Ruby's Palace

by KERRY BARNES

  Ruby had gone off alone and purchased the bridal dress. It was the only part of the wedding which she was allowed to plan. The rest was down to Ocean. That’s how he wanted it. So he said. She felt guilty her family were not involved in her plans and knew, deep down, what she was doing was wrong. But she had fallen for Ocean hook, line and sinker, and wanted to be married to him, come what may. He was everything she dreamt of in a husband: extremely handsome, no push over, and a successful businessman.

  The bridal shop had been ready for her arrival. She had already booked the appointment and the staff were on hand to dress the princess. They had asked how much budget she had before she arrived and when she’d replied ‘I don’t have a maximum’, they had presented her with the most expensive dresses in the shop.

  Eagerly, they fussed over her, like a scene out of Pretty Woman. Within the hour she had picked out the gown, the tiara and the shoes. The bill was over ten thousand pounds but Ruby didn’t flinch. After all, it was her day so, since she would have no family there, she indulged in her fantasy dress and trimmings.

  On the eve of the wedding, Ocean decided to leave Ruby to see Kizzy, but was met with a sulky response.

  “Ocean, please don’t go, I am all alone.” Her voice mimicked a small child, irritating him even more.

  “It’s tradition that we do not spend the night together. You want this to be the perfect marriage, don’t you?” He tried hard to keep his tone soft as underneath he was griping.

  She nodded furiously.

  “Then, Ruby, let’s follow the rules, and meet at the church tomorrow as planned.” With that he kissed her on the forehead and left.

  She heard his car start up and speed away and Ruby experienced the sudden sound of silence. It made her want to see Jack and at least tell him what was going on, but she’d promised Ocean she would not tell a soul – it would be their secret. It had barely been three weeks and already she missed her family. The flat was small and boring compared to her home. Ocean was fairly reserved and worked long hours, or so she thought. Her life had been very different. She had grown up in a family who worked evenings and were mainly around during the day. At some point that would change, as he would be by her side in the club. That much she had established. She remembered his words: ‘Imagine it, Ruby, me and you, side by side, running the Palace. We can spend so much more time together.’ She knew it wouldn’t be right away, as she’d have to convince the family, and that certainly wasn’t going to be easy. He would have to prove himself first.

  She smiled, believing he wanted the same as her, innocently oblivious to his scam.

  Trying the dress on for the hundredth time, she felt satisfied and took herself off to bed. She tossed and turned for hours before she eventually drifted off. She had many unpleasant dreams during the night. In one, she dreamt of being stood up at the altar. In another, she had gained two stone overnight so her dress didn’t fit, but she awoke to find she was still slim. The seriousness of what she was about to do was pushed to the back of her mind. Nothing, and no one, was going to ruin her day. She tried to convince herself that it was no big deal her family weren’t attending: more important was the man she loved saying, ‘I do’. They would come around and maybe one day have another wedding, or blessing, but for now she contemplated which lipstick to wear, red or pink.

  *

  The bells were ringing as Ruby pulled up outside the church. The driver had been paid extra to put a ribbon on the bonnet and wear a suit for the occasion. The bouquet arrived just before she left. Standing in front of the mirror, alone, without her dad or her aunt beside her, she had let a tiny tear run down her cheek.

  The driver didn’t want to hang around so, as soon as he arrived at the church and walked her to the entrance, he was gone in a flash. The suit he was wearing was his son’s, which he had pinched from the wardrobe, and the car was his neighbour’s, who had left him the keys to the house whilst they were off on holiday.

  The sun was out. It was perfect weather for a wedding. Ruby initially liked the old church because it had a certain rustic charm. The grass was overgrown, the gate hung off its hinges, and there were red roses growing wild amongst the gravestones. Levi stood at the entrance, dressed smartly in what looked like an expensive suit. He smiled at Ruby – quite a genuine smile for a cocaine dealer who was about to lead her, quite literally, up the garden path.

  “You look lovely, babe.” He meant it, she did. Her dress was simple but stunning, and her tiny tiara twinkled in the sunlight.

