Chapter 77 Ruby
Ruby
At forty-two, I was young enough to start over somewhere else, and a town five hours from Perth, Australia, seemed like the ideal place.
I checked the visa criteria; I applied for a holiday visa online.
The website said it would take forty-eight hours to process, but on a lot of chat forums about holidays, it said that you could get it in a matter of hours.
It entitled me to ninety days there. I was sure Uncle Dennis would be pleased to see me, particularly if I was sober.
I had run the Academy often single-handedly and admin was admin wherever you went.
Surely a mining company had databases and payroll like every other company.
He would give me some kind of job and sponsor my work visa.
Later, I could investigate citizenship. I could marry a local if necessary.
I was leaving Lucy behind, but she would be better off without me.
I was a terrible mother. She deserved better.
Jack would be a better parent on his own.
I loved Jack too. It had been clear to me from when she was about fourteen years old that he loved Lucy more than me.
I had wanted to hurt her for taking Jack away from me.
I was physically and emotionally exhausted.
I changed into my nightwear and got into bed.
‘Erin knows. She called me, almost hysterical.’
I was confused and half asleep. ‘Sorry, what about Erin? What does she know? It’s the middle of the night, Mom.’
‘About you and Milo, how you framed him. She’s furious with me.’ Mom started to cry. ‘She said she’s never going to speak to me again.’
I was wide awake now. ‘You admitted it, you told her the truth?’
‘She knew. Milo worked it out first. Kathy is selling your dad’s house. Erin went to collect some furniture and discovered the hole in the wall.’
‘Milo knows too?’
‘He guessed that you must have seen them and used the tissue, and Erin found the hole behind the mirror. She hates me.’ Mom gasped for breath, in between gales of tears.
‘Oh my God, what is she going to do?’
‘I don’t know. They discovered it tonight. Ruby, what have you done to me?’
‘Me? What have you done? You confirmed it. You could have denied it. There’s no proof. This is your fault.’ I went on the attack.
‘Don’t you understand how hard this was for me? It destroyed my marriage. I have lived with this awful guilt for twenty-five years. You think it hasn’t taken its toll? I was protecting you. I prayed for that boy every night. I’m glad your father isn’t around to hear this.’
‘Mom, wait, stop, what is Erin going to do? Is Milo going to the cops? Who would believe him?’
‘I don’t know. She’s been trying to reach you –’
I hung up.