The Precious Ruby (The Precious Trilogy Book 1)

by C Renee

  “What? The fucking hospital: What is going on Louise? Do I need to call the fucking cops? Do I need to call your parents?” She sounds more frantic than I imagined she would be.

  “No, no and no, look I’ll explain everything when you come pick me up, okay,” I beg her.

  “Okay, I’ll be there in 15 minutes, don’t do anything stupid.”

  I put my phone back in my bag, exhale a breath I didn’t know I was holding, sit on the bus bench and just wait, thinking back to the events of last week and thinking I actually did it.

  I left Matt.

  Steph’s black Mercedes pulls up to the curb, she jumps out of the car and starts running towards me, but stops just as she sees my arm in a cast and a bandage around my head.

  “What on earth has happened to you? Where is Matt?” She asks while looking around the empty parking lot looking for Matt or his boys but she won’t find them here.

  “Look, can we please go back your apartment and I will tell you everything that has happened, please?” I beg, I look her way and she just gives me tight nod and motions for me to get into the car.

  I hesitate before getting in the car and Steph notices. She walks around to my side with her arms open for a hug and I walk right into them.

  She gives me a tight squeeze and whispers in my ear, “I’ve missed you Louise, you are strong and a survivor. I believe in you.” She lets go and I inhale a shaky breath before getting into the car. I forgot how comfortable I am around Steph. She is like a sister I never had. I have missed her.

  We reached her apartment building and it doesn’t look much different from what it did three years ago when I was here the last time.

  The tall building is built on a quieter side of town and is six stories high. It’s old but has a modern look to it. The building has dark brown or rusty brown bricks; I can’t tell what color they are now since it has aged over time. There is a cream fence surrounding the building. It has an underground parking lot with security gates painted black, and a keypad to gain access. There are four apartments on each floor. They each have a different colored door. Steph’s door is blue and her apartment is on the fifth floor.

  Once we get inside I look around the apartment, it hasn’t changed much except for being classier and it feels more sophisticated. I walk over to the living room and noticed paintings on the walls. I don’t recognize them. The furniture has a homey feel and fresh flowers in modern white vases make the place smell great.

  I sit on the couch and rest my head in my hands, thinking back over the last week and how my life has taken a turn for the worst. I honestly thought this was a good idea, running away from Matt. I couldn’t stay any longer because I feared for my life.

  Steph sits directly across from me, hands in her lap.

  “First, I am so sorry I called you so late, and on a Sunday when I know you probably have work tomorrow, it’s just my parents phones were disconnected and I had no one else to call. So let’s start with a recap of the last three years. Well it started out amazing with Matt, he was so charming and great in the sack, but then after a while things started to go downhill. At first I didn’t notice it, and then when his dad died, that’s when things got ugly. He hit me for the first time and he felt so guilty and regretted it soon after so I forgave him, but it never stopped, it only got worse. Last week was the turning point for me and that’s when I decided to leave him. When he found out I left, he probably got his boys to follow me and run me off the road and that’s how I ended up in hospital. The doctors said I am lucky to be alive.” I look Steph square in the eye when I said alive. She looks like she’s seen a ghost with tears running down her face.

  “M-my god, Lou, I am so sorry this has happened to you. I don’t want you leaving this apartment until we know for sure Matt and his dirty, feral buddies aren’t looking for you anymore.” She gets up and makes her way towards the couch I’m on, sits down next to me and hugs me for the longest time. I can’t catch my breath and before I’ve realized, I’m sobbing into her shoulder. “Oh, Lou, it’s going to be okay,” she mummers into my hair while rubbing my back.

  The next morning comes too quickly; I sit up stiffly in bed. I’m still so sore from the accident and lying in bed for nearly a week. Steph set up the bed in the spare room with more blankets than I can count, and the pillow was soft enough for my arm to rest on. She then tucked me in and didn’t leave without kissing my forehead. God I’ve missed her.

  I smell coffee wafting in from the kitchen. I need coffee and coffee needs me. I head towards the kitchen to find Steph hunched over the counter reading the newspaper. She’s dressed in black suit pants, a bright red blouse, and killer red pumps. Her blonde locks are pulled up into a messy but neat bun. I envy how business like she looks. It suits her.

  “Oh, Lou, you should be in bed! I have to leave for work in ten minutes to make it by nine, but please make yourself at home and I’ll be home by seven tonight. I’ll bring home dinner, but everything you need is in the same place since the last time you were here.” She walks towards the front door but stops in front of me, leans down and hugs me before she grabs her bag and keys and head towards the front door.

  I’m left alone again. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

  I make myself a cup of strong black coffee, sit back down on the couch, and turn on the TV to drown out my thoughts. The medicine the doctors prescribed are very strong and will knock me out again soon enough, but it helps with the throbbing headache and the pain in my left arm.

  I grab the same newspaper Steph was looking at before she left and I start browsing the job section, because let’s face it, I’m stuck in limbo. I need to get a job to stabilize my life, and I hope Steph can let me stay with her while I get my feet back on the ground.

