Chapter 45
Our phone calls grew more and more sporadic.
I would hear what she was up to through Mom, and she had a few theatre acting jobs here and there for which she got good reviews.
Then, in later years, I saw Jack on TV. He was more handsome and rugged than I remembered.
And even though he was just ten years younger than Vince, he looked a different generation.
My husband wore pressed shirts and suits to work.
He had a small paunch which he managed to keep small through a very strict diet.
Vince’s casual clothing was an open-necked shirt and a sweater over some chinos.
Jack wore designer jeans and T-shirts or hoodies with leather jackets.
He clearly spent time in the gym. I don’t know why I was comparing my husband to Ruby’s.
I was not exactly the svelte young thing I had been either.
I’d let myself go a little. A few extra pounds and some grey hair that I didn’t bother to hide.
Jack appeared in several films and we went to see him in the movie theatre.
I read interviews with him, where he often mentioned Ruby as his inspiration.
He always referred to Lucy as his daughter too.
Who knows what the truth was? Vince and his sons were star-struck that my sister was married to a movie star.
But she never invited us to meet him. I wished her well but had to accept that she didn’t want me in her life any more.
Eventually, I gave up the pretence and stopped the birthday and Christmas cards that were never reciprocated.
Somehow, Margie got hold of my new cellphone number and the texts started again.
He could have been a doctor by now if it wasn’t for your bitch sister.
The tone of these communications was always erratic, from disgusting comments to professional sabotage, from threats of church arson to apology, back to sexual harassment and then hostile regret.
Margie was clearly unhinged. I had a constant fear of what the next one would say or threaten, and yet sometimes months went by when there were none.
I was forever on my guard. It was exhausting.