  The music began to play with a rickety organ bellowing out ‘Here comes the bride’. A stunned Ruby would not have chosen that song. It was too outdated now. The inside looked quite dark and pokey, with only a short walk to the altar. Levi held her arm to lead her up the aisle. She cringed. To her relief there stood Ocean, dressed in a navy blue suit, looking so handsome and smiling back at her, giving her encouragement.

  It hurt her to have a random man walking her down the aisle when really she should have had her father there, and Jack too. She kept her eyes on Ocean, not wanting to look away for one second. It was as if he had an imaginary string pulling her towards him. Standing next to him was another man; she later discovered he was called Farley, another member of the O’Connell family. Sitting in the front row was a big fat man with red cheeks who, throughout the service, stared with contempt at Ruby. Billy could see she was the daughter of Sam Vincent. She was his double and that made him hate her even more. He never did get over the beating Sam gave him. Just like Farley, he never forgot the hiding he took that night. So the O’Connells had no remorse for what they were doing. Billy smugly thought of Sam’s face when he found out his beloved princess had married a pikey – an Irish fucking tinker – and now half the club belonged to him. He wanted to laugh out loud. That would teach those Vincents.

  Farley acted as the best man throughout the service, nudging Ocean, and fumbling to find the rings whilst pretending he had lost them. Ruby concentrated on Ocean’s face, desperately trying to overlook the fact that the doom and gloom of an empty church and lack of guests was an omen. If she’d had more time, the church would have been decorated with thousands of roses lining the aisle, huge pillar candles, a choir, and a priest who was clean and sober. However, if she had delayed the wedding perhaps Ocean would have changed his mind.

  Father O’Leary was drunk, as shown by the fact he was swaying from side to side. Ruby could smell the fags and booze on his breath, but she tried to concentrate on the words which left Ocean’s mouth. He took his time and seemed to falter over the vowels, which unnerved her. He looked at Levi and Billy, who were silently cheering him on.

  “I do!” he finally said, much to her relief.

  Ruby whizzed through her lines, except when she had to repeat all of Ocean’s names, which went on forever.

  The service was over in a matter of minutes, to the delight of all present except, of course, Ruby. This wasn’t her fantasy wedding but he was the man of her dreams. Outside, the wind blew the dust and ancient, faded confetti up and into Ruby’s face. Ocean wasn’t holding her hand. He was being patted on the back by his mates. No photographer, no bells and no fresh confetti, so she assumed it was the gypsy way.

  They left the church and drove to the nearest pub.

  Ruby felt ridiculous in her dress, veil and bouquet, but their decision to have a simple, quiet affair was made and lived to the letter.

  “A toast!” said Levi, raising his glass. “To Ruby Palace and Ocean.”

  Everyone raised their glasses and laughed. Ruby didn’t get the joke as she thought they were calling her Ruby Palace. Their toasts and well wishes were for Ocean and the clubs. They now had more than a large foot in the door. In fact, they had half of Pikeyville.

  “So, Ruby, gal, what’s it feel like to be a traveller?” Billy was smug and had a sneer on his face.

  She didn’t find him funny. She felt as though they were ribbing her but was unsure why. She looked at Ocean for encouragement but he was r
aising his glass and laughing too.

  “So, when ya gonna start making little chavis, then?” asked Levi, who was hunched in his seat, sipping on his champagne.

  Before she could answer, he leaned forward, tickled her stomach and laughed. “Knowing our Osh, you may already be in the baby way!”

  Ruby grabbed Ocean’s leg, hoping he would stop the men being so rude, but he was also laughing.

  “We ain’t gonna be breeding just yet. Gotta get that club making plenty of money before we start popping ‘em out,” said Ocean, who appeared to be knocking back the bubbly as if it was apple juice. She noticed his accent had changed and he spoke just like his friends. His words started to ring alarm bells. He talked as if he owned the Palace.

  “I love the ring, Ocean. Was it your grandmothers?” Ruby could tell it was old and assumed it had a sentimental attachment to it.

  Farley roared with laughter. “Well, it belonged to someone’s grandmother!” he said between the rapture.

