Norman and Elise in watching a reporter fight the snow hitting them in the face to tell of the conditions outside. They spoke of how the snow would continue throughout the day, causing whiteouts at times. Poor soul, Ruby thought. We know it is bad. Just go inside!
At that moment, the back door blew open with a howl of wind and a cloud of snow, bringing Derek with it.
"Hello!" he called.
"Hi, sweetie!" Ruby called back.
"I'm going to change out of these wet clothes and get something warm on and then I'll be down."
"Okay," Elise called. "There's a fresh pot of coffee!"
When Derek finally made it to the library, a cup of coffee in hand, he sat next to Ruby on the sofa. He had traded his wet clothes for a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeve pullover shirt.
"Let me tell you, it's really bad out there! I had it in four-wheel drive the whole time, but the snow was up to the running boards!" He took a sip of his coffee and then set it on the coffee table. "You should have seen poor Cassandra trying to walk through the snow to her front door. She was high-stepping the entire way!" He reached over and put a hand on Ruby's thigh, rubbing it.
"They were just saying the temp is supposed to dip down into the single digits and stay there through mid-next week," Norman said. "We may be stuck with this snow for several days. We'll have to see what to do about the store."
Derek nodded his head in agreement. He barely remembered the last time they had to close the McDonald's due to a storm. It had been so long ago. He looked over at Ruby, curled up in the corner of the couch.
"Hey there, dream! Why don't you come warm me up?" He motioned her to him.
She looked at him and then the television. "The view is not as good from over there! You come over here!"
He did. Ruby moved so he could take her place, and she cuddled against him. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his hand on her belly. On the baby bump. And he rubbed it. Ruby smiled to herself. He is coming around. This did not escape the notice of Elise and Norman either. Seeing their son setting his hands on his unborn son brought smiles to their faces as well.
"I guess we're going to have a good old fashion snow day everyone!" Elise said. "We'll watch some movies and maybe even break out a board game or two! It's so great to have family around!"
Ruby kept smiling. Family. She was finally beginning to belong. Now if she could only find the rest of the missing pieces of her identity. The next time she got a chance, she would talk to Jonah about sending off Betsy's tooth and hair for DNA testing. The not knowing whether Betsy was her real mother ate at her insides, at her gut.
***
Ruby never expected she would ever experience ‘cabin fever,’ but after four days of being cooped up in the house she started to feel a little claustrophobia coming on. She badly wanted to get outside and get some fresh air, but each time she suggested it or even reached for her coat, three people gave her the evil eye, and one of the three lectured her about her condition and the extreme cold temperature outside.
She watched more television in those days than probably whole life. Also, she quickly found out board games were not her 'thing.' They seemed a senseless waste of time. She didn't possess a competitive nature, so the point of the games was generally lost on her. She stomached playing cards as there was a bit of strategy involved.
Derek and Norman returned to the McDonald's the day before, and Elise went back to Hunt Brothers. The snowstorm had temporary effects on the town, but the bitter cold continued keeping people indoors or in cars as much as possible.
Ruby fixed a travel mug of coffee and went up to her room. Derek was studying for his classes, so she figured she would go over the driver's manual or the GED prep book some more. No desk in her room, Ruby usually sat on the bed among the mass of pillows. She sat her coffee on the nightstand and went over to the wardrobe to get her books out. Passing the window, she was drawn. Just a whiff! A brief smell of the air would not hurt. She raised the window and stuck her head outside taking deep breaths of fresh air. As she did so, she felt the hairs on the insides of her nose instantly freeze. It stung. She understood why she was being held captive in the house by her caring trio of house mates. She closed and latched the window.
Bringing her books to her bed, she climbed up on it. She flipped slowly through the pages, studying the diagrams in the driver’s manual. After a half hour or so, she decided she just was not interested in studying. She felt restless. She looked over at her phone on the nightstand, next to her coffee. She intended to call Alfred and Jean. This might be an opportune time! She searched for their number, and pressed call. After a few rings, she heard Alfred's voice.
"Hell-O!" he said, his voice gruff. She had gotten used to it. She learned it was harmless.
"Hi, Papaw. This is Ruby."
"Well, hello there, Ruby! Hold on. Let me holler at Jean!"
Ruby heard him shout for her Mamaw, who was probably in her sewing room. After a minute, she heard another extension pick up.
"I think we got her, Ruby! You on Jean?" Alfred asked.
"I'm here. Hello, Ruby! It's so good to hear from you!" Jean said, asking, "did you survive the blizzard, dear?"
"Oh yes. We had close to twenty-four inches, and now we have the bitter cold. Derek has forbidden me to even step outside!" Ruby laughed. "How did you both fare with the snow?"
"Oh, you know us old folk. We never go anywhere hardly, so it's just been business as usual." Alfred said. He was finally talking more when Ruby called. The first several times she checked in with them, he stayed mostly silent, letting Jean do the talking.