  I’ve circled a couple of things, like a waitressing job, a receptionist for a bank and a telephone company, you know, one of those boring jobs of calling people and convincing them to trade phone companies. Yeah, I don’t like my options either, but they will do. I plan on setting out as soon as I’ve spoken to Steph tonight.

  I wake up drowsy on the couch and look over at the clock and it’s only 6:30 p.m., I’ve slept for a few hours. Steph should be back soon, so I opted to have a shower and freshen up before a deep conversation is to be had with her about my future. “Argh,” I groan.

  The least favorite thing I want to do now is have a shower when it used to be the best ever. This cast is going to be the death of me. I wrap it up in plastic because that is so attractive. I can’t wait for the itching to start. By then I’ll have no hair left from me pulling it out instead. I’ll go mad.

  The shower was a success, it stayed dry and now I’m flicking through old magazines when I hear the front door opening. The smell of pasta sweeps into the apartment and my stomach rumbles. Yum, it smells delicious.

  “Hey, Lou, I’ve brought dinner back, are you hungry?” She rounds the corner and spots me on the couch, and sees my expression of ‘Who are you kidding?’

  “Ah, yes I am starving, what did you bring?” I already know it’s pasta but what type I wasn’t sure.

  “It’s your favorite, chicken and avocado penne with a bottle of the finest white wine in LA,” she says as she places the brown paper bags down on the kitchen table.

  We have loaded our plate’s full of food and huge wine glasses filled right up to the top.

  “God, this is amazing. Seriously, Steph you are my lifesaver, in more ways than one. I thank you form the bottom of my heart.” I say around a mouthful of food.

  “You’re very much welcome, now to some serious topics. When are we hitting the town to get you laid? Hmm? Because girl, you need a rebound fuck desperately and I need my wing girl back. It’s been too long.” She asks over the rim of her wine glass before taking a big sip.

  “Geez, I’m in a cast for two to six weeks, which sucks because going out sounds just like what I need. Rebound fuck, not so much. After what I’ve been through, no man will touch me with a 10-foot po
le,” I say to her.

  “Okay, true. Well, you can’t hide out here for six weeks. I mean you are more than welcome to stay as long as you need, and I know you’ll need a job because I know you, you can’t sit on your ass all day. You’ll get so bored, and then I’ll have to kick you out for annoying the shit out of me.” She looks at me before continuing, “And, you wouldn’t believe this, but your timing is actually perfect because we have a position open in the firm I’m working at. They need another project accountant. You’ll be working just a few floors below me and the pay is excellent. The best part is we get to meet filthy rich men, go to amazing dinner parties, and go overseas to look at high profile accounts.” She squeals with delight.

  “Okay, okay. Well I suppose I can put a job application in and you can put in a good word in for me. I think living and working together would be just great,” I say as I make my way to the kitchen with the dirty plates and to fill up our wine glasses before sitting back down across from Steph, who looks like she just won the lottery.

  The next morning, I get up with a spring in my step, knowing I have a real purpose while being in LA. Working alongside Steph would be amazing, if I get the job. I also get to live with her until I find my own place, go out to clubs, enjoy myself, and make up for the last three years that I’ve missed out on when I couldn’t do anything. I don’t even want to think about those times. I hate not getting in contact with my parents while I’m in town but I don’t even have their new phone number. I have searched on the internet for any clues or hints about their new number but I have been coming up empty, I’m still afraid to drive past my old home just in case Matt’s boys is watching the house.

  I open my laptop that was surprisingly undamaged in the car accident, pull up my email and send off my application to the email address Steph left out for me before she went to work.

  The note reads:

  Lou, the email is finance@housing.com

  Please email them your application.

  I know you’ll get this job and love it.

  Love U

  She really is the best.

  After hanging out and waiting around in the apartment for a few hours with my laptop opened, refreshing my email page every five minutes to see if I get a reply, I finally decide to give up and go find something to eat, when I hear my email notification chirp. I race to the laptop, dropping food in the process to see what email it is.

  I scan the inbox for new emails and only spot junk mail. Well that was a little disappointing as it was an Ad to get my breasts enlarged. Seriously, who sends these kinds of emails?

  I get back up off the couch and clean up the mess I’ve made on the floor. Once that is clean I pace the living room, hoping that by five o’clock I’ll get an email from the firm, luckily enough that’s about 48 minutes and 10 seconds away. Not like I’m counting or anything.

  In the remaining time I have left before five comes around I clean the spare room, well my room, and think I need to hit the stores and buy little nick knacks to make it somewhat mine or the feeling of home at least. I didn’t go through my savings or even my earnings that I got from my waitressing job. Matt covered all the costs, as he should.

  I probably should get Steph to take me. It will be a fun girl’s day out and we can catch up on all things she got up too in the last three years. Oh, and the fact that I have no car right now would be another reason to make Steph go with me. I really must get that sorted out too.

  I haven’t realized what the time is until I hear the front door open and Steph prances around with her bag in one hand and an envelope in the other. Seriously why is she in such a great mood?

