“Wait here,” Ruby said. “Don’t worry, we won’t miss the movie, okay? I’m going to shut the car off. Roll down the windows so you don’t get too hot.”
She was out of the car before Joey could answer, smoothing the skirt of her summer dress before crossing the street quickly. She marched right up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Joey watched through the open car window as Charles answered. She was too far away to hear what Charles was saying, but Ruby’s voice was getting loud. Charles pulled her inside and shut the door.
Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty. Joey’s stomach was rumbling. She found a half-finished pack of Juicy Fruit gum in the glove compartment, unwrapped two pieces, and folded both of them into her mouth.
After another ten minutes, she was starting to get sleepy when the driver’s-side door opened. Her mother plopped into the seat beside her. Ruby looked lit up, and Joey noticed her mother’s red lipstick was completely gone.
“I need to move the car to the playground down the street, so his neighbors don’t see it,” she said, her eyes sparkling. “Charles and I made up, so we’re staying for dinner. He wasn’t lying to me—he had to stay behind at the last minute for work. But she won’t be back from the cottage until Tuesday.”
He’s still lying to you, Mama. “But we’ll miss the movie. We already bought the tickets.” Joey reached into the pocket of her shorts and held them up.
“For fuck’s sake,” Ruby said, starting the engine. “This relationship is more important than a stupid movie, okay? Look at his house. If I play my cards right, it could be us living here. He admitted he made a mistake breaking up with me. He only did it because he doesn’t want his wife to have half of everything if they get divorced. But he’s decided it’s worth it if it means he and I can be together.”
Joey was skeptical. She had heard this story before; Charles wasn’t the first man to promise Ruby he was leaving his wife, only to not do it.
“I can take the bus home,” Joey said.
“You are staying with me.” Ruby’s tone left no room for argument. “Charles is looking forward to seeing you, and we’re spending the night. He’s got a giant TV in the basement and about a hundred movies. That’s better than sitting in a cold theater with everyone kicking the back of your seat.”
No, it isn’t. “But I don’t have pajamas or a toothbrush.”
“Charles has everything,” her mother said. “Literally everything. Go on inside. I’ll be right back after I move the car.”
Joey put her hand on the door, then hesitated.
“Stop being a brat.” Ruby’s voice hardened. “Charles is waiting for you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The court was eerily silent, both the judge and the jury hanging on Joey’s every word. Her throat dry, she turned her face away from the microphone and coughed, then reached for the small bottle of water beside her.
“What happened when you and your mother went back to Charles Baxter’s house?” Duffy asked.
“Charles showed me around,” Joey said, her voice echoing through the speakers above her. “He said it was nice to have a little girl in the house again. His daughter was away at school, and she rarely came home anymore. And then we all went down to the basement.”
* * *
Joey hadn’t realized that houses could have basements like this, with furniture and carpet and different rooms. It was a kids’ paradise.
The Baxters had a billiards table, a Ping-Pong table, two pinball machines, and an original Galaga arcade cabinet, a game that Joey had only ever played at the supermarket when her mother remembered to go grocery shopping. Charles seemed genuinely delighted to see her, and he explained that she didn’t need quarters to play any of the games.
“All you have to do is press this red button, and the game will start,” he said. “And you can play as many times as you want. Let’s see if you can beat my scores.”
On the Galaga screen, Joey could see the names of the other players. Someone named Brian had the top score; that must be Charles’s son. The second highest belonged to Lexi, who must be Charles’s daughter. What a nice name, Lexi. Upstairs on the fireplace mantel, Joey had seen a portrait of the whole family, which looked like it was taken by a professional photographer. The Baxters seemed like a completely normal family, except that Charles had a mistress named Ruby.
The video games kept Joey occupied for a while, as did Father of the Bride, the movie she selected from the extensive VHS collection. She was tired when the movie finally ended, so she wandered upstairs to see where she was supposed to sleep.