Summer Island

Someone touched her shoulder. She jumped and spun around.

“Ruby?” It was Joe. He was standing beside her, his handsome face drawn into a tight frown. “Im really sorry about ambushing you. The story broke yesterday. It never occurred to us that youd miss it. Every station covered it, and since so much of your material is about your relationship with your mother . . . ” He let the explanation flounder.

“I turned off my phone and television,” she answered, then added, "I was getting ready for the show

He sighed. “You thought this was your big break. And it turned out-”

“Not to be. ” She cut him off. The pity in his voice was more than she could bear. She knew he used to be a stand-up comic himself; he knew exactly what had happened. She didnt want her disappointment cemented into words shed remember forever.

“You know, Ruby,” he said, “Ive seen your act a few times. The Comedy Store, I think. Your materials good. ”

“Thanks. ”

“Maybe you should think about writing, like for a sitcom. They could use your talent at the networks. ”

Ruby stood there with a fake smile pasted on her face. He was telling her to give up. Try something else.

It felt to Ruby as if she were fading away, but like the Cheshire cat, shed smile to the end. “Thanks, Joe. I have to go now. ”

She ran back to her chair and grabbed her handbag. At the last second, she plucked up the Tattler and crammed it under her armpit. Without glancing at anyone, she raced out of the studio.

In her apartment, Ruby closed all the blinds and turned off the lights.

She slumped onto her worn sofa and thumped her feet onto the cheap, wood-grain coffee table. A half full water glass rattled at the movement. The tabloid lay beside her; barely seen in the darkness.

Mommie Dearest had an affair, after all.

It didnt surprise her; that realization, not truly. Any woman who would leave her children to go in search of fame and fortune wouldnt think twice about having an affair. What surprised Ruby was how much it still hurt.

Her fingers shook as she reached for the phone and dialed her sisters number. It was rare that Ruby called Caroline-too expensive-but it wasnt every day you saw naked pictures of your mother having sex with a stranger.

Caroline answered on the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hey, sis,” Ruby said, feeling a sudden tide of loneliness.

“So, you finally plugged your phone in. Ive been going crazy trying to reach you. ”

“Sorry,” she said softly. Her throat felt embarrassingly tight. “I saw the pictures. ”

“Yeah. You and everyone else in America. I was always afraid something like this would happen. ”

Ruby was stunned. She had never imagined it.

“Did you know about the affair?”

“I suspected. ”

“Why didnt you ever tell me?”

“Come on, Rube. Youve never once mentioned her name to me, not in all these years. You didnt want to know anything about her. ”

Ruby hated it when Caroline acted like she knew everything. “I suppose youve already forgiven her; Caroline-the-saint. ”

“No,” Caroline said softly. “Im having a hard time with this one. Its so . . . public. ”

“Ah. Appearances. I forgot about that. ”