  “Well, hello Miss Sunshine, what has got you in a cheery mood today?” I ask when I round the corner to the lounge room.

  “Oh, nothing just had a great day at work and oh, this letter is for you. I wonder what it could be,” she says as she hands me the letter with a knowing smile on her face, eyes twinkling.

  I look at it, turning it over and over, and the only thing printed on it, is my name, Louise Carter. I rip it open and it’s from the firm where I applied this morning.

  “Well, what does it say?” She’s smiling at me. I think she already knows what’s inside.

  I read aloud the key points of this letter:

  “Dear Louise,

  We congratulate you on your wonderful resume; we have accepted you to take up the position of project accountant.

  You will be advised to start this coming Monday.

  I look forward to meeting and working with you.

  Yours,

  Andrew Gates.

  CEO of Finance Funding”

  “Wow, I got the job,” I squeal with delight, jumping up and down on the spot. Once I’m out of breath I race over to Steph and give her the biggest hug.

  “I can’t believe it. I’m going to be working alongside you, going to events and having the best time ever, but first things first, will you take me to the doctors on Friday to see if I can get this cast off by Monday?”

  “Yeah, of course I will, but after that, you owe me a couple of drinks at La Crush down the road,” she says with a stern look in her eye, which means she will end up getting her way.

  “Yes, fine, only if the cast comes off.”

  Chapter Five

  Louise

  THE WEEK HAS FLOWN by with me getting decorations for my new room and waiting around the apartment for when Steph got back from work. I was a little nervous to go out in public on my own and Steph completely understood. I didn’t want to have an anxiety attack in the middle of a clothes shop and embarrass us both. It’s Friday afternoon and I’m sitting patiently in the waiting room at the doctor with Steph.

  A nurse sitting behind a large wooden desk looks at the computer and looks over at the waiting area. I’m surprised she can see anyone when the large vase full of red roses in her line of sight. She decides for a better plan when she steps out from behind the desk and walks towards the waiting area.

  “Miss Carter?” She looks around the room and I get up to meet her across the room with Steph in tow.

  “Please follow me to room 24.” We follow her down the cold, white, sterile corridor. I mean you could lighten this place up with some color or artwork. Paintings are always nice on walls.

  We are standing outside of room 24 and she reaches her arm up to knock quietly on the door. When it opens, Dr. Grim meets us on the other side of it. He is wearing his usual facial expression. He always looks very grim, angry and sad. Today isn’t any different so his name really does suit him.

  “Welcome back, Miss Carter. I see you’ve brought a very pretty friend,” he says while looking Steph over, his eyes licking every inch of her. Gross. She is used to getting that kind of attention from men and sometimes even women.

  Dr. Grim is wearing brown pants with a blue cotton shirt with his white doctors’ coat over the top. His graying hair is neat, and he is well-groomed for an older man. I would say he would be hitting around the late 40’s.

  He steps aside to let us both into his office which only has room for a desk, which is kept very tidy, and an examination bed in the back corner with a sink and trash can next to it. Yet again, there are no paintings on either wall. Is this hospital against paintings or something?

  “Have a seat on the bed Louise and we will take a look at your x-rays and the cast on your arm.”

  I take a seat on the bed and of course it squeaks a little bit. Dr. Grim is putting on blue gloves while walking towards me.

  “Alright, let’s take a look.” He holds up the arm x-ray towards the light and you can faintly see the little fracture in my radius. He studies it for some time before placing it back on his desk and resumes walking towards me.

  “The fracture is looking promising, which means you might be out of this cast a lot sooner than we anticipated. Hold out your arm for me while I check out your cast.”

  I lift my arm up so he can get a better look at it. He reaches around the cast feeling for my m
ovements and whether it’s hurting or not. It’s not, so I’m taking that as a good sign I’ll be able to get the cast off sooner than I thought. I glance over to where Steph is sitting. She looks so casual yet amazing in her choice of clothes today. She’s got on her come fuck me jeans, a blue tank top, and her blonde curls are loose around her shoulders. She’s getting anxious to leave the hospital and away from bad memories, she has never liked them.

  The first time Steph spoken about her parents was when we had to study for our first exams of the year. It was the year we became friends and gotten really close being roommates. We were in our dorm room, on the carpeted floor. Our backs were aching and our bums were starting to become numb but we kept going to get our studying out of the way. We crouched over the textbooks and started talking about our families back home.

  “My parents are the most annoying beings on the planet. Lou go do this, Lou go do that. I honestly never get a break every time I go visit them. I love them to death but I wish they could just appreciate the time we have together before I come back here. They are lucky my brother is in Spain right now or he will complain to me every five minutes too.” I told Steph about how my brother Seth was a reporter and traveled a lot, which is why he is never home. My parents needed to harass one of their children.

  “Oh, your parents sound lucky to have you, unfortunately my parents died in a car accident when I was only 10, so I didn’t get to grow up with them. Instead, my Aunt Joe took me under her wing and raised me as her own,” she told me with a sad voice full of regret and loneliness.