18.

18.

 

  “I’ll f*****g kill her!” Ruby yelled pacing back and forth in her living room. “Who the hell does she think she is saying anything like that to you?!”

     Parrish, sitting on the couch, stayed silent, smoking a cigarette.

     “She’s such a f*****g c**t. Ooh! I can’t believe this s**t!”

     “It’s okay, Ruby. I’m fine.”

     Ruby stopped pacing and stood in front of her friend. “No, Parrish. It is not okay.” She shook her head and began pacing again. “I’m not gonna let this s**t continue to happen to you.”

     “You don’t have to protect me anymore, Ruby.” Parrish told her. “I’m finished.”

     “You say that every time, Pear.”

     “No…” Parrish began, softly. “I am finished. I �" I didn’t deserve that. It… hurt so bad to hear those things. Especially what she said about the �"“

     “You don’t have to say it. I know how hard that was for you to cope with. Levi had no right to hold it against you the way she did.”

     “And… what she said about… Gem…” Parrish said, wiping a few tears. “She just reopened a lot of old wounds, you know?”

     “I know.” Ruby told her. “Do you believe me now when I tell you… you deserve so much better?”

     Parrish nodded.

     “You are going to find a woman one day… who is going to love you. She’ll love everything about you. Even the things she hates. She’ll understand… that those are the things that make you who you are and she will cherish you. She won’t ever try to hurt you or weaken you. She’ll lift you up. Don’t lose hope.”

     Parrish chuckled a little through her tears. “Aye, aye, captain.”

     Ruby laughed and kissed Parrish on the forehead. “You’re gonna be okay. You’ll get your strength back. I can already see it.”

     “Thanks, Ruby. Honestly… I don’t know what I would do without you.” Parrish told her. “I have a little bit of good news, though.”

     “Oh? Do tell!”

     “I um… I got the job.”

     “You got the �" you got the job!” Ruby shrieked. “I’m so proud of you!”

     “Be proud of yourself. I wouldn’t have this job if it weren’t for you.”

     “Ah, yes, I am amazing, aren’t I?” Ruby said in a British accent.

     She and Parrish both laughed. “You’re a clown.” Parrish told her.

     Ruby’s smile soon turned into a pained look on her face.

     “You alright?” Parrish asked.

     “Yeah, she’s just kicking extra hard.” Ruby rubbed her stomach a little. “F**k.”

     “She’s really is a kicker, huh?” Parrish joked. “Guess we’ll finally have an athlete in the family after all.”

     “Help me up, would ya?” Ruby asked. “I can usually just walk this off.”

     “Sure.” Parrish answered, standing up and pulling Ruby up by her hands.

     “Thanks.”

     Ruby began to pace again with her hands on her stomach when she soon realized she was standing barefoot in a clear puddle of liquid.

     “Ruby…” Parrish said, calmly, but nervously, standing up.

     Ruby nodded her head at Parrish and looked back down at her feet. “Uh huh?”

     “Okay! Don’t move! I’ll get your suitcase and all your other s**t, okay?” Parrish told her dialing 911 on her cell phone. “I need an ambulance.” Ruby heard Parrish say from her bedroom.

     Ruby was in shock, not able to respond. She continued to look at her feet, soaked. It was then that she realized for sure, she was going to be a mother whether she was ready or not.