Chapter 12
Ruby Hebert can't remember spending such an uncomfortable night in all her years. Despite struggling with insomnia for several days that threatens to drive her crazy, what happened at the bar yesterday has set her brain on a creative path, sending her images of her current miserable existence.
When she finished at the Early Bayou, she turned down Ellie's offer to grab a drink together because, according to her friend, now that they're both single, they have more time to spend alone together.
No thanks, Ruby didn't want to spend another minute looking at that fitted dress Ellie wore for stupid Tim.
She went home, cleaned thoroughly, changed sheets and towels, and did two loads of laundry.
She wasn't hungry, so she skipped dinner.
She tried watching a series, but she used to watch it with Amelia, and the thorny knot in her throat returned with force.
She went to her bedroom and picked up a novel she bought months ago that, although she likes it a lot, she hasn't managed to finish.
When she realized she couldn't read a whole paragraph without feeling bitter, she decided to put it aside and try to fall asleep, and that's how she ended up having the worst night in a long time.
She estimates she slept, at most, a couple of hours.
When she gets out of bed and looks in the bathroom mirror, her reflection shows a terrible image.
She's swollen like a toad, has the deepest dark circles, and a bump under her lip, right in the right corner.
It looks like a pimple or an insect bite, she doesn't know, but it makes her look even more disheveled than she already is.
Ruby feels rage coursing through her body like a whiplash across her back.
She feels disappointed and, if she were selfish, she'd blame Ellie.
The reality is that all these negative feelings are directed at herself, because her best friend has never shown any sign of wanting to cross that friendship barrier, and yet Ruby not only remained foolishly in love, but allowed herself to get her hopes up just because Ellie separated from her husband.
"You're such an idiot, Ruby Hebert," she tells herself with a touch of pain while shaking her head.
After getting ready, she heads to the bar.
She has to work and, despite not wanting to see Ellie, she prefers to be there than within the four walls of her house.
When she parks near the place, her phone starts vibrating in the pocket of her cargo pants, and when Ruby reads the name on the screen, her breath catches. Amelia.
"Hello," she answers the phone with a choked voice.
"Ruby, how are you?" Amelia asks cordially.
The voice hits her in the chest, and she thinks about how hard breakups are.
She, who loved her ex-girlfriend deeply, separated because neither her heart beat for her nor did the relationship progress, and still, it hurts to think about Amelia.
She can't even imagine the suffering of those who end relationships while still in love.
"Good, good. How about you?" Ruby's voice trembles, and she struggles to know what to say.
"Heading to work," the girl responds. "Am I catching you at a bad time?"
"No, not at all, I just parked to go to the Early."
Amelia stays silent for a second, and Ruby fears the worst. She doesn't know if she'll ask for a date, another chance, or something else.
"Sorry, Ruby, I was just opening my locker, and you know if I don't concentrate, I mess up the numbers," she says with a playful voice. "I was calling to ask if I can stop by your place today to pick up my things; I'm starting to need what I left there."
Ruby's chest sounds like a mallet hitting glass. She feels stupid for thinking Amelia's call had hidden intentions, or maybe it's the hypocritical disappointment of feeling that her ex-girlfriend doesn't seem to have the slightest interest in getting back together.
"Uh, yeah, sure," Ruby says and decides to get out of the car for some fresh air. "When you get off work, you can come by. I'll be home at four."
They say goodbye, and Ruby crosses the street without looking. Fortunately, no cars are passing; the last thing she needs is to get hit by a bus too.
When she walks through the doors of the bar, her pain increases when she sees her best friend sitting on one of the high stools, smiling at her phone while typing non-stop. It's clear that having fun—as she said yesterday—is something she intends to accomplish no matter what.
"Are you okay, Ruby?"
How many times has she heard that same question this week? She's sick of it.
"Yes," Ruby answers with a single syllable.
"You don't look it," Ellie jumps off the stool. "You look awful."
"I had a bad night," she says while passing by without giving her the usual kiss. "And Amelia just called to tell me she's coming to pick up her things from my place this afternoon."
