Ruby Tuesday

Chapter twelve

TWELVE

    I spent the next two days moping around longing for home and silently getting frustrated by my bizarre mother. On the third day I realised that if I was to actually stay here then I needed to get out of the house so I sat at the table scanning the newspaper for any jobs that I would be qualified to do. As of yet all I had come across were requests for builders.

    “What you doing?” Charlie asked slyly as he sat opposite me with a mug of strong tea.

    “Looking for a job.” I muttered not sparing him a glance.

    “Oh really,” he sounded interested, “what kind of thing are you looking for?”

    I opened my mouth just as mum and her ball of fluff exploded into the room. “You look like an old man reading the paper like that, Ruby.” The first thing to come out of her mouth.

    “She’s searching for a job, Maye.” Charlie smiled at her.

    Snorting mum snatched up the newspaper, holding it tightly to her chest. I was staring at her like she had lost the plot. “Oh no you’re not young lady! You don’t need to have a job, I need your help wedding planning more than your rent.”

    I rolled my eyes, “what makes you think that I’ll be so good at planning for a wedding? I’ve never even been to a wedding and as you’re a bride of multiple marriages surely you’re more than capable of sorting it out on your own.”

    She dismissed my snaky comment like dust in the air and continued beaming, “we’re going to London this Friday to a proper Bridal gown shop. It’ll be brilliant Rubes, I tell you now. We’ll have a right giggle.” I was staring up at her, trying my hardest to work out exactly what was going on inside that head of hers. She put the newspaper down in front of Charlie and gave us both a warning look, “don’t let her have it.” Then she clacked out of the room to who knew where to do who knew what.

    Charlie, chuckling to himself began reading the newspaper and I was left sat there wondering what had just happened. Instead of dwelling too long I got my feet deciding that I needed to get out and get some fresh air. I lit up a cigarette and headed out of the house, adventure set in the brain.

    Kent was beautiful, there was absolutely no denying that. It was as if all the slushy dried mud had been scraped away and all bad odour doused with petals only leaving the best bits of the countryside behind. The way that the sun flung golden bright light over everything helped to enhance its rural beauty. Out in the distance across some fields I saw some rabbits scampering about, butterflies dithered here and there and it was hard at that moment to consider there was anything wrong with the world. Out here like this everything just seemed…right.

    I stopped to take my sandals off and I carried them with my little finger as I walked bare foot along the dried, warm mud. I pondered over Angie and what chaos she would be involving herself with or Jack and his famous scandalous antics that wound up the media no end. It felt as though I was caught up in some fairytale, these things didn’t really happen in real life. They just weren’t possible. If I was famous myself then perhaps it would be plausible but not like this. I was just some stressy nobody and here I was dating the world’s hottest rock star? It was far too baffling to really comprehend.

    When I returned I mum fobbed me off with her fluff ball (Crystal) and I had to hike it around the countryside for exercise while mum tittered around in high heels pretending to look busy. I came back absolutely shattered and the woman didn’t even have the courtesy to offer me a cup of tea as a way of thanks. I made myself one and flopped onto the settee with aching feet. “God, I hope you’re not going to make me do that everyday.”