|
The biggest day of Stone’s life had finally arrived, and it
couldn’t have been more beautiful. Stone had to keep from running all the way
to the church; he didn’t want to perspire through his new suit before he got
there, and chances were that he was going to have a hard enough time getting
through the ceremony without melting from joy and nervousness. All he could
think about was Josie, and hearing her say, “I do”. Then would come the most
exciting moment of his life—so far—his first kiss with Josie (or with any
woman for that matter). He hoped that his lips wouldn’t be numb by then from
all of the anticipation that was surging through him, and he prayed that his
knees didn’t suddenly give out.
Stone appreciated the quiet that Saturday brought to the busy
town. A few of the businesses were closed, and there weren’t too many people
out and about. It was almost as though you could take a deep breath and not have
to share it with anyone, and your ears weren't being bombarded with the sounds
of horses and wagons. There was so much racing through Stone’s head at the
moment though, he was surprised that he could hear anything else, but he was
even more disturbed when he realized that the sound he heard while walking along
the vacant boardwalk was that of a woman crying. He peered down the alley next
to the saloon and found Ruby, sitting on the ground with her knees pulled to her
chest and a piece of paper in her hand.
“Is everything okay, ma’am?” Part of Stone just wanted to
sneak on by when he saw that it was Ruby, the flirtatious gal who had trouble
taking “no” for an answer. Stone was also concerned about talking to Ruby in
an alley when he thought of all the trouble such a scene could stir up,
especially today. But she seemed so neglected and in such desperate need of some
compassion that Stone simply couldn’t ignore her.
“Well, if it isn’t my handsome stranger,” she said in her
soft, trademark manner. Her face was blotchy and puffy as though she’d been
crying for a while. She was wearing her blue corset with the black lace trim,
but Ruby didn’t look nearly as intoxicating as usual, especially since she was
loosely wrapped in a plain white shawl. “You look rather spiffy this mornin’,”
she said while trying to make herself appear a bit more ‘presentable’.
“As a matter of fact, I’m goin’ to be marryin’ my gal
today,” Stone said proudly through an ear to ear smile.
Ruby nodded, and didn’t seem too astonished.
“Are you hurt or anything?” Stone asked respectfully while
maintaining his distance.
“Just a broken heart’s all. I got this here letter the
other day.” She got up and handed the note to Stone. “It’s from my mama.
She and my pa are down in Georgia with my kids. Every now and then she sends me
a picture, tells me how they’re all doin’.” She looked at the picture with
Stone and was undeniably proud of her two lovely children.
“You have kids?” Now there was astonishment.
“Well don’t look so surprised. Yeah, I up and left ‘em
all a few years back. Thought there had to be more to life than scrubbin’
floors and chasin’ after young ones all day while my husband slaved away in
the grove, frettin’ over those peaches. Mama said in her letter that William
wants me back. He’s my husband. Ain’t that somethin’?”
“Is that why you’re cryin’; you want to go back?” Stone
returned her letter and photograph.
For a moment, Ruby lost herself, staring at the faces of her
young children.
“I think I’d give anything to scrub floors and chase after
those two again. It sure would be better than stayin’ here, havin’ to hang
on every sweaty, smelly guy that walks in…but it’s not that easy.” Tears
filled her eyes.
“Been my experience that nothin’s easy, but if it’s worth
havin’, it’s worth fightin’ for.”
“So what are you tellin’ me, to pack my bad and head on
home, hope that everything works out for the best?”
“Well, you ain’t got nothin’ to lose. It ain’t really
my place to say, but you’re never goin’ to find happiness apart from your
family. The good Lord wants you together. And it sounds to me like your husband
already knows that.”
“I can’t just walk back into my old life like nothin’s
changed.”
“I sure hope not, since you’ve already learned the hard way
what life is really all about.”
Ruby thought for a moment, then said, “Do you really think my
husband would take me back?”
“I can’t say for sure, but from what I’ve seen, a man
without his wife is like an apple pie with no apples, it’s just a big mess of
nothin’. If you stick around here your whole life then you’ll never know.”
Stone smiled generously as Hope seemed to illuminate Ruby’s
face.
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ll think about goin’
back.”
“Good for you,” Stone said with a firm nod. He
turned and continued his walk toward the church, but he wasn’t sure if his
feet were touching the ground.
©2004 StoriesByEmail.com
|
