Page 17 of Coming Home to Crumbleton

‘I didn’t mean…’ said Ruby quickly. ‘I just meant… not up there. Not in London.’

‘Then why are you still living there?’ said Caroline. ‘Why is this the first time I’ve seen you home in six years? Why is it that - whenever I need my Ruby fix - I have to shlep all the way to the bloody capital?’

Silence descended on the room for a long moment, and it was as much as Ruby could do not to make a break for the door.

‘Well… at least you’re here now I guess,’ said Caroline, after the moment had stretched out so far it felt like it was going to snap.

‘I’m only here because I had to come back,’ Ruby muttered. ‘Trust me, I’ll be out of here the minute I’ve signed the last book… if not before.’

‘Wait… what?’ said Caroline, looking hurt. ‘I thought you’d at least stay for a couple of weeks!’

‘It wasn’t my idea to come back, you know,’ said Ruby. ‘It was Harriet’s - and there was no talking her out of it. Believe me – I tried. But then I figured at least I’d get to see you, and my parents, and Reuben-’

‘But Reuben moved away more than a year ago!’ said Caroline, looking confused.

‘Well, I know that now!’ huffed Ruby. ‘The bookshop belongs to-’

‘Oli,’ said Caroline, nodding.

‘Why didn’t you tell me?!’ demanded Ruby.

‘I assumed you knew!’ said Caroline with a little laugh. ‘I mean… you are doing an event for him in a couple of days. And he chased that hard.’

‘No he didn’t,’ scoffed Ruby. ‘Harriet chased that hard.’

‘Have it your way,’ said Caroline mildly, standing up and making her way around to her chair on the other side of the desk. ‘Anyway – you can’t blame me for not filling you in. I couldn’t tell you anything about him, could I?’

‘But-’ said Ruby

‘After he left for America,’ said Caroline, raising her voice to cut across her, ‘you made me swear I’d never - ever - mention my cousin to you again. Ever. On pain of-’

‘Disembowelment,’ said Ruby quietly. Because she had said that. She leaned forward and dropped her head into her hands. ‘Car,’ she breathed, ‘I’m… I’m sorry for being such a selfish ass.’

‘You’re not an ass!’ said Caroline.

‘But I have been selfish,’ countered Ruby.

‘To be fair, Rubes, you were just trying to find your way in the world like the rest of us,’ said Caroline. ‘But I always thought, when you’d had a break from Crumbleton’s slightly smothering embrace – and got over the thing with Oli - you’d come back. At least for a visit.’

Ruby looked up again and pulled a face.

‘Was it really that bad here?’ said Caroline. ‘I thought we had a pretty awesome childhood! I thought you were happy. I mean… I just don’t understand. Please don’t tell me I missed some deep, dark secret about my closest friend that completely effed you up!’

Ruby stared at Caroline, not daring to blink.

‘Shit,’ breathed Caroline. ‘There was something. This isn’t just a random break from Crumbleton that got out of hand…’

Ruby gave her head the slightest of shakes. ‘I couldn’t stay here after Oli left,’ she said. ‘There were just too many memories…’

‘But you were the one who stopped contacting him!’ said Caroline. ‘How come-’

‘I had to!’ said Ruby. ‘I didn’t have a choice!’

‘But… why?’ said Caroline. ‘I mean – he got on that plane and then cut him out of your life. Hell – you even took yourself off social media – who does that?!’

‘I didn’t have a choice,’ she said again. ‘Oli’s dad…’

‘Uncle Mike?’ said Caroline with a frown.

---