Love, Ruby Lavender

by Deborah Wiles

  Don't do this if you don't want to. And any day is fine—it doesn't have to be THE day. Just a remembrance to mark the fact that Garnet was in this world, and that the world was a good place because he was here.

  We are about to go to a famous waterfall and watch people dive from high up on the rocks into the river below! Everybody does it! Do you think I should try this, too? Your uncle Johnson says, "Not on your life!" Hmmph!

  I miss you and miss you and miss you, and have only one other thing to tell you before I send this off: Your cousin Leilanl is going to have RED HAIR! she looks so much like you, Ruby. Did you get my pictures?

  Love,

  your pretty good diver for a grandmother,

  Miss Eula

  * * *

  Aurora County News

  Morning Edition, June 23

  Operetta to Be Presented

  The Town Operetta will "be presented on August 1. This year's presentation (as reported earlier) will "be "How Dear to My Heart Are the Scenes of My Childhood."

  Main singing and acting parts will "be assigned by audition. There will be a small chorus. Auditions will be held on June 25, at Halleluia School.

  Please bring your own sheet music. A stage crew is also needed. Contact the director of this year's operetta (as usual) Miss Mattie Perkins, or show up at auditions. Our (usual) art and scenery director, Miss Eula Dapplevine, is still in Hawaii. Mrs. Ferrell Ishee ("call me Tot") has volunteered to help with art direction.

  11

  June 24

  Ruby spent the morning with her chickens. Her mother was in Rose Hill, doing a home demonstration: "Freeze or Can Your Produce: Which One Is Right for You?" She had tried to get Ruby to go, but Ruby wanted to be home.

  It had rained all night, and the dust that had swirled around everything was gone. The flowers surrounding the Pink Palace looked like they had been washed clean and put out to drip-dry. Ruby loved how fresh the earth smelled after a good rain. It was cooler, too. She sat on the back steps of the Pink Palace and watched Bemmie and Bess in the chicken yard, hunting for bugs near the butter-bean vine.

  "Hey, Peas." Ruby turned to look in the direction of the voice. Dove came around the corner of the house.

  "Hey, yourself." Ruby scratched a mosquito bite on her elbow and glowered at Dove.

  "I met your aunt Mattie in the mercantile this morning. She told me you'd be here."

  "Here I am."

  Dove had a foil-covered plate with her. "This place is really pink!"

  Ruby's face lightened. "You like it?"

  "Oh, yeah. It's great!" Dove held out her plate and spoke in a coaxing voice. "Here. These are from Aunt Tot. They're cookies. She was worried about you. Me, too."

  "Thanks." Ruby put the plate on the porch and gave Dove a what-do-you-want look.

  Dove scratched the side of her face. "You and Melba aren't friends, are you?"

  "Nope." Ruby went back to her elbow.

  "She never did finish her story. Her mama—she's real nice—showed up to get her, because she had seen the rain coming."

  Ruby shrugged and looked out at the chicken yard. Bemmie and Bess had gone into the chicken house. She had to make sure Bemmie wasn't picking on Ivy. She picked up a bucket full of corn and changed the subject. "Want to feed the chickens?"

  Dove gave her a bright look, like a bird with a meringue-tipped head. "Sure!"

  Ruby walked to the chicken yard and Dove followed her. "In that glass house?" The sun glinted off the greenhouse windows. "Is that where they live?" Dove was wearing the same thing she had worn the day before, the brown outfit with the boots and white socks. Her hat hung on her back and a pencil stuck up from behind her ear.

  Ruby reached the gate. An enormous bed of black-eyed Susans grew next to it. The flowers brushed against the latch, and Ruby moved them out of her way. "This is the place."

  "Your aunt Mattie told me about Miss Eula and how she went to Hawaii. Aunt Tot bought some paint and asked her all about the accident, too. It sounded terrible. I know why you didn't want to hear that story; it's just so sad..."

  Ruby winced. "Yeah, it's sad." She opened the gate and Bess charged Ruby, squawking all the way. "Hey! I got it right here! Stop that!" Ruby tossed a handful of kernels to the back of the chicken yard, and Bess screeched after them. Bemmie tottled outside. Dove's face broke into a gleeful smile at the sight of the chickens. She clapped her hands together once and tucked them tinder her chin.

