Chapter 100: Chapter 100

RUBY.

After Toby walked out the door he looked beaten down and hurt. My facade crumbled. I knew I should have slammed the door behind him to show irritation but I couldn't bring myself to it. If he looked back he would have seen the longing in my eyes. I watched as he disappeared into the elevator and the doors closed shut behind him before I slammed the door. I slid down, resting my back against the door while rocking a wailing Jeremy in my arms.

The rest of my morning was a bust, Jeremy was inconsolable. Every time I thought the crying was over, it would resume in full force. I bathed him, made him a snack, and tried to get him to nap but all these things only managed to pacify him for a while. Each time he resumed crying with more vengeance than the last time. It reminded me of those early days when motherhood frazzled me. At the time I was worried I was doing something wrong or that he was sick but Toby reassured me. I felt like chasing Toby down but things were better this way. If Yasmin went as far as kidnapping Jeremy this time around then how far could she go the next time? I didn't want to find out.

I had managed to put Jeremy to sleep, from the nursery I heard a faint knock. It was coming from the front door, couldn't I catch a break today? I didn't take a second glance at my shabby attire before opening the door for whoever was disturbing my peace.

"Hello Ruby," Aiden said at the same time I asked, "what do you want?" I felt guilty about my question immediately. It was out and now it was too late, I couldn't take the words back.

"I noticed you were in the building again so I just came to check on you," he said, feigning nonchalance but I could tell he was hurt. What was it with me and hurting people today?

"Why don't you come on in then?" I asked him for compensation for my bad attitude even though I doubted I would be good company in the state I was in. He followed me inside, where we sat on opposite ends of the couch. I gestured to the couch with my hands and he sat first. I sat as far away from him as possible, I wasn't quite in the mood for any interaction. We sat in awkward silence for a while before I asked, "can I offer you anything to drink or perhaps a snack?"

"I'm okay," he answered.

After a long pause, he said," is everything okay, you being back here alone seems off,", finally confronting the elephant in the room.

"Toby and I are divorced," I said. It sounded final after I declared it to a third party. I decided that there was no point keeping it from him, it would get out eventually.

"Wow, that's a good thing, right?" The look on my face must have answered his question. "I'm here for you, Ruby, if there is anything you need at all then let me know," he said. He had not so subtlely inched closer to where I sat. I moved out of his reach and put my emotions in check when I noticed he was trying to get cosy with me.

"I know he might have gotten you to fall for his charms but I know that he is not who he pretends to be. You haven't lost anything, your marriage is his loss and hopefully my gain."

"I need to check on Jeremy," I said, ignoring his last statement. I dashed upstairs to the nursery and moved quietly to his tiny baby bed where he still slept soundly. I don't know whether I was being too sensitive but I was feeling off about Aiden all of a sudden. Maybe it was because the last time he invited me out it ended with me getting drunk and being taken advantage of. It was just a coincidence, right? I felt guilty for even thinking this way, he was my friend when I desperately needed one. That should count for something.

It took all my efforts not to scream when I saw Aiden watching me from the door.

"You scared me," I said, clutching my chest. I hurried to meet him, shutting the door behind me." What are you doing here?"

"You've been gone a while so I decided to come to check on you."

"Okay," I said, heading back to the living room where we sat in awkward silence once more. He brought up a few topics but I wasn't in the mood to talk. All I wanted to do was curl up in bed and cry myself to sleep. I needed time to mourn what I had just lost this morning.

"The moving tired me out, I think I'll take a nap now," I said, rising to my feet.

"Okay, go ahead then," he said, still seated. Couldn't he take a hint that I needed him to leave? I was dreading spelling it out to him but I might have to resort to that. I stood there with my arms cross starting daggers at him as he acted oblivious.

"Thank you for coming," I said walking toward the door. He finally got up.

"It was my pleasure to see you, see you later then neighbour." He went in for a kiss but I turned my face. He left an open-mouthed peck on my cheek.

"Bye," I said curtly, as I tried to hide how grossed out I was from the little stunt he just pulled. It was not Toby's kisses, those were drunken, heavenly, one-of-a-kind kisses.

As the days turned into weeks the ache I felt In losing Toby slowly dulled. What hurt the most for me was he must have moved on when I knew I couldn't. I wished him the best though. He hadn't reached out to me since we parted ways and I knew it was my fault.

Over the next few weeks, I was too preoccupied with avoiding Aiden, he was everywhere I went. At the gym, the store and my door at least once a day, most times more. I even considered leaving the building. Even when I ignored him, he would just keep knocking or camp out at my door till I opened it. It was like he somehow knew when I was home.

"I love you, Ruby, we ought to be together," he said, one day when he ambushed me on my way from the dream.

"I'm sorry but I'm not ready for such a commitment," I said, scouting to see if anyone was listening to our conversation.

"I'm not asking for much, just give me a chance." I found myself consenting to dinner at his place.