CHAPTER 23

“I’m sorry, I’m late,” Ruby apologized as Harvey prepared a seat for her.
“It’s okay; we have heard you have many responsibilities at school. I’m very proud to hear that,” the other older woman said and she just smiled.
“Thank you,” Ruby said as she takes her seat.
Her gaze suddenly stopped at this young, beautiful girl seated at the table. Why was she so familiar?
“Ruby, you might have forgotten but these are the Wilsons, you used to play with their daughter when you were in elementary school,” her mother said and she finally recalled.
“Oh, now I do remember. It’s nice to meet you again Mr. and Mrs. Wilson,” she said with a smile.
“The pleasure is all ours. You still remember Janet, right?” Mrs. Wilson asked her gaze at the young girl.
“I nearly forgot but now I remember her. She had grown up so big, I couldn’t remember her,” she said with humor.
“It’s been years, so it’s understandable,” Mr. Wilson said.
The food was ushered in and the plates were served. There was too much food on the table but since they were many the food will probably get finished in no time.
She didn’t say a word during the meal but she could feel Helen’s eyes and Janet on her over the course of the meal. Something was being brewed in this room and it wasn’t said yet. Helen was a sinister woman who always hated the idea of her being happy even when they were kids.
She even refused to have dinner together the previous Sunday and yet she shows up as if everything was okay. She had always wondered what wrong she did to her but never got the answer. Helene never allowed them to be alone for long so she couldn’t ask what she wanted to know.
The elders spoke but her mind was somewhere else so she didn’t hear a single word until Helen poked her and she choked. Harvey gave her a glass of water and she drank it.
“What are you thinking?” her mother asked.
“I’m sorry about that. I thought I forgot something at school,” she lied.
“You can go and check it tomorrow. I guess it will be still there,” her mother said.
“I hope so,” she said with a smile.
“We were just talking about your brother just now,” her mother said and she looked at her.
“What was it about?” she asked.
“The parents are thinking of arranging a marriage for Harvey and Janet, what do you think?” Helen told her but she could hear the sarcasms in her voice. Helen was enjoying this and the night was about to go sour.
“Is that so?” she asked looking at Harvey.
“The two used to be friends back then and our families know each other, I doubt they will be a problem if the two families united,” her mother said excitedly.
To be honest she didn’t know what to say at all. If she shows that she isn’t happy with the arrangement it will make her look bad and if she agrees, it was the same as giving a green light for the person she loves to be with another.
She avoided anything to do with the issue and before Helen could attack her again, she received a call. She looked at the people at the table and then her other.
“Take the call, it may be important,” her mother said.
Ruby smiled at her mother, she must know how uncomfortable she was at the moment.
“I will be back after I take the call,” she said and left the room.
She picked up the call and took a deep breath.
“Ruby, is everything okay?” Nancy asked on the other hand.
“I know I have always stopped you from calling me when I’m on this dinner appointments but thank you for calling tonight,” she said.
“I’m glad that you feel that way. I just wanted to let you know that I took your assignment by mistake and I’m seeing that now. Can we meet so that I can give you?” Nancy asked.
“I knew that I forgot something but couldn’t recall what. I will stop at your house in ten minutes, let me go and take my clutch,” she said.
“Okay, I will be waiting for you,” Nancy said and hung up.
She returned back into the room and looked at her parents.
“I hope that you won’t mind me leaving. A friend of mine mistakenly took my assignment and I have to work on that tonight,” she said.
“It’s not a problem; we have already done the big part. You can go and do what you must,” Mrs. Wilson said.
“Thank you,” she said to her and she looked at her parents, “I will see you back at the house.”
She picked up her clutch and left the room. She waited for the elevator and saw him approaching.
“It’s not what you think,” he said.
“That doesn’t matter at all. You should go back inside, I need to meet Nancy in a while,” she said and entered the elevator.