Gabe opened his arms, and she stepped into his embrace, pressing her cheek to his chest as she started to cry. “Don’t cry. It’s going to be fine. It’s okay. I forgive you. It’s okay.”
Ronnie
When she heard a car coming up the driveway, Ronnie made herself hurry down to meet it. That nagging stitch in her side was back—more nagging, now that she knew what it portended. Can’t think about it now, she told herself. “Oh, thank God,” she said as Annette and then Ruby emerged from the car. She hugged Ruby hard. Then she hugged Annette. Then, for good measure, she hugged them both again.
“You had us so worried!” she said.
“I’m sorry,” Ruby said, shamefaced. “It was inconsiderate. I—I left Gabe a note, and then I think I just freaked out.”
“It’s okay,” said Ronnie, and kissed her cheek. “I understand. We’ve all been through a lot, you know. The pandemic, and the quarantines. All of that was traumatic, right? Everyone’s life got turned upside down. I’ve listened to podcasts about it. You’re allowed to freak out.”
“You listen to podcasts?”
Ronnie drew herself upright. “Your safta is extremely hip and of the moment. And the point is, I understand if you’re not feeling quite yourself.”
“I’m not even sure I know who ‘myself’ is,” Ruby said, sounding mournful. She had her hair up in a bun, with curls falling around her cheeks. There was a bit of powdered sugar on her cheek, and she looked, to Ronnie, very young. Ronnie and Annette exchanged a smile, and Ronnie said, “You’ve got your whole life to figure it out. As mistakes go, this isn’t a terrible one.”
“Where’s Gabe?” Ruby asked.
“In P-town, with his mom and Sam. Looking for you. Your dad’s down on the beach, and your mom went to Gull Pond, I think. I should probably call off the dogs.” Ronnie paused. “And your bridesmaids, right? And your friends?”
“And the florist. And the caterer. And Gabe’s grandparents.” Ruby pulled her hair out of its bun, then used both hands to gather it up again. “I feel awful about this. I should never have let it get this far.”
“Hey, at least it was going to be a small wedding, right?” Ronnie said. “Don’t worry,” she said, and gave Ruby her biggest, warmest, everything’s-going-to-be-fine smile, even as she felt her side aching and tears threatening. “You brought us all together here. You gave me a gift.”
Ruby raised her eyes as Eli came across the deck, with the boys behind him. “Dad!” she called. Eli quickened his pace to a near-run, hurrying down the stairs and across the driveway to sweep her into his arms.
“Ruby!”
“Hi, Dad,” Ruby said sheepishly. Ronnie watched, amused, as Eli did exactly what she’d done, hugging Ruby, then Annette, then both of them at once.
“Where were you?” he asked his daughter.
“I went for a walk, and I ran into Annette, and we drove for a while, and then we went to her hotel.”
“I didn’t realize that she didn’t have her phone, or that you were all out looking for her,” Annette interjected. Eli barely spared his ex-wife a glance. He held Ruby by the shoulders, then raised his hands to cup her face.
“But you’re okay,” he said.
“Fine.” Ruby looked pale, and sounded chastened, but, Ronnie thought, also fundamentally okay. She wished she felt okay and wondered which bombshell she’d deliver first when she could sit down with her children.
“I’m sorry,” Eli said, and hugged his daughter hard. “I should’ve noticed that you were, ah, on the fence.”
Ruby made a face. “That’s one way to put it.”
“I should have been paying more attention.”
When Ruby looked at him curiously, he shoved his hands in his pockets. “There’s a story,” he said. “I’ll tell you later.” He looked around. “Where’s Sarah?”
“Still swimming, I guess,” said Ronnie. “I just texted her. Meanwhile, I’ve been thinking about how we should let the guests know.”
“Ah,” said Eli. “The guests.”
“Why don’t you give me the list, and I’ll start making calls,” Annette said. “Please. Put me to work.”
Ronnie didn’t miss the grateful look that daughter gave mother. She noticed how Eli and Annette went off together, talking quietly, probably about Ruby, how she was doing, how they could help. All will be well, she thought. And as soon as I tell Sarah and Sam what I need to tell them, I’ll be able to breathe again.