Ellie approaches and hugs her, as always, and Ruby, instead of feeling comfort, feels annoyance because Ellie and her hugs have always conveyed something she doesn't perceive as friendly affection, but as something more.
Yet in light of recent events, it's obvious she has no psychic powers; the only power she has is stupidity.
"Everything will get better, you'll see."
Ruby nods and turns to enter the office they both share when a noise behind her catches her attention.
"Good morning, ladies," greets a tall, overweight man with long hair reaching the middle of his back.
"Chris, how's it going?" Ellie asks casually and extends her hand to shake his.
"Starving," the guy answers with a grimace. "The doc told me if I don't start watching what I eat, I'll die soon. Can you believe it? I'm divine."
The man makes an awkward twirl with his arms outstretched, and Ruby smiles for the first time in many hours.
Chris Fox is the youngest son of the owner of the building where both partners have The Early Bayou.
They've had little contact with the older man, and it's always been Chris they've dealt with.
"I don't want to take up much of your time," the man says, changing his expression to a more serious one.
"I'll be direct: my father is selling the building.
You have priority to buy, as you know, but if you're not interested, when the contract ends, you'll have to vacate the premises.
The lawyer will send the documents with the sale price to your email. "
The news hits them like a bomb. They have just over six months of rental before the contract expires, and finding a place that fits what they're looking for is quite complicated.
"I'm sorry about the news, but my father is very old and wants to put everything in order," Chris explains. "My siblings aren't interested in keeping the property, so he's going to sell it to distribute the inheritance while he's still alive."
The two women are so thrown off that they don't say a word. They just nod, and Chris understands. It's not an eviction, but it might as well be; relocating a business that works well is like signing its death warrant.
"Thanks, Chris, we'll let you know something soon," Ellie is the one who breaks the silence.
Chris waves goodbye and leaves the place with heavy steps. Ruby remains standing in the same spot as if she's been nailed to the wood. The day couldn't get worse for her; she'd love to crawl into bed and sleep for weeks until all this bad weather passes.
"Let's go to the office," Ellie places her hand on Ruby's lower back, just like stupid Tim did yesterday afternoon.
Ruby moves like a robot and sits in a chair near the desk. Ellie sits across from her and takes a deep breath before opening the laptop to access the bar's bank account.
"Unless Mr. Fox sells us the place for sixty-two thousand three hundred dollars," she pauses dramatically, "we can't buy it."
Ruby pinches the bridge of her nose and rests her elbows on her thighs to cover her face with her hands. The guru enters her head, and she takes another deep breath through her nose and exhales in a controlled manner through her mouth.
"That's not even the biggest problem," the girl speaks up for the first time. "The worst part is that we already have two loans, and the bank won't approve a third."
Ellie bites her lips as she remembers how much they owe.
When they opened the bar so many years ago, the place needed a good facelift.
They agreed on a decent rental price with the owner, and they took out the first bank loan to tear down two walls, paint, and buy furniture.
The second loan came four years later; the Early Bayou's kitchen was so small that only two people could fit, and with the success they were having, they wanted to enlarge it to expand their menu.
"Well, we have some time to think about what to do," Ellie says positively. "Let's wait for the document with the price to arrive and we'll figure it out."
Ruby raises both eyebrows, incredulous. Her neck has started turning red.
"The place is perfect, and the location is ideal. He's going to sell it for a good price, and we can't afford it. Period," Ruby answers rudely. "If you hadn't insisted on changing the damn kitchen, we could now ask for a loan to buy it."
Ellie frowns. The person speaking isn't Ruby, not her Ruby, the sweet girl who can be in a foul mood with the whole world except with her.
Besides, it's true that the idea to enlarge the kitchen was Ellie's, but Ruby agreed and was more than happy with the result.
She liked it so much that she spent days in there organizing everything before shifts.
That's why she doesn't understand her partner and friend's disdainful comment.
"Rub," she calls her affectionately, "if it hadn't been the kitchen, it surely would have been something else. The Early has been growing, and we've been adapting it."