"I have some news I want to share with you," Ruby said. Her grandparents knew she and Derek had gotten engaged, but they had not been briefed on the recent developments in the relationship.
"What is it, dear?" Jean asked.
"We have set the date for the wedding! It going to be Saturday, May 25th here in Gunpowder, and I would love for you both to be here!"
"Well now, Ruby, I'm still driving, but I don't know that I'm comfortable driving that far," Alfred said.
"Papaw, that is okay. We can have someone come get you and bring you back. And Derek's grandparents have an extra bedroom with a private bathroom for you to stay! They would love for you to stay with them," Ruby explained. "But think it over. There is no rush. And make sure you are both feeling up to the trip!"
"We can do that. We hate to stay with strangers..." Jean said.
"Well, I have one other piece of news for you," Ruby said. "I am pregnant with a baby boy! You are going to be great-grandparents!!"
"Oh my!" Jean exclaimed.
"Now Ruby, don't you be rushing things," Alfred said.
"Papaw, it is a little late for that! The baby is due August 2! Derek and I are very happy!"
"Congratulations, sweetheart! What a blessing!" Jean said.
"We are getting ready to renovate the cabin up on the hill, adding rooms so it will be a quaint little house for the three of us!" Ruby had mentioned the cabin to them before.
"Now, I like that idea!" Alfred replied." No sense going and knocking something down that still has life in it!" Hearing this, Ruby knew he had an impact on Betsy. Betsy had told her practically the same thing many times over their years together.
"Well, I just wanted let you know what has been going on! I will try to send you a copy of the ultrasound picture of the baby! And I will call you in a few weeks!" Ruby signaled the end of the conversation. If she had not, Alfred and Jean would talk to her for hours.
"Okay, Ruby! It's so good hearing from you! Love you!" Jean said.
"Love you, girl." Alfred echoed.
"Love you both!" Ruby said, and then she clicked the end call button.
That call went much better than she had anticipated. She smiled. It felt good to have a connection to someone who knew Betsy. To the people who raised the woman who raised her.
Ruby was intent on making up for the days upon days of imprisonment by the snow and cold. She could not remember a time when she had spent such a stretch of time inside, and she was anxious to get out, move, and breathe. Most of her years had been spent outdoors in one form or the other. She pulled on her jeans and went to button them. And went to button them. And again. It just wasn't happening. Huh? They lacked an inch of the button and the hole lining up. She wore them two days ago, and they fit fine! Pulling them off, she pulled out a pair of black leggings. They had to fit! Then she slipped on a cream tunic sweater and stuck her feet into her tan lace up boots. The ones she didn't have to lace up because they had a zipper on the side.
Stopping at the mirror she pulled up her sweater and turned sideways. A definite bump. Not huge for five months, but no hiding it. She wondered where it was coming from as she had only gained two pounds total since she found out she was pregnant. Of course, there was no telling how many pounds she had lost due to the sickness. The nausea still visited here and there, but nowhere near as vengeful as before.
She needed to pee before she headed out. She felt like ‘pee’ had become her middle name. These days, every time she laughed, coughed, sneezed or bent over to pick something up, it resulted in an instant trip to the bathroom. Amy and Elise told her it would only get worse. Yay! Thank goodness she had indoor plumbing these days, but if the urge hit her bad enough, she was not opposed to finding a bush. She grew up squatting behind bushes.
Before leaving the bathroom, she went to Derek's door and knocked.
"Come in," he called.
Holding the door open, she popped her head in. He was seated at his desk working on the computer, his glassed perched on his nose. She loved seeing him in glasses. She thought they added an edginess to his appearance.
"Hey, Derek. I'm headed out for a while. I'm absolutely craving a Dairy Queen sundae, and if I don't go get it, I am liable to clean out the refrigerator! Do you want anything?"
"No, babe. I'm going to try to finish up here. Oh, wait! I do want something!" A devilish smile emerged on his face, and his forefinger motioned her towards him.
She complied with his request and approached him. He pulled her down on his lap and dipping her slightly, he kissed her. A long and passionate kiss.
"Whew!" Ruby exclaimed coming up for air. "You keep that up, and I will not get my ice cream!" she laughed. She knew he had to study. She was in no danger of missing out on her sundae.
"Enjoy!" he said. "Be careful!"
"Always!"
Ruby closed the black front door behind her, noticing Elise had changed out the wreath. Instead of snowflakes, cardinals and greenery, a colorful collection of Easter eggs, bunnies, and a large curling bow were fixed to a wreath base made of Easter basket grass. The "H" hung in its rightful place in the center. Elise did not do much seasonal decoration in or outside the house, except for Christmas, but her front door always showcased a festive wreath reflective of the weather or special holidays. The stone house was so plain and large, it needed the extra kick a wreath provided.
