Fall into the Break

Chapter Six

Ruby's car smelled like roses, coffee and stale fast food, and Chase had to move a book of modern fairytales out of his way before he sat down.

They kept quiet for the entire drive back to Chase's house. The roads were dark. The sky was darker.

Eventually, Ruby turned down the long gravel driveway. She put the car in park and shut off the engine. She turned to look at the man now slumped in her passenger seat. Ruby reached over and placed a hand on his arm.

Chase startled awake at her touch. He wiped the drool that had escaped his lips during slumber and looked at her.

The expression on her striking face was hard for him to read, but he got the gist. He'd seen that look on his sister's face many times before. Disapproval. She parted her lips and looked as if she might say something, but nothing came out.

He felt Ruby's gaze as she studied him. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the headrest. The thing he'd dreaded so many times was happening.

She was pulling away. He could sense it. She was now seeing him and all his flaws for what they were: too much to handle. He felt himself slipping once more into the whiskey blackout.

"Do you want me to stay?"

Chase opened his eyes. Her question slowly wrapped itself around his brain. It washed around him like a flood.

He searched her face for any sign of insincerity - any sign she felt obligated to keep him safe. She was a terrifying ledge. She was the deep unknown and he stood on her precipice. She was unreadable.

He decided to jump.

"Yeah. I do."

Things moved quickly, then. Ruby was at his door in a matter of seconds. She opened it and helped him out of the car.

They had almost reached the porch when Chase suddenly fell to his knees. He crawled to a nearby bush and vomited. Ruby stood back and waited till he was finished.

Chase began apologizing as Ruby helped him to his feet and led him into the house.

"Where's the bathroom?" She asked. He looked up and sloppily pointed down the hallway.

They trundled through the living room. Darkness plastered the walls. Their only light was the moon. It shone through the curtains and blanketed the carpet around them. The air was cold and empty, and it reminded Chase of his first night there.

Ruby sat him on the the toilet seat and found a washcloth in one of the bathroom drawers. She moistened it and wiped his face, making sure all remnants of puke were cleaned up.

As she worked, he talked. He talked about Gran and their last days in the house. He told her about the time he fell out of a tree in the front yard and busted his eyebrow open. He pointed to the scar.

"...never seen Gran so scared," Chase said with a goofy smile.

He talked about the nursing home and the medical expenses and the heartache.

Ruby finally got him into bed and left the room. She brought back a small garbage can a few moments later. "If you need to throw-up again, aim for this. Okay?"

Chase was silent.

"Chase?" Ruby prodded.

He opened his eyes and looked at the bin by the side of his bed. He shut his eyes again. Ruby sat down on the bed next to him. He could feel her weight and warmth sinking into the mattress and before he could stop himself, he fell asleep.

***

The next morning Chase awoke to the smell of bacon. The pounding in his head almost kept him down, but as soon as he remembered, Ruby he shot up.

He thought he'd only dreamt her -- thought her doe-eyed gaze and calming presence were from a distant, beautiful reverie. But as he scanned his room and saw her work shoes laying next to his, he realized she really had been there. He struggled to sit up.

After putting on a different shirt, he ventured into the sun-drenched house. Ruby stood in the kitchen. She was putting some eggs onto a plate and looked up at him.

"Good morning," she said in a normal voice. Nothing bitter about it. Nothing disapproving. It was as if she did this every morning. She carried herself so naturally.

She set two plates filled with eggs and bacon on the table. She ran back into the kitchen and came back a short time later with a cold Red Bull from the fridge. She placed it on a coaster in front of Chase, and then sat down. Chase followed suit, smiling at the thoughtful touch.

"Thanks for the ride home," Chase started. "I shouldn't have gotten so wasted." He picked up a slice of bacon.

The familiar gut-knotting guilt returned. He glanced at the couch in the living room and on it he saw several folded blankets and a pillow. How resourceful, he thought.

"We've all been there," Ruby replied matter-of-factly.

Chase smiled to himself again. Still, he was embarrassed. He wanted to tell her just how serious his drinking had become, but he was afraid, and she looked so beautiful. His nerves tingled.

Ruby was dressed in her work uniform, which was neither fancy, nor titillating.

Despite its lack of intrigue, Chase thought it brought out her best features. Her body was average, but the lipstick-red polo hinted at a defined waist and brought out her eyes. The blue jeans she wore gave her a comforting and casual approachability. Her thick, dark hair was tied back in a low bun. A few strands were loose and framed her delicately made-up face. In the morning light her golden-brown skin glowed and Chase found it hard not to stare.

"Thanks for breakfast," Chase said after scrambling to find something to say.

He suddenly felt like he had the night when they lingered in the parking lot. "I'm sorry I made an ass out of myself last night." Tell her.

Ruby looked at him. Her face was serious. "Chase, I want you to listen to me."

Chase stiffened.

"I'd rather have you alive and an ass than dead and a saint." She reached her hand over and placed it on top of his. "You mean a lot to me."

Chase's blood ran cold.

Just then her phone alarm went off. Its harsh chiming ripped through whatever moment they were about to share. She leapt up from the table and ran into the kitchen to silence the squawking.

"Sorry, I gotta run," she said. "Working a double today."

She walked back into Chase's room to grab her shoes. "Come see me later. I'll save a slice of peach pie for ya." She blew him a playfully dramatic kiss when she reached the front door, and then slammed it behind her.

Chase sat in her wake. When she left, she took the light with her, and while the house still radiated with the morning sun, it was no longer vibrant. Alone in the silence once again, Chase made up his mind. He didn't know much, but he was sure of one thing: Tonight, he was going to kiss her.

~Thanks for keeping up with my story! I hope you liked this chapter.~