Bring on the Rain (6 page)

Ruby shook her head, her expression
suddenly serious. “Nick freaked out when he discovered I was
obsessing over Jude. It was unhealthy. Comes from growing up with
cold, intellectual, parents. I was starved for affection and
attention. I was always reading things and watching movies, and
imagining fiction was real life.”

“
So, Nick and you went to
California?”

“
Yup. Mom and Dad were in
Florida making their tight circle of friends. We had plenty of
money. Nick had to sit on me, tie me down, and get me in the middle
of nowhere. Cause I was sure I’d die without Jude
Coburn.”

“
How do you feel about him
now?”

“
Horny.”

Her coffee spewed out as she gasped,
laughing.

“
It’s the good kind.” Ruby
smiled mildly, making her laugh more. “Like I ain’t had it that
good in years, kind.”

“
Okay-Okay.” Madeline held
up her hand catching her breath.

“
I thought that might make
you feel better. If Brook makes a mistake, distance does seem to
cure us, at least emotionally. She’ll do better than we
did.”

Madeline’s voice held no humor as she
stared at Ruby saying, “I don't want her doing anything in Copper
Creek.”

“
My friend, she’s going to.
You had better save your energy for that. Get close to her, support
her, because she‘ll need you.”

“
Oh, Ruby, how can I when I
know what’s waiting for her at the end of the ride?”

“
Maybe not. Coy seems
smarter than Jude, and they’re just dating. It’s not serious. If
you would lighten up, she would probably get tired of him. Half the
fascination is the forbidden.”

“
You know how complicated it
is, with Mitch and our past.”

“
You could make it worse if
you’re not careful.”

“
I know.” She told her how
Mitch came off on Friday when she’d gone to Copper Creek, as if she
were the one who broke things off all those years ago.

“
That Deena is a piece of
work. Hell, I wouldn’t put anything past her. She brown-nosed Dovie
to get what she wanted. I am glad she moved out of this place and
two towns away. She’s still a gossip and troublemaker, no matter
how wealthy.”

Ruby took a big bite of the last
doughnut. “I hear her kids can’t stand the way she manipulates
their lives, the same way old Dovie did. Word is, her oldest girl
ran off and got married at fifteen, and Deena had it annulled and
hushed up.”

Madeline cut in, “Except, Jude said the
same thing. Said that Mitch told them he didn’t love me, wanted me
to leave him alone and stop chasing him.”

Ruby snorted. “Jude, in those days,
probably thought he’d done right by helping Dovie fix Mitch up with
Ronda. He had some problems that I can’t tell you about. Trust me
when I tell you not to bank on whatever he said back
then.”

“
I can’t believe it. I just
can’t. Jude is tough, he doesn’t seem as though he could be made to
lie.”

“
We don't know how it went.
I’ve met them all too, remember? Even Dovie. I swear another woman
doesn’t exist as harsh as that one.”

“
Did she know about you and
Jude?”

“
Yes. She came to my house
and chewed me out. ‘Course, I deserved it. I was chasing
Jude.”

“
You could have had any boy,
Ruby. Why Jude?”

Her friend’s attractive features went
still. “You know why. It’s something you taste and can’t get enough
of.”

“
Yeah, but I still... I
can’t believe everything fell apart with Mitch and me without his
knowing it. He married and had kid and—”

Ruby smiled almost sadly. She looked
down the road a moment and mused in a half-humorous tone, “Do we
ever ask the mature questions when we are kids?” she glanced again
at Madeline. “Look, you and me, we didn’t have the kind of
emotional maturity to handle the sex we were having. Be honest,
considering your mother, my cold parents, we didn’t know anything
but need.”

“
I suppose.” Madeline
nodded, knowing they had admitted as much in prior talks about
their teen years. It was something they did have in common,
something that bonded them from the get go.

Ruby arose eventually to leave, handing
her the empty box and cup. She lingered on the steps a moment,
obviously shaking off the mood and waiting for Madeline to give her
a look that said she too wasn’t going to be depressed all day
now.

As soon as Madeline tossed the box and
made some joke about her funky toe ring, Ruby laughed then walked
into the yard saying, “Next Friday night, remember? We do girls
night.” At Madeline’s nod and thumbs up, Ruby walked to the van and
left soon after.

Chapter 4

The week stretched out long and full,
with Madeline running to the school most evenings, trying to
deliver all the stuff Brook volunteered her to bring for the dance
that weekend. Sunny was a gem, donating several cases of soda and
the others pitched in, picking up things for her.

Being the mom of a girl who joined
everything wasn’t as wonderful as it seemed. At times, she had
stayed up until four a.m. baking brownies, altering uniforms,
driving to an all-night quick mart for markers, glitter, glue or
chips and drinks. Being single made it worse, but even when she was
married, Bud would have never pitched in. He had loved to bask in
the attention of having his daughter be popular—he wasn’t
interested in helping her with her responsibilities.

It wasn’t until she had dressed for her
girl’s night, and Brook was dressed for the dance, that Coy was
mentioned again.

“
Mom, you look good. Where
are you going?”

Madeline put her lip-gloss in her
purse. “Who knows? It’s Ruby’s night to choose.”

“
Karla said her mom has to
work a double at the hospital.”

“
Yeah, we’ll owe Jenna.”
Madeline smiled, regretful that Jenna had few fun nights
anymore.

“
I uh. I wanted to tell you,
Coy is escorting me.”

“
I see” Madeline’s smile
faded. She felt something heavy sink and stay in the pit of her
stomach.

“
Mom, please.” Brooks
perfectly lined eyes shimmered. “Please, can’t you like
him?”

