Summer Island

Ruby let go of the mop. The wooden handle clattered to the floor. “Youre criticizing my cleaning technique?”

“I wouldnt call it a technique. Its just common sense to-”

“So, I have no common sense, either. ”

Nora sighed. “Come on, Ruby. You know better than that. I taught you-”

Ruby was in front of Nora before she could finish the sentence. “You do not want to bring up the things you taught me. Because if I do as Ive been taught, Ill walk out that door, climb into the minivan, and drive away. I wont even bother to wave good-bye. ”

Noras irritation vanished; regret swooped in to take its place. She sagged like a rag doll in her chair. “Im sorry. ”

Ruby took a step back. “According to Caro, those are your favorite words. Maybe you should think about what it really means to apologize before you bother. ” She stomped back to the kitchen sink, grabbed some liquid soap, and squirted a stream into the white plastic bucket. Then she began mopping again; her strokes were positively vicious.

Nora sat there, watching. The thwop-squish-clack of the mop moving across the floor (streaking clumps of dirt, Nora noticed but obviously didnt mention) was the only sound in the room.

Finally, Nora wound up the ne

rve for a different approach. “Maybe I could help?”

Ruby didnt look at her. “I stripped the bed upstairs. The sheets are piled on the washing machine. You could take care of your bed and start a load of laundry. ”

Nora nodded. It took her almost an hour of maneuvering in her chair to strip the sheets off her bed, roll into the cubicle-size laundry room, and start the first load. By the time she finished, she was wheezing like a dying crow.

She rolled back into the kitchen and found that the room was sparkling clean. Ruby had even replaced the horrid plastic flowers on the table with a fragrant bouquet of roses.

“Oh,” Nora said, taking her first decent breath since coming into the house. “It looks beautiful. Just like-”

“Thanks. ”

Nora understood that Ruby didnt want the past mentioned. It didnt surprise Nora, that reaction. Ruby had always been an expert at denial. Even as a child, shed had the ability to compartmentalize and forget. She could box up whatever she didnt want to face and store it away. It had been this very trait that had allowed her to shut Nora out of her life so completely.

Out of sight for Ruby had always meant out of mind. Nora decided not to let it be so easy this time. “I thought Id help you make dinner. ”

Ruby turned to look at her. There was a look of genuine horror on her face.

Nora smiled. “You look like John Hurt, just before the alien popped out of his chest. Close your mouth. ”

“Theres no food. We-I-have to go shopping. ”

“We both know Caroline better than that. In these cupboards, I guarantee you, are the makings for several emergency dinners. Probably labeled as such. All we have to do is look around. ”

“You dont need my help, then. Ill just run upstairs-”

“Not so fast. I cant reach everything. Well need to work together. ”

Ruby looked like shed just bitten down on a lemon. “I dont know how to cook. ”

Nora wasnt surprised. “You were never too interested in it. ”

“I got interested in it when I was seventeen. Not that you would know this. ”

Direct hit. “I could teach you now. ”

“Lucky me. ”

Nora refused to be hurt by that comment. She wheeled into the kitchen. With her back to Ruby, she scavenged through the cupboards, finding several cans of tomatoes, a bag of angel-hair pasta, an unopened bottle of olive oil, jars of marinated artichoke hearts and capers, and a container of dried Parmesan cheese. She pulled out everything she needed and set the supplies beside the stove. Then she waited patiently.

Her patience didnt last as long as she would have liked. “Ruby?” she said at last.