Embittered Ruby (34 page)

“You’ll be served your brunch in a family-style manner as our program opens with the award-winning choral group from St. Anthony’s. Following that…well, you’ll just have to wait and see.” Ben grinned and stepped off the bridge then turned to help Alicia navigate the cobblestones.

The kitchen doors swung open, and a dozen servers dressed in period clothes pushed tottery wooden carts into the dining room. Bread towered on one of them…wheat, rye, pumpernickel, bagels of every variety, doughnuts, scones. A recovering carb addict’s nightmare.

The man pushing the fruit cart leaned to his right as he attempted to steer his heavy burden. What would happen if those oranges, pomegranates, peaches, and apples avalanched off the cart and slid across the room? Justin jumped up to help him.

Justin? How had Carmen not seen him yet that morning? He looked amazing in that rich-chocolate sweater and a pair of slick khakis. It hadn’t even occurred to her that he’d be there.

Her hands shook as she selected a steaming pumpkin scone and a dollop of almond butter.

Carmen considered the offerings of the next cart. “Ham for me, please.” The roast beef looked too rare for her taste, and she wasn’t a big fan of salmon. A huge serving bowl of scrambled eggs, one of hash brown potatoes, and another of gravy appeared on their table. A biscuit basket came next, followed by a tray of bacon.

Tricia looked a little uneasy as she broke a biscuit in half, leaving one half in the bowl. She drizzled a teaspoon of gravy on top.

Leila grabbed two biscuits and about six pieces of bacon, scooped a mound of eggs to the side, then ladled gravy on top of the whole feast. Looked good, if it weren’t so deadly.

Carmen nibbled on her scone as she surveyed the room. Families chattering at full tables, girls alone at others. Justin and Olivia toasting some private secret. Had he told her what Carmen had said at the wedding? Even if he had, Olivia wouldn’t assume Carmen made it up, would she? It was possible that someone at church actually said that about Olivia, wasn’t it?

Wearing layers of drab clothing and long, bright scarves, the choir filed through the library door and lined up three deep on the bridge. They sang Christmas carols and holiday songs as everyone enjoyed the decadent brunch. It wasn’t Christmas morning at home, but it was so special Carmen almost forgot about home. Which was probably Ben’s goal.

“I’m stuffed.” Carmen leaned back in her chair and puffed out her cheeks.

“Me, too.” Kira groaned. “I could use a nap now.”

“I wonder what happens when they’re done singing.” Leila buttered another cranberry scone.

As they waited for the song to end and something new to happen, Carmen felt a presence near her right ear. A folded slip of paper dropped down the front of her shirt. What? She whipped around to see Roxy slumping back to her seat with her head down.

Had anyone else seen her pass Carmen the note? Was it safe to open here, or should she go to the restroom?

Carmen slipped the note from her shirt and smoothed it on her pant leg. When she was sure no one was looking, she peeked.

The final bars of “Silent Night” echoed through the room. The lights went out, and drapes were dropped in front of the windows to darken the room. The ornate iron lampposts blinked on and illuminated the room with the help of fire.

What on earth did Roxy want? That had to be the most random note Carmen had ever gotten. Unless she counted the text message from Hillary McConnell.

A hunched figure in ritzy period clothes, carrying a bag of coins, stepped up to the bank.

“A merry Christmas, Uncle! God save you!” came from inside.

“Bah humbug!” the tottery old man shouted.

“A Christmas Carol
. They’re performing Dickens.” Carmen settled back with a grin to watch Ebenezer Scrooge come face-to-face with his past, present, and future. Would she have to do that one day? Would the spirits make her face up to all she’d done to the people she cared about? Maybe that would be the day she’d make a change, just like Scrooge.

“We need to talk.” Olivia leaned against the sink counter in the ladies’ room.

Carmen whipped her head in every direction. They were alone. She looked Olivia up and down. They were about the same size, but Carmen was much scrappier. She could take Olivia any day.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “Though I might like to.”

“I have to get back to the brunch or someone will come looking for me. I don’t want to disturb their Christmas morning by making them miss the play. Can we talk another time?”

“No.” Olivia held Carmen’s gaze. “What were you thinking?”

Deny. Deny. Deny. The first rule of treachery. “What are you talking about?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Olivia stared at Carmen.

Carmen returned the steely gaze. How long would the face-off last? She could go all day.

“Keep away from Justin.” Olivia jabbed a finger at Carmen.

“Hah. I want nothing to do with Justin. He’s not my type.” That might even be too big a lie for Carmen.

“Right. Then why did you tell him I was hooking up with some other guy?” Olivia’s eyes flashed with anger.

“Well, aren’t you?” Carmen shrugged. “It’s kind of common knowledge.”

Olivia’s jaw dropped. “No. Of course I’m not. Justin is the love of my life. He’s my best friend. There’s no one out there I’d ever risk what I have with Justin for.” She drew her brows together. “Wait. Did you say common knowledge? What are you talking about?”

“Oh, you know. Just that I heard it from more than one source.” Carmen wanted to laugh at the absurdity.

Olivia sank into a chair. “Are you telling the truth?”

Carmen offered an apologetic look. “Sorry to say, but yeah.”

“I’m going to need names.” Olivia put her head in her hands. “I have to prove nothing happened.”

