Rekindled Love

Ruby's Wish

I woke up and felt like something was off. I can't quite place my finger on it so I decide to climb out of bed and take a shower.

When I make my way down the stairs I find Albert having a staring contest with his bowl of cereal. "What's the matter, fils?" I ask, my tone sounding cheerful. Ruby returned home.

"What the hell do you think?" He sneers, quickly changing my mood. "Why the hell are you even so cheerful that the girls are gone? As if that's what you wanted all along, huh."

What is he talking about? The girls returned last night. "Fils, they came back last night. Remember? Evangeline was here and told me where they were staying and I went to get Ruby back and she agreed on returning to the house."

Albert bursts out in laughter. "Wow, I see alcohol makes you hallucinate beyond what you already do."

"What?"

"They didn't come back." He snarls. "Evangeline was here but once she saw you and you tried to get her to tell you where they were, she decided to leave. After that you got completely drunk and called in sick to work so you could go to a fucking bar and return home like a moron! You didn't go to Ruby to bring her back and Evangeline never told you where they are! You dreamt it all!"

"I did not!" I shout back. "They are here! They're up in their bedrooms asleep!"

"No they're not! Fuck!" He blurts, "If I would've known that you were only going to get  yourself drunk and not to shit then I would've went with the girls!" He shoves passed me and storms up to his bedroom.

I run to Ruby's bedroom and see it empty. It can't be true. I couldn't have hallucinated it all. She forgave me! She did.. she came back.. how.. how could it not be true?

Just then reality hits me. Everything comes rushing back and I remember how angry Evangeline was when she left. She told me she wasn't going to tell me where her mother was no matter how much I begged.

I remember going to the liquor cabinet and drowning myself in alcohol just like Albert had said. I also remember driving myself to the bar and drinking until I couldn't anymore.

I'm such an idiot.

No wonder the whole thing seemed so damn easy. I should've known.

I grab an apple off the counter and take a bite out of it as I head out to work. "You need to really stop acting like such a child, Jourdan." My boss says. "Isn't this the second time you fuck up with this woman? I've heard of second chances but I rarely hear about third ones."

"I know that already." I deadpan. I wouldn't have told my boss anything but he knows me better and he can tell I won't work properly if my mind is crammed with bullshit that I have to worry about.

"All I can really tell you now is, you better hope this woman doesn't find another man soon because if she does and she likes the way he treats her, then you'll never get her back." He says.

"I know already but I don't know how." I frown. "I already serenaded her and I know it won't work again, I took her to her dream trip and I know that won't work again. I don't know what else to do. I can't buy her material items because she isn't that type of woman. She's the type of woman who loves actions and words rather than money and objects."

I look up and see my boss smiling. "Keep thinking about what you just said. I know there's a way to combine them somehow that will surely get her to come back. Now, get back to work."

I let that sink in for a few minutes until I decide it's useless and continue to work.

Once my shift is up, I drive back home and make sure Albert has ate. "Ruby came by to drop off some food for me." He hisses.