  "No Ivy," said Ruby. "I'll have to make her eat again."

  Dove made conversation. "Does your grandmother say when she's coming back?"

  Ruby waved a bumblebee away from her head. "No. She goes on and on about waterfalls and hula dancing and that drooling baby."

  "Did you know there's a black sand beach in Hawaii? The sand is volcano ashes."

  "Who cares?" Ruby hung the bucket on a hook.

  "I care. Hawaiian people are interesting. I'm going to go there one day. I hope your grandmother comes back before the end of summer so I can interview her."

  "Just don't interview me, Dove. I don't want to be interviewed by you, ever."

  Dove slid her hands into her pockets and looked at the greenhouse. Some of the windows were open, and a breeze rattled the screens. "Aunt Tot says there are operetta auditions the day after tomorrow. She's helping with the scenery."

  "Ha!" Ruby wiped her hands on her overalls. "Let me tell you about the operetta. Miss Mattie always directs it, so there goes any fun. Melba Jane always gets the starring kid role, so why bother to show up?"

  "They need stagehands. That's what I want to do."

  "Suit yourself." Bemmie and Bess tussled over the corn. They sounded like two old women screaming at each other.

  "I don't want to go by myself. Want to go with me?"

  Ruby thought about this. If she didn't offer to go with her, she knew Melba would. If she worked backstage, she might never have to see Melba. Or at least, Melba wouldn't see her.

  "I'll think about it—"

  "Good! Thanks."

  "—just to see how it is without Miss Eula. She'll want to know." Ivy tiptoed out of the greenhouse. "Good garden of peas, Ivy! You must be hungry!" Bemmie made a beeline for Ivy's nest. "Oh, no you don't!" Ruby dashed for the greenhouse door and slapped it shut. Bemmie jumped and squawked.

  "This is Bemmie!" grunted Ruby, using a knee to shove Bemmie away from the door. "She's jealous because Ivy has eggs to sit on and she doesn't." Ruby pointed to Bess. "And that one—she's a pig. She only looks like a chicken." She laughed at her own joke. "Her name is Bess."

  Dove gave a little wave. "Hey, girls!"

  Bemmie squawked and Bess gorged. "They're not impressed by company," Ruby said.

  "They sure make a lot of noise."

  "They calm down at night, when I read to them."

  "You read to them?"

  "Sure. It's calming. Come back tonight and I'll show you."

  "Okay! What are you reading?"

  "The dictionary."

  "The dictionary! How do you read the dictionary?"

  "How do you think? You just read it. There's a lot of weird words in the dictionary."

  "I've got something better than that. I'll bring it tonight."

  "They like the dictionary!"

  The girls returned to the porch, where Ruby peeled the foil back from Aunt Tot's plate of cookies. She picked one up and studied it. It was as flat as a fingernail.

  "I wouldn't eat it, if I were you. I think she forgot to add some stuff. Or she added too much stuff."

  "Wow." Ruby raised her eyebrows and held the cookie over her head to get a look at it from the bottom. "I never saw anybody mess up a cookie like this."

  "You should see her mashed potatoes. They look like glue and taste worse. But Uncle Tater loves everything she cooks. I eat lots of peanut butter and jelly."

  "Come over and eat with me and Mama tonight, if you want. My mama's the best cook in the county."

  Dove hesitated. "I'm invited to Me
lba's for supper."

  "Oh." Ruby bristled and stalked into the Pink Palace, leaving the plate of cookies on the porch. "Have a nice time." She closed the door.

  * * *

  June 25

  Dear Miss Hula Hands,

  Last night Dove came to visit. She had been to Melba Jane's. They had been in her mother's makeup!

  "Get that stuff off your face!" I told her. "you'll scare Ivy. She's sensitive." But she didn't, so we had to get used to looking at her like that.

  Dove told Melba about the chicks. Melba said those eggs should have been somebody's breakfast. She's hateful. Dove tape-recorded the chickens. Bess tried to eat the microphone. Dove took pictures. Bemmie hogged the camera.

