My Little Ruby

Chapter Five

Today, Ruby's dad is coming to see her and my mother is freaking out about making our house look nice.

"Sapphire! Come here! I need to wipe down the table!" She yells at me from the kitchen.

"Mom, I'm trying to get dressed!" I scream back. "Well hurry up!"

I pull my shirt over my head and open my door. I start down the short hall but Ruby stops me.

"Why are you still in your pjs pants?" She asks from the windowsill. I look down and realize u forgot to change my pants.

I groan. "I was in a hurry. I'll have to change later." I say and hurry around her.

"Why are you yelling at your mom?" She asks as she turns back to face the window. "We don't get along very well." I say as I enter the kitchen.

"Oh. Why not?" I grab a rag and wet it. "I don't know. We just don't." I say as I slap the rag on the table to wipe it down.

     She continues to stare out the window while I finish wiping it down and then I go change my pants.

     When I come out of my room, my mother see me. "Go change. You need to look presentable." She says motioning to my sweatpants.

     I groan but don't argue. I change into my best jeans and into a nicer shirt. When I come back out, Ruby is still in the same spot.

     "When is daddy going to get here?" She asks not even moving. It's been a week since she got here and she hasn't seen him since.

     "I don't know. Soon though." I say joining her. Then my mother calls me. "Sapphire," she says in a cautious voice. "come here a moment." I know that when she has a voice like that, something bad has happened so I don't question her I just leave Ruby and walk slowly to get room.

     "He's not coming." She says when I arrive in the doorway. "What do you mean?" I ask. She shakes her head. "Ruby's father can't make it. The traffics is bad and he has to go to a meeting. He can't make it here in time and to the meeting. He's not coming." Sh explains.

     I shake my head. "That's all she's been talking about though. He has to come. She'll be heart broken." I say.  "There is nothing we can do. He can't come."

     I have to tell her. She'll be devastated. I walk out slowly and back to Ruby.

     "Hey, Ruby." I say. She doesn't look away from the window. "Hey." She replies. I walk up to her and stare out the window with her. "Do you when he's coming now?" She asks. I don't know what to say. I can't tell her her dad isn't coming to see her. He's her only family and she can't see him.

      "He's coming later." I say before I can stop myself. "You'll be waiting a long time time if you stay here."

     "It doesn't matter. I'll wait here until he gets here." She says confidentiality. I realize what a big mistake I've made and I don't know how to fix. I can't just come out and say he's not come now.

     "I need a lunch break." I mumble to myself. Then I come up with an idea. I know how I can get him to see her.

     "Mom!" I yell as I start towards her room. "What?" She asks. "I know how we can get Ruby to see her dad." I say. She shakes her head. "No, Sapphire. It's not going to happen."

     "No, but he needs a lunch break right? And he's not just going to leave right away." I say. "I'm sure that if he had time, he would come and see her but he doesn't." My mother argues.

     "He's has to be here for some amount of time to see her right?" I almost beg. "Sapphire, if there was some way that he could see her, he would take it. But he is a busy man. It just can't happen."

     I grab my head. "No. I promised her." I whisper. "I'm sorry, Sapphire. I know how much you care about her."

I walk back out and sit with Ruby in silence. I want to tell her the truth but I can't bring myself to do it. The worst part is, she never asks again when he is going to get here. She doesn't go to lunch or dinner. I force some food into her at lunch, but by dinner, she swears that he'll show up for dinner.

I hope for a miracle. That maybe, he'll show up last minute. But of course, he doesn't. By nearly nine, she is still sitting there and I can't hold back any longer.

"Ruby, I'm so sorry, but he's not coming. He said earlier that's he's not coming." I tell her. She shakes her head. "No. He'll come." But her voice is shaky.

"Ruby, it's time for bed." I say. She ignores me. "Ruby." I say again. "Come on." I try to grab her but she moves over, avoiding my hand.

"Ruby, come on." I say. "No. I know he's still coming." She says. I give up and go lay down on the couch.

It's until pay two in the morning that she falls asleep. I carry her to her mattress and lay her down. I change out of my clothes and get in my pajamas.

I climb into bed and pull the covers up to my chin. I can't sleep. I toss and turn for what feels like forever. When sleep finally seems to be coming, I hear something. I can't tell what it is at first, but when I figure it out, tears fill my eyes.

I feel so bad and I don't sleep for the rest of the night. That noise shouldn't be legal. It shouldn't exist. But I heard it. I heard the sobs of a five year old.