Untouchable

Chapter 4

                “That’s wonderful, Ruth.” John spoke through a mouthful of fried rice.

                “Ruth, can you do me a favour?” Evie asked, swallowing her food before she spoke as she knew exactly how much it got on her sister’s nerves: it was one of Ruth’s many pet peeves.

                “What can I do, littlest sister?” Ruth asked,

                “Can you not screw things up with Noah this time, please? I like him; he’s funny and kinda cute.” Ruth looked at her sister a little confused.

                “I still don’t know how I did last time.” She said shakily, placing her plate on the coffee table. She stood up and walked into her bedroom, shutting the door and sat on her bed, rocking herself backwards and forwards. She never knew how things messed up. All she knew was that he kissed her cheek and she batted him away and had an attack, and then he never came to visit her again. No more 1st Saturday’s of every month meeting up and doing something, always planned a week in advance, and the agreement ran right from when they went to university.

                Ruth could hear her parents talking, getting angry at her sister for setting off another panic attack.

                “Eva Jennifer Anthony, you know that Noah sets her off. You know she doesn’t understand what happened with him. And you, most of all know, not to set her off!” John growled quietly at his youngest girl. Evie had always been the problem child below her genius sister, then her dysfunction brainiac sister with a mental problem, as Evie always liked to put it. Evie and Ruth were getting along better in the past eight years since Ruth had moved out, but things still weren’t as good as the understanding Ruth and Alyssa had. Sometimes Evie thought she was the odd one, not Ruth.

                The door to the bedroom opened and Melissa walked in and took her daughters hands, kneeling in front of her fragile daughter. She was the only person who could touch Ruth and not get hit or slapped, because she was the only person that Ruth truly trusted with everything.

                “Ruth, it’s okay. It’s okay. Evie didn’t mean it. She’s just being snide, sweetheart. It’s okay.” Melissa whispered, hoping her daughter would stop rocking. Ruth stopped and looked into her mothers dark blue eyes.

                “I don’t want to screw things up with Noah. I never meant to. I don’t know what I did, Mum. But I have missed him, I really have. He’s amazing, and I can’t screw things up again! I’m 25! He teaches Evie physics!” Ruth sighed and looked down, then back up. “Mum, I want him back, and back to the way things were, but better.”

                “But are you ready for a relationship like Noah wants, sweetie?” Melissa sighed.

                “I don’t know, but I can’t mess things up again!” A tear rolled from Ruth’s eyes, then another, and another. Melissa jumped up and wrapped her arms around her daughter and Ruth began to cry into her shoulder.

                “Shh, it’s alright, Ruth. It’s alright.” She whispered into her daughter’s ear. John walked into the room and knelt before his daughter, never touching her.

                “Ruth, it’s alright.” He whispered, feeling utterly helpless about being incapable of helping her.

                “John, be useful and call Noah.” Melissa snapped. He stood up and dialled the landline. Ellis, Noah’s father, answered.