Ruby walked down the sidewalk past the police station to the corner. Jonah's truck was parked in its usual spot across the street. Looking both ways, Ruby crossed the road and entered the Dairy Queen. Going immediately to the counter, she placed her order for a small hot fudge sundae with peanut butter topping, whipped cream and chopped peanuts. No cherry. She hated their rubbery texture. She thought she was eating a Super ball. Ruby paid for her sundae and waited for the girl to assemble her craving quencher. Leaning against the counter, she glanced around the seating area to see if there was a nice sunny spot. Finding the perfect table, she was instantly distracted by who was sitting at the next table.
Abby was sipping on a milkshake as she spoke to Officer Kenny Brown. Whaa?! A post partially blocker her view, so she leaned forward to determine if she was seeing correctly. It had to be Kenny, but his wild orange hair was gone. Well, most of it. It had been clipped short.
"Small hot fudge peanut butter sundae!" The Dairy Queen worker pushed the sundae across the counter towards Ruby. A red spoon stuck in the top. Right next to the maraschino cherry. Ruby thanked the girl and took her sundae and grabbed a few napkins. Stopping at the trash bin, Ruby plucked the cherry off her sundae by the stem and tossed it into the trash abyss. She now wondered whether she would enjoy her sundae there in the sunlight or take if back to the house. However, she had to find out what Abby was doing talking to Officer Brown! Really? Kenny? Ruby's ‘nemesis’?
Ruby headed towards them, but she dreaded being anywhere near Kenny. But Abby was her sort-of-sister, and she had duties as a big sister. He and Abby seemed to be having a quite animated conversation, of which she caught hints as she neared them.
"Hello, Abby!" Then she said flatly, "Kenny."
"Ruby!" Abby jumped out of her seat and hugged Ruby. "Oh my, you look so good!"
"So, what are you two up to? Do you mind if I join you?" Ruby asked. She figured she had the upper hand with Kenny this time, catching him here with a fifteen-year-old girl.
"Oh, please!" Abby replied. Abby tried to disguise her unease of being discovered with one of her dad's officers. Kenny tried to disguise nothing. That was Kenny.
Ruby pulled out the chair on the side of the table between them and sat with her sundae. She took the red spoon and took a small bit of her treat. Abby and Kenny remained silent as Ruby indulged herself.
"So, what brings the two of you here?" Ruby asked. Nothing like the direct tactic. She looked at Kenny and then at Abby.
"Well, " Abby began with a sheepish expression. "I'm tutoring Kenny!" She smiled at Ruby and then looked at Kenny, who smiled back at Abby.
"Really! Wow! That is great!" Ruby ate another spoonful of her sundae. She realized she could drag this on for as long as she wanted. "What is she tutoring you in, Kenny?"
"English." He replied. He took a sip of what appeared to be coffee, his eyes not leaving Ruby.
"Yes, I am helping Kenny with his English! His spoken English!" Abby said a little too enthusiastically. "Can you believe, Ruby, that someone had the nerve to tell Kenny that his future in law enforcement was limited unless he learned to speak proper English?!"
"Really?" Ruby tilted her head toward Abby, and then looked directly at Kenny. "I cannot image who would ever have the nerve to say such a thing to an officer of the law!" She waited for Kenny's expression, but he didn't even flinch with her comment. Addressing Kenny, she asked, "So how is it going? Making progress?" She smiled.
Kenny looked awkwardly at Abby, as if he wondered if he should reply. Abby nodded her head energetically.
"It's going well," he said. Ruby raised her eyebrows as another spoonful of sundae entered her mouth.
"I am impressed! You realize, Kenny, that you have the most proclaimed authority on the English language in this town tutoring you. I hope you are compensating her well." Ruby noticed the exchange of glances between Kenny and Abby. Abby began to blush.
"Yes, I do Ruby. Thank you. She is a wonderful help to me." Kenny said, his words coming out as if a robot was saying them.
"Abby, you have done an amazing job so far!" She winked at her sister. "Does Jonah know that Kenny has retained your services?"
Abby immediately looked down, and Kenny busied himself with his coffee. Before either could reply, Ruby continued.
"Well, I think it is wonderful that you seek to improve yourself, Kenny! You have found the best girl for the task. But I sure would not want anyone thinking there was any impropriety here. You know, with Abby being fifteen and you being almost ten years older! Keep it clean, you know?" Ruby looked at Kenny then at Abby. They were both looking at each other. Ruby hated to admit to herself, but there seemed to be some sort of attraction happening between the two. "Make sure you let Jonah know what is happening. He would be very disappointed if you are not upfront with him, trust me." Kenny nodded. Abby nodded.
"Oh, Ruby! I almost forgot!” Abby said changing the subject. She reached around to her backpack on the chair and pulled out a package wrapped in simple brown paper held together by jute twine tied in a bow. "I've been meaning to get this to you!" She handed the package to Ruby.
