Not Another Broken Doll

Chapter 8

Chris was still holding Ruth by her arms. He didn’t need to know more. He had given that same answer way too many times before. He pulled her closer to him and wrapped her in a hug. He was surprised with his own reaction. Ruth, on the other hand, was confused and uncomfortable. She pushed back right away.

“I don’t think this is a good idea” she whispered, tense. “Please let go”

“I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable” he said and let go of her. “Did you know somebody was following you?”

“They will stop now” she said, confidently, and took two steps back. “I do not like…”

“It’s okay. Don’t say it.” Ruth looked into Chris’ eyes as he said this. She wondered what kind of pain he’d known before to be so cool about this strange person he had in front of him. He looked remarkably calm and he had taken the whole thing surprisingly well. She didn’t want to think of it, but she automatically grew wary.

“We can still finish our lunch if you like?” Chris asked.

Ruth had to make a quick decision. She could let her past govern her life or she could give herself a chance to be a normal person having lunch with a guy in a park. She could deal with the other problems later, if they really became a problem.

“Can we go somewhere else, please?” she asked.

Chris nodded and led the way. Ruth thought he was being very cautious to respect her space. They went and picked up the remainder of their food, and he walked her a couple of streets out of the park into a French restaurant. It was packed, but they by-passed the queue. Once inside, Ruth felt really underdressed for the place. As they arrived at the table and sat down, she noticed that everyone seemed to be wearing suits and dresses. Even Chris always wore button up shirts and nice jackets.

“I trained here. The maître D’ and I still get along” Chris explained. “This is not the same as my food, but it is still good, and you look like you need something good today.”

Ruth looked at him across the table. He was truly cool about what had happened. Ruth felt all the questions form in her brain, but she knew too well that those were things she would never answer herself.

They looked at the menu and Ruth asked Chris to order for her, as she didn’t know what to pick. After the first course was served, Chris decided it was time to explain himself. He was no stranger to Ruth’s confusion and reserves about his reaction, and he appreciated she had given him a chance.

“I’ve mentioned my sister a lot, but I’ve never mentioned the rest of my family, right?” he started. Ruth was listening. “When Kat was three and I was thirteen, our father passed away. My grandfather lost the plot and he tried to blame my mother for his son’s long illness. Obviously, she had nothing to do with that, but he believed he knew better.”

            “My mother ended up taking us out of the house to stay away from a toxic environment. Kat didn’t like being away, but I could not stand seeing my mother being accused of ridiculous crimes. We managed well for a few years but when I turned 16 my grandfather hired somebody to find us. He said he was sorry, and he wanted us back in the old family house. My mother and I didn’t bite. He had people controlling our every move. I never really knew why or what he was thinking. It drove my mother insane. She could not do anything without having somebody follow her, taking pictures, monitoring her calls” Ruth observed how he grew sombre.

“Over time, she had grown so paranoid that she was not sleeping well. I suspect she was on medication too. She said we weren’t safe, so she had looked for jobs in other cities as an art curator, that she was. But that night she saw the flash and it blinded her in the rear mirror” He looked at her as he took a sip to his drink. “All of a sudden, I was eighteen and the only family my eight-years old sister had left. My mother used to say the same. We are never really safe. At least that was the end of people following us around. I’ve not seen my grandfather since my mother’s funeral.”

Ruth didn’t say anything. She watched Chris finish his drink. He seemed a lot older than his real age right then, a feeling that she knew all too well.

“I’m sorry that happened to your family. That is horrible” she said, gloomy.

“It is” he agreed. “Look, I’m not saying I am an expert in this kind of thing, but somebody is following you and it didn’t strike me as if it came as no surprise to you. You do not have to tell me anything you do not want to tell me, but just know that I get it. Alright?” He was looking at her with an earnest honesty in his eyes. Ruth felt that he was reliable, and she felt a slight relief.

“Thank you” she said. “One day I might tell you my story.”

“We still have five lunches to go, don’t we?” Chris said, holding on to a not so hidden hope.

“Of course, we do.” Ruth smiled.