“Did Justin believe the rumor?” Carmen felt the briefest fluttering of hope that the answer would be no. The girl who stood in front of her, while irritating at best, probably didn’t deserve what Carmen had done to her.

“He said he didn’t. But his eyes gave away his doubt.” Tears flowed from Olivia eyes. “What am I going to do?”

Really? “Are you sure you read him right?” Carmen grimaced. “Because if he really did doubt your innocence, is he the right guy for you?”

“What do you guys want to do for free time?” Tricia led the way to the activity room. Leila shrugged. “Whatever you guys want to do.”

“Oh, I’m going to hang out with Roxy tonight. We’re going to play Battleship and talk.”

“Really? You two are friends now?” Kira looked stunned.

“I have no idea. She just asked me to hang out with her, and I said yes.” Carmen shrugged.

“I don’t know why that’s funny, but it is.” Kira laughed. “You and Roxy playing Battleship together. How bizarre.”

“I don’t know. I think it’s good for you both to make friends.”

Leila coughed.

Tricia pulled the door to the activity room open and let the others pass.

Carmen spied Roxy on the other side, facing the window with her back to the room. The game was spread out in front of her as she waited for her partner. Carmen crossed the room,

past the group watching
Facing the Giants
on the big-screen TV, past the health nuts on the treadmill, and past the reading corner to slide into the seat across from Roxy. Carmen smiled. “I’m glad you’ve called this meeting.” Roxy didn’t smile.

Was she okay? “What’s up? Seriously. Is something wrong?”

“I need to get out of here. You have to help me.” Roxy glanced to both sides. “Word is you know a secret passageway.” “What?” How did word spread like that? Who would have told? It had to be Tricia or Kira. Or maybe Leila overheard them talking. But who did Leila confide in? She had no friends. Maybe she used the info to try to make friends.

“You know what I’m talking about. Don’t play dumb. It just wastes everyone’s time.”

No point in denying, but that didn’t mean she had to give up the info. “I’m going to have to think about it. Meet me back here, same time, same place on Wednesday. I’ll know by then.”

I
t has come to our attention you left the youth room during service last week and didn’t come back until it was almost time to leave.” Ben leaned back in his chair with his hands clasped behind his head and shot a glance at Donna in the chair beside Carmen. “Care to explain?”

Carmen’s body turned to ice. She’d been caught. Who told? And why had they waited almost a whole week? “I’m sorry.”

Ben did not look happy. Way less understanding than he had been the first time she messed up. He rocked in his chair and stared at her face like he was reading the newspaper. “There’s a difference between being sorry and regretting an action simply because you got caught. But that doesn’t answer my question. I’d like an explanation of where you were and why you left.”

Donna looked at Carmen but remained silent. Her face an unreadable mask. Was she the one who told Ben? Then who told her? Had anyone seen her under the stairs? Carmen chewed on her lower lip. She didn’t want to give away any information, but she didn’t want to be caught in a lie either. Somewhere in the middle would be safe.

“I had to go to the bathroom really bad, and everyone was in the middle of that really cool song. They were running around the room, and it was really loud. I couldn’t find anyone,

but I couldn’t wait. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go.” Carmen shrugged. Who could argue with that?

“That would explain where you were for the duration of that song, but what about the next forty-five minutes before you returned to your seat?” Ben rubbed his eyes. “You might as well be honest with me.”

“I went to the bathroom. That took about ten minutes—do you want a play-by-play on that? I must warn you, it isn’t pretty.” Carmen smiled. Come on, Ben. Laugh. That was funny.

He stared at her.

Okay. Tough crowd.

“Coming back from the restroom, I bumped into some people who wanted to know what Diamond Estates was like. I talked to them for about ten minutes and then returned to the service. I hung out in the back so I wouldn’t disturb anyone.”

Ben glanced at Donna.

Donna shrugged.

Ah-ha! They couldn’t prove that wasn’t what happened.

“Then tell me, Carmen, what was the message about?”

Carmen cringed. “I didn’t exactly pay attention. I have no idea.” There, that sealed it. She appeared completely honest.

Ben nodded. “Okay. Well, at this point I can’t prove otherwise, so we’ll go with your story. For future reference, you may not leave the worship service for any reason. You find someone who can give you permission or sit tight until you do.”

“I promise it won’t happen again.” That was far easier than she’d expected. Carmen rose to leave.

“We’re not quite through here.” Ben gestured to the chair.

Oh great. What now? Carmen slumped into the seat.

“What can we do for you?” Ben lifted one shoulder. “I’m at a loss. I must admit, I thought you’d be very receptive to the program and to the Lord because you called us for help and you sounded so eager.”

“Do you not want to be here?” Donna’s words were so quiet Carmen had to strain to hear them.

Did she want to be there? Not particularly. But what was the alternative? Dad’s house wouldn’t be that bad, but it would only be a short-term solution. What about the rest of her life?

Did Carmen want to be this person forever? Did she have the power to change the ending? Those two questions were the ones that kept her rooted to her seat. And the possible answers were the ones that gave her chills at night.

“I guess…I don’t know. I guess I just…I want to have been here. I want to be on the other side to see how it came out in the end.” Carmen’s eyes watered. She blinked a dozen times. She would not cry. No way. “How am I supposed to give myself over to something and trust that the results will happen or that they’ll even be what I want for my life?”