  For your information, Dove brought over a book last night-THE HAWALLAN ISLANDS AT A GLANCE. It put the chickens right to sleep. How can you stay awake over there?

  Dove wants to tape-record Mama working. I told her to tape-record Mama cooking and take that tape to her aunt Tot.

  Love,

  your (depressed) grandchild,

  Ruby L.

  Pee Ess: Anthropologist. Like Margaret Mead. Do you know her?

  * * *

  * * *

  June 25

  Dear Miss Eula-Miss Eula!

  Good garden of peas! I just checked the chickens, and I can hear PEEPING from the eggs! PEEPING! The chicks are ready to hatch! Mama came to listen and she is amazed! I told her she is going to be a grandmother and she said, "That's what you think!" I've got to go tell Dove. I'm meeting her at the schoolhouse for the operetta tryouts. I am going to be on the scenery crew, without you! Woe! And yay! for the chicks!

  I have to go now!

  Love,

  your (excited!) granddaughter,

  Ruby L.

  Pee ESS: PEEEEEEEEEEPING!!

  * * *

  * * *

  June 25

  Dear Ruby,

  This morning I received the copy you sent me of the questionnaire you filled out for school, and I must say it's as fine a masterpiece as you have ever written....I believe it would set world records in the Truth Stretchers Hall of Fame. But I must take exception to "Chicken Thief." You are not a chicken thief! You are a Chicken Liberator of the Highest Order. If I am ever a chicken and need liberating, I know just who to call.

  Love,

  your (fellow liberator) grandmother.

  Miss Eula

  * * *

  12

  June 25

  "Let's see." Ruby's mother stood barefoot in her kitchen, wrapping loaves of fig bread fresh from the oven. Her hair was in a braid down her back. She used her arm to wipe sweat from her forehead. "Will you take some of these loaves to Miss Mattie, Ruby, since you are going to the schoolhouse? I know she loves it, and I'm trying a new recipe."

  Ruby frowned. "Will you write her a note, so I don't have to explain it to her?"

  Her mother sighed. "I guess I can. Go get your wagon, and I'll scribble something for Miss Mattie."

  Ruby came back with Bemmie in the wagon. Bemmie wore a bandanna collar with a ribbon tied to it and looped around the wagon slats.

  "Heavens! Is she going with you?"

  "She has to go. I don't trust her with Ivy. I'll keep her out of the way."

  Ruby loaded the box of bread loaves into the wagon, next to Bemmie, who screeched, squawked, and acted like she had no room to move. Ruby patted her. "Hush now, you silly. You get to go on a field trip. You'll like it at the schoolhouse."

  Evelyn Lavender slipped her feet into a pair of clogs. "I'll be at Peterson's Ranch while you're gone. I'm going to take some of this bread to Mr. Ishee and meet him."

  Ruby waved. "Don't eat anything out there."

  The wagon bumped and banged over the dirt road. Bemmie squawked in protest the whole way. Ruby sang to her. Honeybees played in the trumpet vines that lined the road.

  The school was chock-full. Ruby pulled her wagon around back and parked it under a shady chinaberry tree. She squatted and looked Bemmie in the eye. "You wait here. I've got a delivery to make, then I'll bring you some water." Bemmie gave Ruby an outraged look and a loud squawk.

  Ruby lifted the box of bread with a humppph! and walked into the open back door of the schoolhouse, the door nearest the stage. Coming in from the brilliant sunshine, she was instantly blind and cool. She stopped in the darkness of the hallway to let her eyes adjust.

  She heard a piano playing—that would be Mrs. Varnado at the piano, so Voxie was probably there, too. She'd introduce her to Dove. As Ruby made her way through the hallway, she heard Melba Jane begin to sing. She could see Melba in her mind's eye, beating on her chest, falling to her knees, raising her hands to the skies, the way she always did when she was on stage. Sickening.

  Ruby found Miss Mattie sitting in the aisle seat in the tenth row, a clipboard on her lap, listening intently to Melba. Four more listeners sat with her, each with pencils poised and clipboards ready.

