but there’d be no way I could carry you.”
Mickey continued to stare as Ruby rambled on. “You needed the rest and I’m glad you got some. I’m working on my famous home-cooked chili. Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll see about getting you some fresh clothes. Yours look…well, damp.”
“Shower?” Mickey echoed, her voice sounding faraway and lost to her own ears. Oh, the thought of scalding hot water cascading down her shoulders sounded so good right now. And the chance to use a toilet that was not attached to a gas station or rest stop…heaven.
“Bathroom’s right down the hall. Towels are in there. Take your time. I’ll leave some spare clothes on the bed here.” Ruby cast Mickey a somewhat critical glance. “I can see that you’re nothing but skin and bones though, girlie. What I have will be big on you—you’re such a tiny, little thing. But we’ll fatten you up in no time.”
Ruby bustled off, leaving Mickey standing there in confusion. In no time? Is she suggesting I…stay here? I can’t! Can I? But…where else can I go? I’m out of money.
She wrestled with her thoughts, shivering in her damp tee shirt, until the lure of a warm shower became too great to resist.
***
An hour later, Mickey found herself with a belly full of the best steak chili she had ever had in her life. Who would have thought that chili with no beans could be so hearty and delicious? She perched on a garish old couch, clad in a ridiculously oversized pink sweat suit, and fuzzy pink slippers to match.
Mickey cradled the cup of hot tea in her hand, letting the warmth heat her in the few places the chili hadn’t reached. Ruby was one of those people who never seemed to stop moving around. She moved from the kitchen to the living room, back and forth. She cleared a few dishes. Then, she appeared with a slice of lemon pie that matched the couch almost exactly. Ruby adjusted the television volume and handed Mickey the remote.
“Time for Jeopardy .”
Mickey grinned. “Okay.”
Her unexpected caretaker stopped dead in her tracks.
“Ruby?” Mickey asked hoarsely. Shit, did I do something wrong already?
“Oh, honey, it’s just that I’ve been waiting to see you smile since I first saw you walk through the door of my diner.”
Mickey wasn’t sure how to react to that statement. To make matters more awkward, tears came to the older woman’s eyes. Ruby brushed them away with a shaky laugh.
“Never you mind.”
Mickey was unused to genuine kindness. Nothing comes without a price, she reminded herself.
“I—why are you doing all of this, Ruby? Letting me into your home…taking care of me like this? I could be a bad person…a thief…”
Mickey didn’t want to admit it but she was a horrible person, a person who didn’t deserve this kind of care. She was worse than a thief. I’m a murderer. Her hand began to shake, the fork rattling against the plate, threatening to dump her pie into her lap.
“I-I don’t deserve all of this.” Reluctantly, Mickey set the mouth-watering pie down on the coffee table. An instant later, she found the plate placed back in her hands, and a determined set on Ruby’s face.
“Well, I guess you have a right to know.” Ruby sat down heavily. “It’s the least I could do…helping a young girl like you. It’s like…like I’m getting another chance.”
“Another chance to do what?”
“To atone for what I did. You see, Michaela, you’re not the bad person here. I am.”
***
“Sadie liked horses. I guess you could see that,” Ruby sniffed. “I keep everything just the same as it was. Just in case…”
When Ruby’s daughter, Jessie, got hooked on crank, Ruby put her foot down. Unfortunately, Ruby’s brand of tough love didn’t work the way it was supposed to. One night, Jessie left with her new boyfriend. She took Ruby’s five-year old granddaughter with her, and Ruby had neither seen nor heard from her since.
“Are-are you sure it’s okay that I’m
Mickey continued to stare as Ruby rambled on. “You needed the rest and I’m glad you got some. I’m working on my famous home-cooked chili. Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll see about getting you some fresh clothes. Yours look…well, damp.”
“Shower?” Mickey echoed, her voice sounding faraway and lost to her own ears. Oh, the thought of scalding hot water cascading down her shoulders sounded so good right now. And the chance to use a toilet that was not attached to a gas station or rest stop…heaven.
“Bathroom’s right down the hall. Towels are in there. Take your time. I’ll leave some spare clothes on the bed here.” Ruby cast Mickey a somewhat critical glance. “I can see that you’re nothing but skin and bones though, girlie. What I have will be big on you—you’re such a tiny, little thing. But we’ll fatten you up in no time.”
Ruby bustled off, leaving Mickey standing there in confusion. In no time? Is she suggesting I…stay here? I can’t! Can I? But…where else can I go? I’m out of money.
She wrestled with her thoughts, shivering in her damp tee shirt, until the lure of a warm shower became too great to resist.
***
An hour later, Mickey found herself with a belly full of the best steak chili she had ever had in her life. Who would have thought that chili with no beans could be so hearty and delicious? She perched on a garish old couch, clad in a ridiculously oversized pink sweat suit, and fuzzy pink slippers to match.
Mickey cradled the cup of hot tea in her hand, letting the warmth heat her in the few places the chili hadn’t reached. Ruby was one of those people who never seemed to stop moving around. She moved from the kitchen to the living room, back and forth. She cleared a few dishes. Then, she appeared with a slice of lemon pie that matched the couch almost exactly. Ruby adjusted the television volume and handed Mickey the remote.
“Time for Jeopardy .”
Mickey grinned. “Okay.”
Her unexpected caretaker stopped dead in her tracks.
“Ruby?” Mickey asked hoarsely. Shit, did I do something wrong already?
“Oh, honey, it’s just that I’ve been waiting to see you smile since I first saw you walk through the door of my diner.”
Mickey wasn’t sure how to react to that statement. To make matters more awkward, tears came to the older woman’s eyes. Ruby brushed them away with a shaky laugh.
“Never you mind.”
Mickey was unused to genuine kindness. Nothing comes without a price, she reminded herself.
“I—why are you doing all of this, Ruby? Letting me into your home…taking care of me like this? I could be a bad person…a thief…”
Mickey didn’t want to admit it but she was a horrible person, a person who didn’t deserve this kind of care. She was worse than a thief. I’m a murderer. Her hand began to shake, the fork rattling against the plate, threatening to dump her pie into her lap.
“I-I don’t deserve all of this.” Reluctantly, Mickey set the mouth-watering pie down on the coffee table. An instant later, she found the plate placed back in her hands, and a determined set on Ruby’s face.
“Well, I guess you have a right to know.” Ruby sat down heavily. “It’s the least I could do…helping a young girl like you. It’s like…like I’m getting another chance.”
“Another chance to do what?”
“To atone for what I did. You see, Michaela, you’re not the bad person here. I am.”
***
“Sadie liked horses. I guess you could see that,” Ruby sniffed. “I keep everything just the same as it was. Just in case…”
When Ruby’s daughter, Jessie, got hooked on crank, Ruby put her foot down. Unfortunately, Ruby’s brand of tough love didn’t work the way it was supposed to. One night, Jessie left with her new boyfriend. She took Ruby’s five-year old granddaughter with her, and Ruby had neither seen nor heard from her since.
“Are-are you sure it’s okay that I’m
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