Page 67 of Theirs to Take

“I’ll try to do better next time,” Ruby said. This phone call wasn’t going the way that she planned. She hoped to start things off lite and cheery, but that wasn’t the way things are going. Now, she was going to have to blurt out that she was on the run with some guy that her parents had never met.

“I’m glad you called me. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about your father. I’m so sick of the way that he talks to me. He yells at me like I’m a child and then when he’s really pissed, he throws a tantrum as if he’s one. I just can’t take any more of it. I’m so done. I’ve thought about leaving him, but I worry that if I do, my life won’t be the same and I like my life. I like having everything that I have, and I like stability. What should I do?” her mother admitted.

“Wow,” Ruby breathed. “That’s a lot, Mom. I really didn’t know that things were that bad with Dad. I know that he has a temper and can yell, but I never thought that you were that upset. You just seemed to roll with everything.”

“Well, when you were little, I really didn’t know how unhappy I was. I mean, I had you and you kept me pretty busy, even as an only child. But then, you went away to college and moved out, and it was just the two of us. I guess I stopped looking past his bad behavior and stopped just accepting it. His yelling has gotten worse and if I ever confronted him, well, I just don’t know what he’d do.”

Ruby’s gasp filled the phone, “Do you think that he’d hurt you?”

“No,” her mother sighed. “He’d never physically hurt me, but his verbal abuse is getting to be too much.”

“What about counseling?” Ruby asked. “Couples counseling might help him to see how angry he’s become.”

“Maybe,” her mother said.

“You know, Mom, any good therapist will point out both your and Dad’s flaws,” Ruby challenged.

“My flaws?” her mother asked. “What flaw would a therapist point out about me?” Ruby thought better about simply listing her mother’s shortcomings. That never ended well for her. Of course, a good therapist would point out that her mother was a bit overbearing and pushy. She was also demanding and a downright busy body if given the chance. Maybe her father had a reason to be so grumpy, not that it would make that okay for him to yell at her mom or anyone else.

“Never mind,” Ruby said. “Listen, I called to let you know that I’m going to be away from home for a bit. I’ve taken some time off work and I’m doing some traveling.”

“But you just started your job,” her mother countered. “How did you have time off already?” she asked. She couldn’t tell hermother that her boss is friends with the new man in her life and insisted that she take off until they could figure out who was after Luke.

“Yes, I had some time already,” Ruby lied. “Alex is a wonderful boss and is good to give me some time off.”

“Are you all right, Ruby?” her mother asked. “Should I be worried about you?”

“Not at all, Mom,” Ruby said. “I’m fine. Listen, I just wanted to let you know not to worry about me. I’m fine. I’ll call again soon,” she said, ending the call with her mom before she could protest. Ruby had given up on the idea of telling her mom about Luke. It wasn’t the time—maybe it never would be, but she could hope that someday, she’d be able to share her news—maybe.

Luke

Months were passing far more quickly than Luke would have liked. He was grateful to Ranger for holding down the fort, but they were still no closer to finding out who was following him. His friend took a job at McTavish as the acting head of security until he could get back, and Luke knew that he’d never be able to pay his friend back for doing that. Ranger was more than qualified to handle the job, but he didn’t hesitate to agree to take the position. Luke just hoped that once he was back at the office, Ranger would agree to stay on. He liked the idea of working with his friend again full-time.

Ranger had also stuck around Ruby’s apartment, to help keep an eye on things there. Luke knew that he was also keeping an eye on Millie, but every time he brought the subject up, Ranger had a mini tantrum. He wondered what that was all about, but honestly, Luke was too tired to push him for answers.

He was worried about Ruby and that worry had kept him up most nights. She was sick with some kind of stomach bug and wouldn’t let him take her to town to see the doctor. She said that she’d be fine in time and that there was no need for himto worry, but he just couldn’t help it. He’d fallen for her in the four months that they had been stuck together in the middle of nowhere. Luke loved that he got to spend every minute with her, but he worried that Ruby would come to resent him for keeping her from her life. He worried that sooner or later, she’d get sick of spending every second of her day with him and tell him that she’d had enough, but she hadn’t done that yet. Still, she was grumpier than usual and taking it out on him, which seemed about right since he was her only option.

She walked into the kitchen; her hair pulled back in a messy bun like she wore it every morning after puking her guts out in the bathroom. “You were sick again, weren’t you?” Luke asked, already knowing the answer. Poor Ruby still looked a bit green, and he couldn’t help but worry about her.

“No,” she lied. Ruby had a tell when she wasn’t being completely truthful with him—she’d raise her chin and press her lips together as if daring him to call her a liar.

“Liar,” he said, accepting her challenge.

“Fine, I got sick, but I’m feeling better,” she said. “In fact, I’d love some tea and toast.” That was her go-to breakfast after getting sick every morning and he made it for her every morning while she sat at the kitchen table, trying to recover.

“Ruby,” he breathed. “This has been going on for far too long now. You need to see a doctor.” She had been getting sick every day now for close to a month.

“I think that you might be right, Luke,” she agreed. His jaw almost hit the floor. She’d never agreed with him before. He had all but begged her for weeks now to see a doctor and each time, she assured him that she was going to be just fine.

“Wait—what?” he asked. “Did you just agree with me about seeing a doctor?”

“I did,” she said. “I think that it’s time that I saw someone.”

“Great—I’ll make you some tea and toast and then, we can get dressed and head into town to the clinic. We’ll have to use fake names, but I think that if we pay in cash, they really won’t care what our names are.”

Ruby nodded and sunk into one of the chairs around the kitchen table. “Do you think that they will have OBGYNs on staff at the clinic?” she asked.

“A what?” he asked.

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