All Over Again

| Chapter Forty-Nine |

The sound of Ruth's phone buzzing beside her almost made her want to pull all of her hair out for no reason at all. She couldn't explain why she was so on edge, but the excessive vibrating wasn't doing her any favors. So, with a little more contempt than necessary, she shoved her cell phone's speaker against her ear.

"Mom, I can't really talk at the moment—" Ruth began, but a deep-bellied laugh interrupted her sniffling spiel mid-sentence.

"It's me, honey-bee," Koi interrupted.

Ruth's heart leapt in her throat at the sound of her dad's voice and she suddenly put her eye shadow down in shock. She gripped the cell phone tighter in her hand and she didn't know why, but she wanted to sob at the sound of his familiar voice full of comfort. She swallowed down the ball choking in the pit of her throat and she shakily muttered out a meek, "Dad?"

"The one and only," he glowed. She internally cringed at the dad joke. "After the last phone call with your mother I just . . . wanted to make sure everything was okay."

"You mean the call where mom took my acceptance away from me?"

There was a pause.

"Honey-Bee, I don't think what she did was right either. I hope you know that," he said, his tone serious with disapproval. "I talked to her and—"

"Dad, she always does this. She'd rather sever what little relationship we have just so she can control every aspect of my life."

"Ruth, she just wants the best for you. She wants you to grow up differently than how she did."

"That's what every parent says!"

"And until you are one, you won't understand why they do," he pointed out. "But I didn't call to talk about your mother. I called to ask how you're doing."

Now you want to know? She wanted to bite back, but didn't. Instead, she used that as her opportunity to fill at least one of her parents in on her new life. She told him about her friendship with Emily and how they're both heading off to the same college after they graduate, about the increase in love she found with her cousins, the bonfire (which he was less than enthused to hear about), and the meeting of Raffo. She didn't tell him who he was to her; just that he encouraged her to join a writing contest that she ended up winning money from to carry on into her next program.

"He sounds like a remarkable young man," he commended. "Congrats on the money baby!"

Ruth bit her tongue. He really is. "Thank you, dad."

"I don't want to keep you forever since you have your uncle's party to go to."

"A party I don't even want," she mumbled.

Koi chuckled. "I know. But hey, your uncle loves you and wants to celebrate your accomplishments. Just go there for a few hours, eat some tacos, and mingle with some family."

Ruth sighed, but said a quick, "Okay."

"That's my girl. Love you, honey-bee."'

"Love you too, dad. Talk to you soon."

After ending the much needed phone call, Ruth decided it was time to get going. She couldn't put it off any longer, and knew they were all waiting for her. So, after putting on a little more make-up and volumizing her curls with a pick, she set out to try and enjoy her afternoon. She wished she could have invited one person in particular, but she couldn't and decided she would be just fine with her family.

*****

The house was rowdier than it should have been with the children and aunties or uncles filing in and out the house, taking refuge in the backyard, sitting on the front porch, or laughing around the room. It was so lively and worked to distract Ruth for a little while as she helped watch her little cousins or received one too many congratulation kisses on the cheek.