Ruby (Landry 1)

bitterly.

"Yes. Maybe." He paused and looked at me and

smiled. "You are a very lovely young lady, Ruby. If I

was to believe in any forgiveness, it would be that you

were sent here to me as an indication of that. I don't

deserve you."

"I was almost shut away, too, Daddy," I said,

returning to my original theme.

"Yes," he said. "Tell me more about that." I described how Daphne had tricked me into

accompanying her to the institution and all that had

followed after-ward. He listened intently, growing

more and more upset.

"You've got to get hold of yourself, Daddy," I

said. "She just told me she might have you committed,

too. Don't let her do these things to you and to me and

even to Gisselle."

"Yes," he said. "You're right. I've wallowed in

self-pity too long and let things get out of hand." "We've got to end all the lying, Daddy. We've

got to cast the lies off like too much weight on a boat

or a canoe. The lies are sinking us," I told him. He

nodded. I stood up.

"Gisselle has to know the truth, Daddy, the

truth about our birth. Daphne shouldn't be afraid of

the truth either. Let her be our mother because of her

actions and not because of a mountain of lies." Daddy sighed.

"You're right." He rose, brushed back his hair,

and straightened his tie, tightening the knot. Then he

stuffed his shirt into his pants neatly. "I'm going down

to speak with Daphne. She won't do anything like this

to you again, Ruby. I promise."