Page 37 of Falling

I scrunch my face together and whisper, “Sorry.”

He shakes his head slightly and points at the phone.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Who is that?” Junior yells on the other end.

I nod to Callum and back into my room, shutting the door. Embarrassed, I slump down at the foot of the bed and try to get control of my emotions.

“Dammit, answer me, Ruby. Are you cheating on me?” Junior says.

I start laughing and it sets Junior off more. He yells and carries on and when I finally stop laughing, I hold the phone out until he finishes.

“Are you done?” I finally say.

“Is that why you left? You had a boyfriend on the side? Dammit, Ruby. Whatever game you’re playing, it’s time to come home,” he says.

“You have a lot of nerve,” I seethe. “I don’t have a home to come back to.” I’m surprised I’m able to say that as calmly as I do, because saying it out loud makes me want to cry. “And you’re crazy if you think you have a chance with me ever again. You ruined any hope of that when you bashed me to your friends on our wedding day…and you solidified it even more when you didn’t make sure my name was on the deed to the land you stole.”

“I thought we were getting married. Come home and we can work something out with the land,” he says.

“You think I trust your word at this point? What is this about, Junior? I don’t want anything to do with you. I heard how you really feel about me—I don’t know why you’re pretending you want anything to do with me.”

“That’s what I’m trying to say—I didn’t mean it. It’s just…it’s how guys talk to each other.”

“No, I don’t believe that.”

He lets out an exasperated sound. “Ruby! Quit being so fucking stubborn.” Another long huff of air and his voice issofter when he comes back on. “The emus are lost without you.”

I close my eyes and a tear rolls down my cheek. “They are? Who’s taking care of them?”

“I’m trying to hire a few people and it’s been a goddamned disaster. You know I’m not good at any of that.”

“Call my parents. They’ll help figure it out.”

“I’ve tried. They’re not taking my calls either. I think they’ve left town. I really need you, Ruby.”

I groan, looking up at the ceiling. “Call Kess and she’ll know how to reach them.”

“Ruby, it’s—”

“I’ve gotta go. Do me a favor, Junior.”

“Anything,” he says passionately.

“Lose my number.”

He’s saying something when I hang up on him.

And then I put my head in my hands and cry.

Not for Junior.

For the emus.

I try to call Kess myself, but she doesn’t answer, so I leave an impassioned voicemail for her asking her to please check on the emus and help Junior with them until he can find someone to take care of them.

Before I hang up, I add, “I don’t know what to do, Kess. I can’t afford the land it would take to keep them, at least not right now, and I can’t deal with Junior. My parents created this mess and need to figure it out, so if there’s any way you can track them down, I will owe you forever.”

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