  Ruby put the box down in the darkened aisle and handed Miss Mattie the note from her mother. Miss Mattie read it and gave Ruby a Yes-yes-I-understand-thank-you-leave-me-alone-for-now-I'm-doing-important-work wave. Ruby nodded and walked back the way she had come, without even glancing at Melba Jane. Listening was bad enough.

  She stopped at the girls' bathroom and took a mayonnaise lid out of her front overalls pocket and filled it with water. Then she walked into the brightness, shielding her eyes with her hand. "Here you go, Bemmie girl."

  Ruby squinted. The wagon was empty. The ribbon and the bandanna lay limp on the ground. Bemmie was gone.

  "Good garden of peas!" Ruby put the lid of water into the empty wagon. She hadn't the first notion how to go about looking for a runaway chicken. Should she go back the way she came? Maybe Bemmie was on her way back to the chicken yard, determined to get to Ivy's eggs.

  She hardly had time to think about it before the screaming started. It came from inside the schoolhouse, a high-pitched scream followed by "Get it off of meeeeeeeeel" Melba.

  13

  Ruby raced inside the schoolhouse. She felt her way, tripping up the three back steps to the stage in the sudden darkness. In a panic, she slapped the heavy backstage curtain, trying to find an opening to the stage. The piano played splank!-splink!-splunk! splank!-splink!-splunk! over and over, down the scale, up the scale. Ruby crawled under the velvet curtain and stood up.

  There was Bemmie, on the piano keys. Mrs. Varnado had plastered herself against the wall next to the piano and had squeezed her eyes shut.

  The scenery crew rushed onstage. Tot's hands flew to her chest. Dove clutched a roll of construction paper and shouted to Melba. "It's okay] It's only a chicken] A chicken]" But Melba wasn't okay. She was hysterical.

  Bemmie cocked her head, then jumped off the piano and raced for Melba, squawking with excitement, as if she'd found her long-lost, screaming mother. Melba's eyes popped as big as tea cakes. She ran.

  Miss Mattie was on her feet. "Get that chicken out of here!" Melba stumbled past Ruby, smacked into the velvet curtain, and slid to the floor. Ruby lunged for Bemmie, but Bemmie scrabbled across Melba's back. Melba vaulted to her feet, upsetting a ladder. It toppled with a crash. Bemmie screamed and made a flying leap off the stage. Miss Mattie tried to swat her with her clipboard, but Bemmie veered and raced for the open back door of the schoolhouse and ran out.

  Miss Mattie stomped up the front-stage stairs. Ruby stood with the others, looking at Melba Jane. Melba stood very still. She was silent, and she was blue. A can of paint had been on the top step of the ladder, and now, from her head to her toes, Melba was covered in it. Paint slid over her head like a peacock-blue silk scarf. It drip, drip, dripped onto her shoulders, her nose, her crepe-paper dress, and her shiny red shoes.

  No one spoke. The auditorium that had echoed with screeching and crashing just moments before was now as quiet as a grave.

  "How could you bring that thicken in here?"

  Miss Mattie's voice broke the silence, and suddenly everyo
ne was talking at once, surrounding Melba Jane, grabbing for a roll of paper towels to mop her up. Ruby tore her eyes away from Melba and turned, with her mouth open, to Miss Mattie. Nothing came out. She was peppered with dust from crawling under the backstage curtain, and her red hair slopped out of its ponytail and stuck out in a dozen different directions.

  Melba stood like a statue. Tot grabbed a drop cloth from the floor and wrapped it around Melba Jane. "She's in shock." She picked her up in her large arms, paint oozing everywhere. "Where's the bathroom? We need water."

  Miss Mattie whirled away from Ruby. "The hose is out back. She needs to be hosed off now, if that paint's going to come off."

  Tot shook her head. "She needs warmth." She looked at Melba. "Bless your heart. We'll fix you right up, sweetheart, bless your heart." Melba's eyes were closed. She looked dead.

  Mrs. Varnado had recovered her wits. "This way." She led the way to the girls' bathroom. Ruby followed the crowd, trying to explain. "It, was an accident ... honest. I didn't mean for Bemmie to get in here. I was just keeping her away from Ivy ... Ivy's about to have chicks, and..." Her voice trailed off as a low wailing began inside the girls' bathroom.