  She frowned. “What do you mean?” Her voice was firm now. She’d had enough of the jibes and mockery and Ocean sensed it right away. It was too early in the game to piss her off. “Of course it is, my gal. Had it put away until I found the right woman.”

  Ruby relaxed. He was a good man, even if his mates were a pain in the backside.

  The O’Connells realised they had gone too far and decided to play it Ocean’s way.

  “Take no notice of us,” said Farley. “We are only larking around.”

  Ruby looked at the three stooges and tried to burst out laughing, but instead she had a sudden urge to cry. This wedding: the best man a pikey, no father to give her away, no bridesmaids, and not a single member of her family there to toast her future happiness. It was a complete shambles. This was looking like a huge mistake – one she would have to live with, like the old saying: ‘You made your bed, now lie in it’.

  All the excitement, followed by anxiety, had left Ruby at a low point. “Shall we go now, Ocean? I’m a little tired.”

  Her whining got up Ocean’s nose. The drink had been flowing, the laughs were getting louder, and he was having too much fun to leave and end up in a marital bed with a woman he plainly did not fancy.

  “Listen, Ruby, I’m gonna have a few more drinks to celebrate… our marriage.” He turned his back on her, signifying his distaste for her comment.

  She gazed around the pub and realised the grottiness of it. She looked down at her beautiful dress, which may as well have been bought from Oxfam for all the attention anyone gave her. The strong scent from the bouquet was a relief from the vile stench coming from the men’s toilets. As the men laughed and talked in a language alien to her, a scruffy, old man came wobbling over to their table. He held a full pint of beer in his hand and swayed. He reminded Ruby of Dopey, out of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Just as he reached the table, he tripped and the contents shot from the glass and completely covered her. She gasped as the beer was so cold, and instantly jumped to her feet, trying desperately to wipe away the brown, wet mess.

  The old man, in his paralytic state, tried to apologise. He had only wanted to congratulate them.

  Instead of the men getting up to help her, they laughed. They roared uncontrollably, including Ocean, who was red-faced and trying to catch his breath. She ran from the table and headed to the toilets to try to clean the dark stain. The full-length mirror had a crack, giving Ruby the illusion of two dresses. She tried to wash away the marks with wet tissues but, to her dismay and frustration, they crumpled and imbedded into the material. Just as she was about to leave, a young woman came bursting in. She was drunk and giggled at Ruby, “Fancy dress, ain’t it?”

  She took one more look in the mirror before the tears began to fall. Her world had crashed down around her and she was beside herself with sadness.

  The men hadn’t noticed Ruby was still missing. An hour passed before Ocean decided to look for his young bride – his future wealth.

  She was propped on an old school chair in the ladies’ toilets when he walked in.

  Her face was swollen from crying and she appeared so sullen he actually felt sorry for her.

  “Ruby, what are ya doing?” His voice was gentle as he helped her up from the chair.

  “I just want to go home, Ocean,” she whispered in a soft and defeated tone.

  Ocean panicked. He realised then he had pushed her too far.

  “You don’t want to go back to your father’s, let’s go to my flat,” he said as he stared into her confused face.

  “Ocean… I meant our flat. That is my home now!”

  He smiled with relief. “Of course it is, my babe.”

  His words comforted her and he left the pub with his arms around her shoulders.

  Lucky for him, the wedding night was spent with his bride curled in a ball asleep.

  Ocean sat in the living room, looking at a blank TV screen, going over the day’s events. He didn’t know whether he felt sorry for Ruby or if he was suffering from guilt, but whatever it was he couldn’t rest. His mind then wandered to Kizzy, as it normally did, and what she would do if she knew. He shuddered and then realised the sense of unease and discomfort was really overwhelming regret. He would have to keep up this pretence and hide this sick secret from his true love. His stomach being in knots sobered him up. All of this to make a better life for Kizzy and him, but what if she got wind of it; how could he explain this? The thoughts rambled around in his head until eventually he fell asleep, still upright on the sofa.

  When Friday night arrived, Ocean was nervous and yet excited. He would be walking into the club as part owner with his head held high and whoever got in his way would get fired. He could hear Ruby on the phone. She made excuses not to go into work.

