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Chapter Seventy Two
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Caleb
Time seemed to work differently on either side of the glass. On her side, every second was vital. Seconds rolled into minutes … and minutes rolled into hours. But on our side, time slowed right down. It was as if the glass acted as a semipermeable membrane, sucking in more time from our side through to hers. She could have all of it if it meant she got to live.
“She’s a fighter. She’s going to be fine, I just know it,” I replied, willing that to be true.
Jen placed one palm flat against the glass and held out her other hand to me. “Take my hand and pray with me.”
I always scoffed at human religions. Maybe because werewolves weren’t mentioned anywhere in the Bible. I didn’t know if God existed or not, but there and then at m
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Little Ruby Red   Chapter Seventy Three
AidenI frowned, shaking my head. “There’s nothing more you can do but wait,” I advised him, honestly. “If she loves you like I know she does, then she’ll come back to you.”Understanding settled into his tired brown eyes. Before, he just looked lost, but now I had given him a shred of hope to cling to.Hell, maybe I was going soft, but even I was now rooting for him. I held out my hand for him to shake and without hesitation, he took it.The next few hours flew by. Jen and Sam traveled in the air ambulance with us. Ruby was stable. I placed her on a vent and administered some fluids during the flight. Caleb kept popping into my thoughts. The sense of guilt overshadowed the anxiety I felt about going back home. I kept checking the machinery to occu
Little Ruby Red   Chapter Seventy Four
AidenI hesitated. It had been years since I left, drunk out of my mind in the back of a cab, leaving nothing but a note and a shitload of problems. I owed him an apology, followed by a darn good explanation. I gave three loud knocks on the oak wooden door, stood back, then waited.Footsteps thundered down the stairs, followed by the metallic clinking of locks, and then the slow grind of the handle being turned ... then the door opened.“Aiden!” My brother, Dylan, greeted me with surprise in nothing but a pair of gray shorts and a sleep-drunk voice. “Come in.” He stepped aside, rubbing his eyes.His dark brown hair stuck up at one side of his head and visible crease marks scored his cheek where it had been pressed against
Little Ruby Red   Chapter Seventy Five
CalebI'm so alone, despite being among familiar faces who mean well, I'm desolate and bereft. Not even whole, just the shadow of a broken man whose soul is dying. In the heart of my own personal storm, I see nothing but a vortex of dark monochromatic clouds circling overhead. My mind is a tornado of plagued thoughts, taunting whispers, mocking laughter, ridiculing me for living with a fool’s hope.This agony has left me numb, but still my heart beats with a slow pounding rhythm, miniscule explosions with rippling aftershocks, forcing me to acknowledge my own pathetic existence. What I wouldn't give to leave this astral plane right now ... to make that final spiritual journey where the Goddess would alleviate this crushing heartbreak and grant me peace.Depression is a poison of the heart and mind. It spreads like rust and
Little Ruby Red   Chapter Seventy Six
Aaron"You zoned out on me. Are you okay, sweetheart?" Her voice softened; she was probably worried that I was still stressed from yesterday.I shook my head, feeling dazed, "Sorry, just thinking about the meeting," I recovered myself with a quick save. There was no way I could admit to blocking out my wife. I needed coffee ... badly."Does it have anything to do with what happened yesterday or are you talking about the mineral?" She pressed further, careful as not to say too much in front of little ears."Both," I answered over my shoulder. I reached for the coffee pot and dragged a mug down from the top cupboard. "The Geologist is coming tomorrow to conduct some tests, and then there's the emerge
Little Ruby Red   Chapter Seventy Seven
Aaron"Please leave, already." April shielded her eyes with her hand. "I think I'm gonna vomit," she exaggerated.I grinned. "Bye, Elis," I held my palm up to my six-year-old son, who was happily chewing his cereal. His little ankles were crossed, swinging his legs back and forth under the bar stool. It was a good jump down from where he was sitting. It was awesome watching how he shimmied himself up, belly first on the seat. Such a little climber."Gimmie a high five!" He swung his palm hard, applying maximum effort to create the world’s biggest slap. I accentuated shaking my hand, seeing a proud grin manifest across his lips. "Wow, buddy. That's some muscle you're packing there.""That's because I eat all my broccoli," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "Mom said it'll make
Little Ruby Red   Chapter Seventy Eight