“
Brook I…it’s not
him.”

“
I know, because you don't
even know him.”

Madeline realized that was too true.
She didn’t know him. She knew general stuff. Madeline felt a moment
of panic recalling what Ruby said about losing Brook. She forced
herself to ask, “Is he driving you home?”

“
Yes.”

“
If I’m not back, you can’t
bring him in. And no sitting in the truck. The neighbors will
talk.”

“
Sure. Does this mean I can
date him now?”

“
You’re going to anyway, but
no. It means you’ve sprung this on me at a bad time.”

Brook rolled her eyes. “I don't know
why I try to talk to you.”

Madeline went to get her boots out of
the closet. “Brook.” she hobbled into the living room, putting on
her boot. “I love you.”

“
Do you?” Brook picked up
her purse stiffly.

Madeline had noticed Brook looked
pretty in a St. Patrick’s Day gown of shimmering jade, her skin
glowed and eyes sparked. The gown clung to those young curves,
proving how grown up her baby was, how much a woman she’d become in
a very short time.

Madeline felt teary eyed. “I
do.”

“
Come on, I’m going to be
late.”

Madeline retrieved her jacket from the
bedroom, switched off the lights and locked up.

They were in the Bronco and on their
way through the evening traffic toward the High school. She sat
there at the school, in the parking lot, after Brook got out,
watching the kids in their formal clothing, laughing, smoking
behind the oak tree, and standing by their sport cars and
trucks.

She had never done that, never gone to
a Prom or formal, or any dance. There wasn’t any money for it, nor
would her mother have allowed it. She was needed at home,
particularly at night. Adell had no concept of her daughter having
her own life.

If Adell had tried newer medications or
submitted to therapy maybe? However, Adell couldn’t leave the
house, nor did she trust doctors anymore. She was self-obsessed,
trapped in her own world.

Madeline forced the memories and
questions away. She wasn’t going to live in the past the way her
mother had. She started the engine.

She made her own mistakes, and couldn’t
blame those on anyone.

~*~

Ruby and Madeline went to a movie and
then had dinner at a nice Italian restaurant.

Madeline wore a pair of cranberry
corduroy, low-rise trousers and a matching jacket over her ebony
faux turtleneck. She only owned five nice outfits that weren’t
denim or sweat suits.

“
Let’s go to the Tavern?”
Ruby suggested.

“
I work there. Why would I
want to?”

“
Because we never do. ‘Cause
they have a dance floor and we’re pathetic single women who live
like nuns.”

“
Hey, if I were going to get
picked up, I wouldn’t do it at a place I work, where the entire
town hangs out.”

They stood by their respective cars.
Quiet hung over the town. Most business had closed and only a few
quick marts and video stores were still open.

“
Come on, do you seriously
want to go home at eleven again?”

“
No. Although... Oh, all
right.”

She followed Ruby’s van. Out of habit,
Madeline parked out back and met Ruby by the front door.

Ruby wore a slack outfit of cinnamon
colored silk, her curly hair windblown.

“
Ladies.”

She waved at Rafael.

“
Fancy seeing you here.” He
winked at Ruby and smiled at Madeline. “Come to
par—tay?”

“
No, but Ruby
has.”

He laughed, leading the way to the back
room. “The younger Copper Creek is playing tonight. It’s crowded in
there.”

They stopped, looked at each other—and
burst out in nervous laughter.

“
Was it something I said?”
The young man looked between them.

“
Ah, no. Stamp our
hand.”

He told Ruby, “We do our own thing
here, only put an X if you’re under age, and can’t
drink.”

Ruby grimaced. “Well, here
goes.”

He opened the door, and then smiled at
Joe, who was checking ID’s. He led them around the dance floor to a
table by the back exit, with oak chairs and red leather cushioned
seats.

“
Beer and beer.”

He nodded and entered it on his digital
note pad.

Ruby had apparently been watching the
stage where Jason Coburn was singing a pop song. She shared her
observations with Madeline. She didn’t expect to see Jude there. He
was on bass. There were two cousins in their mid-twenties on drums
and piano. The men bore variations of the Coburn look, but as usual
in their own way.

One had a droopy mustache that matched
his sun-streaked hair. He looked like the type who would speak
softly and melt women like butter. The other had black curly hair
and was a bit more muscular, swarthy skinned. He would fit in a
swashbuckling novel, Madeline thought wryly.

“
Oh shit.” She grabbed
Ruby’s arm, pointing to a shadowed corner of the stage. “That’s
Mitch! He doesn't do rock.”

“
Sure, southern rock. He’s
filling in for Coy.”

“
We gotta’
leave.”

“
No.” Ruby lifted her chin.
“They’re in our territory here. We live in this town.”

Madeline felt butterflies in her
stomach. “Then…where is that beer? I’m changing mine to something
stronger.”

Ruby laughed. “No way, I’m not picking
you up off the floor.”

Their beer came. It was difficult for
either of them to relax at first. All they could do was look at the
stage. Jason was good. He had his father’s smoky bass voice that
tore right through you. The harmony when the other’s joined in was
amazing, impressive.

“
Hi. Care to
dance?”

Both women looked up at Tony Singleton,
a photographer, who had taken pictures of Brook for her squad, as
well as doing the advertisement for the Tavern. He was thirty,
handsome, with a shaved head, strong face, and dark skin. Madeline
didn’t trust the vibe she got from him when they’d met.

“
No, thanks.”

“
Some other time,” Ruby
added.

He didn’t look pleased, but went to
another table. They looked at each other.

“
There’s something about
him. It’s creepy.”

Ruby nodded. “I know, his aura is
bad.”