  “Jack, I am fine, I promise you, but I am just having a girl’s monthly, so if you can get Dad to cover for me, I will be in next week… Yes, Jack, I know it’s been a month but I’m okay,” was all Ocean heard.

  “Ruby!” he called from the living room.

  Ruby obediently walked into the lounge to see Ocean looking white and tight-faced.

  She turned her head to the side like a confused dog.

  “What’s up?” she asked.

  “I heard you telling Jack you’re not going to the club again!”

  She nodded.

  “Well, are you ashamed of me or something? We are husband and wife now. The sooner you tell them, the better.”

  Ruby’s eyes widened. “Ocean, I’m really not up to it and, besides, we are still on our honeymoon. Why don’t we spend time together – just us this weekend?”

  His disappointment turned to anger.

  “We need to start how we mean to go on. Now then, get your gear on, and let’s get to work.”

  Ruby was flabbergasted. “Ocean, what do you mean, ‘let’s get to work’?”

  Ocean got up from his chair and a sarcastic grin spread across his face.

  “As your husband, I will come to work with you. I can’t have my beautiful wife looked at by other men, now can I? The sooner they know you are a married woman, the better. I thought we had agreed I should work right alongside you!” He put his arms around her shoulder and kissed her on the forehead.

  Ruby knew her father would never have that in a million years. Husband, or not, he was still a gypsy.

  “Ocean,” her voice was low and sweet, “it’s not that simple. My family have to agree to it.”

  “What?” screeched Ocean. “It’s your fucking club, Ruby. Why do you need their permission?”

  Ruby frowned. “It’s not just my club, it’s Jack’s too.”

  Her heart sank. He spoke in such a spiteful manner. It was a side to him she hadn’t seen before.

  “You never told me he owned it too. You led me to believe it was just yours. It’s called Ruby’s Palace, for fuck’s sake!” His mind raced and all he could think about now was how to tell the others that their clever little plan was not very clever after all.

  He
walked into the kitchen, away from Ruby, to get his thoughts in order, emerging a few moments later. “Ruby, who has the bigger share? Is it you or Jack?” His voice was calm.

  Ruby didn’t like his questions. The club was none of his business, but she didn’t want to upset him.

  “I don’t know. All I know is the Palace was given to Jack and me as a present.”

  Ocean was irritated by her lack of knowledge and let his guard down. “It doesn’t matter, I suppose. I am still part owner, being married to you.”

  As the words left his tongue, the realisation hit him. And it was too late to take them back.

  “I just mean, err… that I can help you become successful as a partner.” His feeble excuse for such an outburst didn’t wash with Ruby. She suddenly woke up out of a bad dream. Her brain went into gear and she realised Ocean wanted the club, not her. Her heart felt heavy. She looked into the eyes of the first man she really thought she loved and it hurt her like nothing on earth. She searched his face for answers but he stared back, not knowing what to say.

  She fled and sat on the bed. Her arms shook and the lump in her throat grew but she refused to cry. She looked around the room. It was suffocating her. The walls closed in and the room darkened; her chest tightened and her breathing became hard. The tingling sensation muddled her thoughts. She dragged herself to her feet but suddenly went crashing to the floor. The loud bang was when she hit her head on the corner of the bed. She lay unconscious for a few minutes. Ocean had left the flat before Ruby had collapsed. There was no one there to see to her when she came to, making her vision of Ocean even more disturbing. She scrambled to her feet, feeling sick and trembling. The room was in focus but her thoughts were still hazy.

  She called for her husband but he was gone. Her phone was on the bed and she tried to dial his number. However, it was switched off or he was on the phone talking to someone else.

  She saw her car keys on the sofa. In a flash, she snatched them and ran, leaving the flat door open and her belongings behind. She blindly headed to her parked car, hoping her light-headedness left her soon, so she could concentrate on her driving to get home to her dad and Jack. The cool night air was refreshing on her sweaty skin. She sat for a few seconds, drawing in the freshness, before she managed to get herself together and drive the distance home. The radio played an old sixties song and Ruby focused. With the windows down and the music soothing her soul, she eventually made it home safe and sound.