Aaron"Where is he?" I asked, looking past James and around the extravagant hallway.He pointed his finger up toward the top floor. "He went up to his old room and hasn't come out. He said he didn't feel like talking about what happened. But we figured, if anyone could get through to him, then you could."Claire seemed to have aged dramatically overnight. Not that I would've commented on that. I didn't have a death wish. Usually, she was immaculately dressed and wore tasteful makeup, but today, she was wearing casual clothing, not a scrap of makeup in sight and her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail."Please, Aaron. He's hardly said two words since they left." She looked at me with pleading eyes."I'll try." I gave a slight shrug. "
Little Ruby Red   Chapter Seventy Nine
Caleb"Hi, Jen. Is that right … is she okay?" My voice trembled, not even sounding like me."Yes," she replied as if she was relieved to have finally gotten hold of me. "I've been trying to contact you for hours. Her vitals are fine but Aiden is keeping her sedated for a couple of days, just until her body has time to recover from the surgery. She's going to be in the intensive care unit until tomorrow, then they're gonna move her into another private room, just off the ward."Upon hearing the news, it was as if the thick fog that surrounded me had started to clear, allowing me the ability to breathe at ease."Will you let me know when they're ready to wake her?" I asked, needing some peace of mind. It reassured me to know that she was sleeping, and that she was safe. I felt m
Little Ruby Red   Chapter Eighty
JenniferMy eyes cracked open as I began to wake, hearing the sounds of my son babbling away merrily. It was an incoherent language only toddlers seemed to understand.I ran my hand across the mattress beside me, feeling nothing but cool soft sheets."Sam," I croaked, feeling his absence and still drunk on sleep."You're awake." Aiden looked over from where he was standing, scribbling something down in Ruby's notes.He clicked the top of the pen as he finished and shoved it back inside the front pocket of his white surgical coat. "Are you okay?" he asked, furrowing his brows."I had a terrible nightmare," I mumbled, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.
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Little Ruby Red   Epilogue
Ruby The cold, wet sensation from the ultrasound gel made me tense for a moment, watching the small screen with eagle eyes. As the black and white image appeared before us, it was clear to see that there was not one, but two babies nestled together, side by side. Caleb scrubbed a hand over his shocked face, edging closer to the screen. "Well, I'll be damned," the doctor breathed out with surprise. "There is no doubt about it, you're having twins. Do you want to know the sex?" she asked, invoking mixed feelings within me. Part of me wanted to keep it a surprise but the terrified part of me needed to know for sure. Caleb gave me a look which suggested that he was fine either way. God love him, his eyes were glossing over with proud tears of joy
Little Ruby Red   One Hundred and Twenty Nine
Ruby "I still remember the first night that we laid like this while watching over Alex. It was the same when Raine was born," Caleb reminisced. Something somewhere caused the room around me to distort, like ripples spreading wide across a calm lake. "Ruby," Caleb's youthful voice called out to me from somewhere beyond a dream. "Babe, you better wake up or else we're going to be late for the obstetrician appointment," I heard him say. Temporary confusion fogged my brain until I realized that I had been dreaming again. Part of me felt the loss of what I hoped our future could be as it slipped away, and the other part of me was relieved that I woke up at that point before the beautiful vision altered into something that could only be de
Little Ruby Red   One Hundred and Twenty Eight
Ruby As the years rolled by, Caleb and I looked back on our lives with no regrets. When that time eventually comes when we have to leave this world behind, we would be taking a lifetime full of beautiful memories with us. My heart was full, my life was fulfilled. There was nothing that I would change or do differently. Everything was as it should be. With each lumbered step, my slippers brushed over the soft-pile carpet of the stair landing until I stopped to pause outside the old nursery that once belonged to my children. I thought that we had been bestowed a gift from the heavens the day I found out that we were having twins, but little did I know how much more my heart could contain the moment I discovered that I was to become a grandmother. The Goddess had blessed our family many times, and now my son, Alex, was the proud
Little Ruby Red   One Hundred and Twenty Seven
