Page 57 of Rue

Sailor held her mom's hand as Geo pushed her to the tableto sit on the other side of her. She refused to let go of her hand, still smiling as her mother looked over her face, also grinning. She couldn’t get over how much better she looked!

Her mom looked down at her hand and the ring with the giant diamond. “What’s this? It wasn’t a mistake? You really did…”

“No!”

“Yeah,” Geo spoke up over the top of her.

“When?!?” her mother asked, shocked as she moved to try to hug Sailor.

Sailor pulled back, looking at Geo in consternation. “We aren’t…”

“Le’s talk, Rue,” he spoke over her again, standing up and pulling her away from the table. Pausing just inside the hall to the bathrooms, he turned and looked down at her. “This gonna be somethin’, Rue? I’m’a need ta make you understand how things is?”

“I don't understand! Why…”

“What don't you understand? I said a thing is, so it fuckin’ is. Tha’s it. You need extra convincin’? I need ta take you back there and let them all hear you gettin’ a lesson?” he asked harshly.

“N-no,” she answered, cowering from him. “I won’t say anything… or disagree. But I still don't understand it,” she told him petulantly, unable to stay completely quiet about it.

“Long as you shut your fuckin’ mouth,” he growled, then pulled her back to the table. “Drink your wine.”

“I’m not old…”

“I fuckin’ said drink it, Rue,” he snarled, his patience gone.

Sailor drank it, but her temper flared as she slammed it all. The waiter immediately poured more, but she ignored it.

Her mother reached over and took her hand, squeezing it worriedly. Sailor gave her a tight smile, then her grandmother, who was looking at her fearfully.

“You been doin’ okay, Sailor Rue?” her grandmother asked, her voice pitched low. “You heart healing any at all?”

Sailor looked down quickly, tears welling up, then she gave her grandmother a fake smile and nodded quickly. “Yeah, I’m okay,” she lied. “School’s been keeping me busy! And now I have a lot of work to do, I’ll be great.”

Her grandmother frowned, knowing she was lying.

Her mother hugged her close and kissed her temple. “I wish I knew how to help you, Baby Girl.”

“I’ll be fine,” she promised softly, trying not to break down, her heart aching with all the commiseration. “I’ll be coming in to see you both soon! Okay?” she tried to smile again as she wiped away tears.

The waiter came to take their order, but Geo ordered for her, not even letting her look at the menu. She didn’t care as she kept her face down, crying on her mother's shoulder.

Davon’s mother leaned across the table. “Are you alright, sweetheart? I remember being sad when I graduated, too, thinking I would never see anyone again! But with Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, it’s like I still see everyone every day! Even the ones I was never friends with in school!” she laughed. “And Davey tells us you and him are close? And you get to work together too? What do you do for Mr Ruiz’s company? Davey says he’s in security now, he just moved up from deliveries?”

Sailor looked up at his mom and tried to smile, she was being so sweet. “I’m… umm... In IT I guess. Computers.”

“Oh, that makes sense! Davey said you were the smartest girl he knew! It makes sense you would be good with computers and stuff! Pardon me saying so, but you don't look like the usual computer geek type?”

“Uhhh… thanks? I guess. I’ve always been into computers.”

“Davey says you helped him get through Algebra too, and a few other courses? You tutored him? You must be incredibly smart!”

“Tutored? Umm, yeah. I helped him a bit… umm…”

“Mom, let up some, she’s shy,” Davon whispered.

“Oh… well, sweetheart, let me just say that you’re adorable! You don't need to be shy at all! So are you sad about leaving school behind you now? Is that what’s wrong?”

Sailor glanced at Davon, blushing, and he watched her with a pain-filled expression. Knowing her temper, he didn’t want her to snark at his mom for being nosy.

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