Page 96 of Under A Sicilian Sky
After listening to the entirety of the recorded phone conversation, Ruby had discovered that it was vengeance Shelby was seeking. She felt that if she ruined her grandmother’s business, she could win back her mother’s approval. It was twisted logic but seemed to make perfect sense to Shelby. She thought she could kill two birds with one stone; wheedle her way into the movie business via her grandmother’s connections and then take Valerie down. She had got the timings wrong, evidently, and didn’t actually have any acting talent. But she had become fixated on Ruby on seeing the relationship she had with Valerie and viewed her as competition. Ruby was therefore in the way and became collateral damage. Shelby ultimately wanted Ruby’s life. A life that Ruby had, ironically, decided she didn’t want. Shelby was clearly a troubled girl.
Following the press release about the truth of the hacking, Ruby had been hounded by magazines and TV shows begging for her story. She had rejected every single proposal but one. She agreed to one TV interview but insisted she would only talk to Veronica Lucas. It was highly unusual as Veronica, as a newspaper journalist, hadn’t worked in a TV studio before, but, of course, she jumped at the chance and was excellent, as it turned out.
During the interview, Veronica asked Ruby if she had anything to say to would-be hackers, or those thinking of trolling someone on the internet. Ruby didn’t have to think about her answer for too long. She looked directly into the camera. ‘After the pain of what I went through, it’s easy to see how these situations can escalate. How people can become unwell, or much worse, as a result of cyberbullying and hacking. I’m fortunate that I had a group of people around me who held me up when I was at my lowest. Not everyone is so fortunate. So please, before you make that derogatory comment on someone’s post, before you express your opinion online, before you turn your back on someone for something you heard they supposedly did or said, stop. Think. How will this affect that person going forward? Do you really need to add fuel to that fire? Is that person truly deserving of your wrath? And if so, do you really need to fight it out in such a public forum? Do you know all the facts? Because, as an innocent person who was on the receiving end of this, I can honestly say I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. I don’t care how hurt I am, or how angry, I will never,everresort to that kind of cowardice. Kindness costs nothing. But one online incident can ruin a person’s life.’
She had received a standing ovation.
In the few months following the interview, she did a little work as an ambassador in schools around the UK, talking to the pupils about the issues caused by cyberbullying, which had been a great success. After that she fulfilled a lifelong dream and took time out to study to become a qualified dance teacher.
* * *
The day of her first class arrived and Ruby dashed around shoving everything she needed in a bag. Water bottle. Headband, hair ties, tap shoes, ballet shoes, jazz shoes. She was going to be late if she wasn’t careful, and that wouldn’t do for her first ever class. It was to be a taster session, where she would show the attendees what was going to be on offer going forward. She hadn’t specified an age range as she wanted to play it by ear and see who actually came.
‘I can’t find my sunglasses!’ she called out in frustration.
Mitch pulled her into his arms. ‘Stop stressing,’ he said gently. ‘And they’re on your head.’ He kissed her tenderly and she almost melted into him.
‘I really should go.’ She groaned and reluctantly extracted herself from his arms.
‘Ooh, don’t forget your sign. Actually, I’ll carry it down for you,’ Mitch said as he walked over to collect the A frame that Reid had painted for her. It depicted the village in summertime and had the wordsRuby Roo’s Dance With Viewsemblazoned in fancy lettering across the front. The flip side listed the class days and times. She’d cried when Reid and Jules had brought the commission to the house the night before. It was such a thoughtful thing for Mitch to have arranged. She’d told them all it was so beautiful it was worthy of a frame, and at that point Jules had produced a smaller, framed version from behind her back.
‘This one is from us,’ she told her.
Ruby had hugged her and sobbed, then she’d hugged Reid and sobbed on him too.
Mitch and Ruby walked down to the village hall and the A frame was placed outside the door. They went inside to prepare for the very first dance class to be held in the village,ever.
Ten minutes before the class was due to start, and Ruby was a nervous wreck. She paced the floor and flapped her hands. ‘What if no one turns up, Mitch? What if it’s all been a waste? Having the mirrors fitted, doing my teaching qualifications… What if it’s all been a mistake?’
Mitch was looking out of the window towards the inlet. It was such a stunning vista and had been the very thing that had sparked the idea for her dance school name. He turned to face her. ‘Erm… I think you might want to be more worried about where they’re all going to fit.’
‘What do you mean?’ she asked and jogged over as he pointed outside.
To her amazement, the queue went around the other side of the building and ranged from toddlers to Morag!
She gasped. ‘Oh my word! Is this real?’
Mitch slipped his arm around her and kissed her cheek. ‘Of course it’s real. I never doubted you for a second, my dancing queen.’
She hugged him tightly. ‘Thank you. For everything.’
He kissed her nose. ‘Go show ’em what you’re made of, eh? I’ll see you back at home later.’
He exited the village hall and Ruby followed to greet her students. She glanced down the line and spotted Caitlin and Grace, Jules and Evin, and even the little old chap, Hamish. She held the door open as they all filtered in.
Once everyone was inside, Ruby walked up on to the stage, feeling a little overwhelmed. ‘Wow! Thank you all so much for coming,’ she said into her headset mic. ‘This is incredible.’ Her voice wobbled with emotion. ‘Seeing so many smiling faces here today is wonderful. You have all made my dream come true.’ Applause rang out around the packed room and Ruby fought back tears of joy. ‘Without further ado, I would like to welcome you all toRuby Roo’s Dance With Views!’ Cheers and whistles ensued as Ruby hit play on the sound system.
At the end of the lesson, Ruby stood by the door shaking hands with people as they left. She beamed and couldn’t believe how well it had gone. Everyone was filled with compliments and excitement about which dance class they were going to attend. Grace was apparently going to attend them all. Evin said he hadn’t quite made his mind up but fancied the street dance. Caitlin hugged her and told her how proud she was of her. Jules did the same. Stella from the Coxswain said it was the most fun she’d had in years, and Hamish said it brought back memories of when he and his wife used to go to tea dances together.
Once the place was empty, Ruby gathered up her A frame and placed it in the store cupboard. She was raring to go now. Classes would start properly the following weekend and she couldn’t have been happier.
She regarded herself in the full-length wall mirrors she had funded and pirouetted. She was now living her best life. The job of her dreams, the most wonderful man in the world and all in the most spectacular location.
Back at home after the successful first dance taster class, she let herself in and was greeted by Mitch.
‘So? How was it?’
She couldn’t keep the smile from her face. ‘It was amazing! I’ve got so many sign-ups I think I might need to add more classes. Everyone seemed to love it.’
