Page 27 of No One's Like You
Adele holds her tighter against her arms without saying a word, because she doesn't want to express how much it worries her that her daughter might lose the bar and add another reason for sadness to her life.
Chapter 16
Ruby Hebert examines herself in the full-length mirror in her bedroom and smiles with satisfaction. She's wearing straight-cut navy linen pants, medium-height block heel boots, and a white blouse that's fitted at the bottom and looser on top with a discreet yet sexy neckline. It's not that she's particularly thrilled about attending her class reunion, but she admits it will do her good to see other faces and experience a change of scenery. The week has been a painful litany that only slightly shifted when her mother gave her the idea to revisit that trip she's wanted to take for so long. When Ruby first thought of making that getaway, she researched the best way to do it, and for her, it was in an RV. She started saving because she wanted to have her own, decorate it to her taste, and not have to depend on hotels or be forced to stay in big cities. She would stop wherever she wanted and sleep there after watching one of those sunsets the route promised. Then came the idea for the bar; she and Ellie had dreamed about it for years, and the planets aligned to make it happen. Atfirst, everything was chaotic, and Ruby couldn't imagine taking a trip; then everything calmed down, they grew as businesswomen, and tranquility arrived. Ruby thought it was time to revisit the idea of buying the vehicle, and Ellie asked if she could join her.
"Please, please, please, Rub," she repeated, just like when she was nine years old and asking her best friend for something. "Imagine the two of us alone on the road, good music, and discovering all the places we want to see."
Ruby melted—as always—and accepted that her trip would be much better in the company of her best friend, but again things happened. A renovation happened, Marcel happened, and Amelia happened too. The road trip went back into the drawer of pending matters, and she hadn't thought about it until now. She'll try to find a solution to the bar location problem as quickly as possible so she can leave for a few months and return completely detoxed from Ellie Trahan.
She fluffs her hair a bit and arranges it to one side. That look, accompanied by makeup in the best Catwoman style, gives her a daring and irresistible air. She leaves her house when the taxi honks twice. She's arranged to meet her friends at the door of their old high school; coordinating to arrive together was becoming a nightmare.
"Holy shit," Jerome whistles when Ruby finishes paying the driver and turns to walk toward them. "If I liked what you have between your legs," the man makes an exaggerated gesture of repulsion, "I'd ask you on a date."
Ruby laughs because her friend always has something wonderful to say to her—except encouraging her to pursue Ellie so she ends up crashing like a bird into an airplane windshield—and it fills her heart.
"You look very handsome too," Ruby says, and Jerome spins around to show off his outfit. "You both look great," she corrects herself.
Ellie looks heart-stopping. She's wearing a tight black dress that contrasts with her milky skin, absurdly high stilettos of the same color, and a silver chain that hides a small cross between her two breasts. A true sin.
Ellie approaches and hugs her. Damn Ellie's hugs, so close, so uniquely hers. She leaves a kiss on Ruby's cheek, and Ruby feels as if her friend stays there longer than necessary while breathing deeply.
"Shall we go in?" Ruby sets a boundary in a subtle way—or not so subtle because she's jumped backward as if she received an electric shock. "I'm sure they've already started."
The three friends walk, and hundreds of images cross their minds from their student years. They turn right, toward the gymnasium where all the events were held and where their school won the trophy for the best basketball team that final year.
The organizers of the reunion opted for simplicity and hired a catering service with different dishes to snack on, a sushi table, and another for desserts. They made sure there were drinks of all kinds, and they would provide the music themselves through a speaker. Simple and practical.
"So you two ended up together after all. Damn, I love happy endings, especially with two beautiful ladies," says a classmate as soon as he lays eyes on them.
Rob Flanders, the class clown. The one with stupid jokes and surprise pranks at all hours. Equally hated and loved because, in the end, Rob never hurt anyone. He just wanted to make everyone laugh. He's just said what many thought back then but never dared to say because Ruby and Ellie could be truly frightening when angry.
"You're wrong this time," Ruby corrects him with a quickness that doesn't sit entirely well with Ellie. "Ellie and I are still the same as always, good friends and now business partners."
Rob makes an exaggerated pout but immediately recovers when he sees Jerome.
"I can guess you've broken too many hearts, my friend," Rob says and shakes Jerome's hand, making a greeting that's too masculine for the stylist's taste. "You look sensational."
Jerome smiles because Rob, besides never mocking his obviously feminine walk, also defended him on several occasions.
The four walk to the center of the gymnasium where the rest of their former classmates are. Everyone greets each other with excitement, not because they were the most united group in high school, but because it's been a long time since any of them have seen each other. Kisses here and hugs there. Compliments and disguised comments,some with hints of hidden lust. The boys, apparently, never grow up.
"Hello, Ruby," comes the same soft voice she remembers from Theresa Reis. "You look great."
Ruby flashes a smile and approaches to greet who was her first attempt at a girlfriend in high school. Those times were more difficult, and you couldn't be with a girl being another girl just because, so despite Theresa having a boyfriend, she never missed an opportunity to kiss Ruby's full lips for a long, long time in the third-floor bathroom.
"You look great too," she answers, looking her up and down. "Are you still living in Denver?"
Theresa nods.
"My hospital is there, so as long as I want to keep my position, I have to stay."
"Do you like Denver?" Ruby asks out of mere curiosity.
Theresa—Dr. Reis—tilts her head a bit and makes a pout with her lips.
"Now I do, but when they first gave me the position there, I hated it quite a bit," she confesses. "Though I must say I've had a lot of fun. Let's just say the girls in Denver are wonderful."
Theresa winks at her, and Ruby laughs at her comment. It seems things have changed.
