The Charming Redhead Lady

chapter 35

It was early in the morning, and in his hands he held a basket of flowers in a beautiful arrangement, consisting of roses and lilies. He entered Ruby's room and paused on the doorway. 
Ruby was sleeping peacefully. Her hair was fanning the white pillow as though she had a fitful sleep, her covers below her chest. He made his way to the chair beside her and sat down, taking her hand onto his. It felt so different, so surreal. Even though some colour had returned to her cheeks and skin, it still felt different holding her when she was confined on the bed. The usually alive and charming girl was now so silent that it felt unreal. He slowly made slow circles on her skin, cherishing its softness. "It does not feel right for you to be here my love. Wake up, please. I wish to see that beautiful face of yours smiling at me, I even miss seeing your face when you get angry. You make everyone around you feel alive and happy, you glow in the dark like a rare diamond, or rather, a rare ruby. You deserve to walk carefree like your spirit. Wake up please, for the sake of your family who loves you so much. Wake up for me too." He was whispering to her, his lips on her hand.

Unbeknownst to him, Jenny, who had chosen to spend the night at the hospital, was watching him with fascination. She saw how he truly loved her sister, but they both had yet to realize it. She quietly slipped outside to give him some more privacy.

After watching Ruby's chest move up and down with respiration for sometime, he decided to leave. He tucked her in the covers to her neck, then kissed her cheek before he left. He had something to do. Even if Ruby did not return his feelings, he still has to show her how much he cared and loved her through actions.

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"Darry, thank you for meeting me." "My pleasure Dauph. It's an honor for me." Dauph and Darry shook hands, before sitting down. A waitress brought them some refreshments before leaving them. "So, what do you think about the pictures I sent you?"Dauph asked. "So far, they are outstanding, but I need to see them in person and the artist." "The artist is indisposed at the moment, but soon I will bring her to see you with her drawings." Darry raised a brow. "The drawer is a girl?" "Yes. So are you sure she could make it to this year's exhibition?" Darry nodded. "You applied late my friend, but for you, i will make some calls, pull some strings. But we need the drawings as soon as the next fortnight. The exhibition will be next month. They need to be assessed and analyzed by the judges before then and prepared for the show." Dauph nodded, signalling his understanding. After they finished the talk, they both stood up and shook hands again to leave.

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Three days had passed since her hospitalization and Ruby was more than ready to return to her place. She hated being confined on bed and being fussed over. Like right now, her sister was playing a nurse, and a nanny, feeding her too. It was ridiculous! "Jenny, I'm a fully grown adult woman! I can feed myself you know." She threw her sister a reproachful look. Jenny, who had been holding a spoon of soup for her to take, pretended not to care. "I know you are. Now take this soup before it gets cold." Ruby wanted to refuse. She knew that anything she said will not be taken into consideration. But she didn't want to hurt her sister's feelings; she had indeed cooked this delicious soup, so she decided to grudgingly enjoy the meal.

After she had been fed, she rose the argument again. "Sis, I want to go back home. I'm already tired of this place." Jenny rose a brow. "You know you have to recover, right?" Ruby rolled her eyes. "I'm already well Jenny. How much more do you want me to be?" "Ruby, you were poisoned! We don't know how much damage the poison had done in your body." Ruby huffed. "The doctor said the poison I had absorbed was little, and the type of poison itself I had to take a lot of it for me to be in a life-threatening situation. So why are you guys keeping me here longer than usual?" Jenny knew she could not win with her, Ruby was known to always get her way when she wanted something. And she was going to get her way.

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Less than twenty four hours she got her way. After using her charm on the doctor, she had him discharge her, on the condition that she goes for check-up every week for the next three weeks, and she runs to the hospital immediately when she feels ill. Well, she could live with the conditions. She dismissed Jenny from helping her get to her place, as the latter would insist that Ruby stay at her place. Instead it was Sheena who fetched her from hospital.

She felt a familiar sense of peace when she arrived at her place. Everything was how it was, if more cleaner. Ruby guessed it was her sister's work. She confirmed her suspicion when she entered the kitchen and felt a delicious smelling food on the counter. Sheena came back from putting some of her stuff in her room. "Hey Ruby, how are you feeling?" Ruby rolled her eyes. It seemed her sister was rubbing off her over-protectiveness on everybody. "I'm fine Sheena. Now run along home, I know your mom needs you." Sheena was reluctant to leave Ruby alone but later agreed.
Ruby let out a huff of breath. She was on her sitting room, and in front of the voice mail recorder. She was frightened of what she might or might not find. After few musings, she decided to just play the damn recorder.

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Many of the voice mails were just well wishers, some friends who did not know what had happened to her and they were unable to reach her, and some from Sheena on the day she had been kidnapped. Nothing from Dauph. She bent her head. Perhaps he didn't know yet, no, but Jenny said he was there, and the basket of flowers with his sign on it was a good enough evidence. Maybe he was busy, she scolded herself. It was stupid that she wanted to monopolize his time. And they were not even dating anyway. She felt a headache blooming. She needed that much therapeutic sleep. Just as she was going to her room she heard a knock. It was not her sister or Sheena. Maybe just her friends. She opened the door, and felt her eyes widen.

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It was Dauph. "Hey." He greeted her, with a smile on his face. Ruby felt her throat go dry, unable to answer. She had not seen him for so long, it made her feel breathless. "Can I come in?" She had been so lost on her thoughts that she had almost forgotten that he was there. "Sure! Sure, come in." She moved away from the door to let him in, then closed it behind him. "I passed by at the hospital to see you and they told me that you were discharged already. How are you feeling?" Ruby felt touched by his caring; not that he lacked in that department. "I am great, I asked to be discharged early." He moved towards her, with less than a foot between them. Ruby took an intake of breath, smelling his cologne she had gotten so fond of. "You shouldn't have asked to leave, you have to recover you know,"he whispered huskily at her. Ruby swallowed nervously, words getting stuck on her throat. He was so close for her sanity, as now her hormones were going haywire.

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Dauph looked at her, looking beautiful as ever, almost as if she had not been unconscious three days ago. The distance he was standing from her made him able to see each lovely feature of hers, her tiny freckles on her nose, her forest green eyes, her red hair and the smell of her shampoo. All these were driving him crazy, and it took all of his control not to kiss her right there and then. As he thought of that, a picture came on his head, Ruby leaning on Derrick, Ruby holding his hand. He shook his head to clear the images. They made his blood boil, and sadness set on him; her heart belonged to another, even though she had sneaked and stole his heart when he least knew it. With that realization, he unconsciously stepped back and concealed his emotions.

The sudden change in Dauph made Ruby frown. The love and lust she had seen in his eyes had completely disappeared. His eyes were now emotionless and cool, his hands in his pocket. Ruby decided to break the awkwardness. "I nagged the doctor until he let me go. I always get what I want you know." To this Dauph let out a chuckle. "I bet you do." Silence covered them again, to which Ruby cleared her throat. "Would you like to sit down?"

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He was sitting on a couch facing her, his hands crossed by the fingers in front of him. "Um Ruby, there is something I have to tell you. But you have to promise me you won't get mad." His earlier charmingness had returned, his face showed awkwardness and he was slightly blushing. Ruby found it so cute, she nearly laughed at him. She caught herself timely before she did. "Just tell me, I won't get mad, I pinkie promise." She was holding up her right pinkie adorably, just like a kid. Dauph smiled, and proceeded to tell her what he had done.

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Anyone guess what Dauph is about to tell Ruby??