Caleb Ruby turned on the steps of the town hall, facing away from the jubilant crowd. Snowflakes clung to the tips of her lashes, melting as they kissed her rosy cheeks. She tossed the bouquet of white and blue flowers behind her, and as she did so, the women rushed forward, shrieking deliriously, all snatching at the spinning object as it burst apart like a fragrant petal bomb. It was Grandma Lizzie who unwittingly made the save. She walked straight past the jostling females and caught the flowers against her chest. Her face blanched as she realized what had happened and tossed the bouquet away as if it was a hot potato. âOnce was more than enough for me,â she joked. âAlthough, I wouldnât mind a good old roll in the hay with one of those wolf boys. They've got abs that I could scrub my laundry on and then some.â She winked a
Little Ruby Red   One hundred and Twenty Six
Ruby The emotion blazed in Caleb's eyes as I walked down the aisle; his mouth hung agape and his brows started to bunch in the middle, giving me the reaction that any bride longed to see. Caleb swallowed hard, causing his Adamâs apple to bob nervously in his throat. There was no sign of humor on Aaronâs face as he observed his friend's special moment. Instead, his expression was one of relieved happiness. Now that his best friend since childhood had found his soulmate, he adopted an air of accomplishment as if all was now right in the world. As the strong notes of the traditional wedding march came to an end, I released Dadâs arm and came to stand beside the love of my life. Caleb mouthed the word âWowâ as he lifted my chin with his fingers, and breathed, âYou look breath-taking, love.â
Little Ruby Red   One Hundred and Twenty Five
Ruby âAre you okay, kiddo?â Dad asked, his expression softening as he clasped hold of my trembling hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. I swallowed away the dryness before answering, âI just want everything to be perfect, thatâs all.â âAnd it will be,â Dad was quick to reassure me. âI know how much this means to you; Caleb knows it too. Heâs probably memorized his wedding vows off by heart. I bet he was up all night Googling templates from the internet,â Dad remarked in an attempt to make me laugh. His best efforts worked like a charm. I gazed through the tinted windows and out onto the wintry streets. Ice glittered the scraped roads and sidewalks, and some of the maintenance guys were shoveling grit salt on the main walkways throughout town.
Little Ruby Red   One Hundred and Twenty Four
Ruby I turned from side to side, admiring how the full-length wedding gown swayed with my movements. The white sweetheart bodice helped to boost my humble assets, glittering as the Swarovski crystals captured the light. The long, silky skirt gracefully swished around my legs, sending a wisp of cool air around my thighs. Dad made my day when he produced a pair of custom-made Sketchers in Bride White. He paid a seamstress from Montana to sew lace into the leather and add sparkles around the soles. It meant I would be comfortable all day long, especially as my ankle still ached from standing for long periods. âAre you ready, sweetheart?â Dad asked, through the closed door. He had resisted the urge to look at me in my wedding dress, pacing the hall outside mine and Calebâs room like a caged animal.
Little Ruby Red   One Hundred and Twenty Three
Caleb "Yeah, plenty of thingâs spring to mind, but there is one that is owed a confession," Dylan said as he grinned at Aiden, then edged his chair away to maintain a safer distance. "I was sixteen, and Aiden was eighteen," Dylan began to confess, much to Aiden's interest. Upon hearing his name, he folded his bare muscular arms across his chest. "He borrowed my bike without my permission and ended up buckling the front wheel. He never said anything to me, and put it back in the garage in the hope that I wouldnât find out what heâd done. I found it the following day and smelled his scent all over it, so I knew that he had used it. I was passive-aggressive, and in an act of vengeance, I sabotaged a burrito that heâd been saving in the fridge by filling it with laxatives. I watched as he devoured it for lunch, and asked if I could hang out with him and Vanessa that day. He was rather reluctant because he wanted to fool around with her while her dorm was
Little Ruby Red   One Hundred and Twenty Two
Caleb Aaron tipped the empty Tequila bottle upside down to prove a point. âNo way! Weâve gone through the second bottle already?â He turned to my father with an accusatory tone. âIt was opened twenty minutes ago.â Aaronâs face was partially hidden beneath his Batman mask, but the whites of his bulging eyes were visible among the black face paint. He had been doing rather well, talking in a gruff tone to imitate the caped crusader's voice, but the sheer shock at how fast my father could sink his liquor caused his pitch to raise a few octaves. Dad gave a casual shrug of his green padded shoulders as he raised the shot glass to his lips and downed the contents in one large gulp. Even I had to admit that was pretty good going, considering he was wearing a pair of oversized hulk hands
