Page 27 of Homebound
She spilled out of OO’s office forgetting the need to conceal her lame gait and ambled somewhere without purpose. Away. That was her only direction.
Finding herself on the staircase, she dropped down to sit on the bottom stair. She needed this brief respite to analyze what she had just learned, and it wasn’t the fact that OO was a creep who abused his female employees.
Her own actions had come as a complete surprise. She had used her body as a bargaining chip. And the reason that had kept her in that uncomfortable chair with the disgusting man’s hands greedily playing with her flesh had a name: Simon.
And despite her disgust with herself, at the back of her mind, a tiny bell of pure joy was ringing up a storm.
She’d accomplished her mission.
Ruby accompanied Gemma to Simon’s cell to help put him in the wheelchair.
“Thanks, Ruby. It’s hard to get him in by myself. And Arlo already helped me before, so…”
Ruby leveled a glare at her. “So you feel like you owe him.”
“Well, he did help me.”
Ruby dismissed it. “What a bunch of crock. He’ll hold you to anything if you allow it. He says Bless you! when you sneeze - you’re forever in his debt. Don’t play his game.”
“You make it sound so… blunt.”
Ruby shook her head at her. “Here’s blunt for you. I don’t know how you’re handling it here at the prison. Ain’t cut out for this work.”
Gemma responded with a humorless chuckle. “It’s not like I have a lot of choices.”
“You’re young and pretty. Cultured. You need to find a man to marry. I can’t imagine it being hard for you to do. What are you wasting away here for? Waiting on a prince to come along? We’re short on them at the moment. Go, get yourself a real man to fuss over instead of playing dolls with them freaks.” Ruby pointed at the cot where Simon was vacantly inspecting the concrete wall imprinted by previous occupants with offensive words.
Gemma raised an eyebrow. “What about making your own way in the world?”
“Well, if you must. But this whole protecting and providing business is no joke. Remember, men are big and strong for a reason.”
“Sometimes men let you down.”
“Sometimes. So don’t let just any man snatch you. Be smart. Pick agoodone. You can still play your bit part and work or whatnot. But don’t try to make it alone. You ain’t strong enough.”
Ruby’s words stung. “You underestimate me, Ruby. Whatever I didn’t learn growing up, I am catching on fast. I’ll be alright.” Gemma wasn’t sure of anything, but fake it till you make it.
“I thought so too after my husband died. And I make do, I guess. But it’s hard. And some days, it’s truly awful.”
Ruby’s face crumbled, and tears leaked out and ran down her sunken cheeks.
“Oh, Ruby. What’s wrong?” Gemma enveloped the older woman into a tight hug, sensing that Ruby didn’t fall apart very often.
“It’s Cricket.”
“Cricket?”
“My daughter, Emmaline. Everyone calls her Cricket.”
“What’s wrong with Cricket?”
“She’s been sick. One of her attacks again, and a bad one. They always get worse in winter. I was so scared, like, she couldn't breathe!”
Gemma held her close, feeling the sobs that Ruby tried hard to suppress.
“Is that why you missed work yesterday?”
Ruby nodded. “There’s no one else, just she and I. I took care of her yesterday. She is still recovering at home, but I have to be here. We depend on this job. See, the docks fired Cricket. She couldn't work for three days, and they said no.”
