Ruby slipped into her cardigan, then tugged on a thick leather jacket to brace herself against the chill in the air. She quickly dabbled on some makeup.
Ruby had promised Evelyn she would show up for a short dinner tonight. She knew the main reason for planning the dinner was to introduce her to her single grandson. So, as she pulled on her boots, she silently prayed the evening would be over quickly.
Her phone buzzed, and she picked it up, balancing it between her shoulder and cheek as she fastened her earrings into her ears.
"You're off to a great start, Ruby," Kiko teased on the other end. "Barely 24 hours into the relationship, and you are already giving the poor man the silent treatment!"
"Kiko, I promised already, I will talk to Arnold when I'm ready," she replied, exasperated.
"Whatever, girl." Kiko dismissed his friend "Anyways, I have news for you."
"Good or bad?"
"Not sure yet," he replied with a mischievous tone. "After you left the hotel today, a woman came asking for you. Middle-aged, said she's your aunt and that you wouldn't know her."
Ruby frowned, adjusting the scarf around her neck. "That's... creepy."
"Very creepy. I tried getting her contact, but she refused to drop anything."
"Well, I hope I can meet her next time she shows up. Anyway, my Uber's here; I have to go. We'll talk later."
She ended the call and headed out, feeling unsettled.
As the car pulled up to the restaurant, she couldn't help but feel underdressed in her casual jumpsuit.
Evelyn always chose the nicest places, and tonight's spot was no exception—a chic Italian restaurant with sparkling lights and a sophisticated crowd.
"Why did I decide to dress down?" she muttered under her breath, eyeing the other patrons in designer clothes.
The hostess looked up as Ruby approached. "Good evening, can I help you?"
"Yes, I'm here for a dinner meeting—"
"Ruby!" Evelyn's voice called out warmly from across the room, and Ruby spotted her waving.
Ruby gave her, her brightest smile as she bade a polite goodbye wave to the hostess before she rushed up to meet Evelyn.
Evelyn was dressed impeccably in a tailored dress and pearl jewelry. Immediately Ruby neared her, she pulled her into a warm hug.
"I'm so happy to see you," Evelyn said, her eyes shining.
"I'm happy to see you too," Ruby replied, genuinely touched by Evelyn's kindness.
"Come, sit! I'm still waiting on my grandson, but we can catch up while he makes his way over," Evelyn said, gesturing to the chair beside her. Ruby assumed the third chair was for her grandson they were expecting.
With a hand raise, Evelyn signaled the waitress, dressed in a grey uniformed suit to attend to them.
As Evelyn ordered from the menu in fluent Italian, Ruby stared down at her own, feeling out of her comfort zone with the unfamiliar dishes.
Even though she was a manager at a five star hotel, she had not spent enough time in the catering department to learn international dishes.
"What will you order, Ruby?" Evelyn asked with a gentle smile.
"I guess...pasta?" Ruby replied.
The waitress almost gave out a laugh but when he saw the glare from Evelyn's eyes, he comported himself.
"Ruby, dear, there are several Pasta dishes. Which of them would you like to try out?" Evelyn asked, not trying to make things more awkward.
"I'll… I think I'll try the carbonara," Ruby replied, grateful to have recognized at least one pasta dish on the menu.
The waitress scribbled down their orders, then poured them each a glass of rich red wine.
Red wine was Ruby's weak point, a little sip here and there could make her lightheaded, so she took her sips cautiously, savoring the warmth.
"So, Ruby," Evelyn began after a few minutes, "I've been thinking of inviting you to one of my social society gatherings. I know some lovely young ladies there, and I think you'd fit in wonderfully."
Ruby's eyes widened. "Isn't your society… exclusive?"
Ruby knew the kind of society Evelyn was involved in. These society comprised of the 1% of New York. To get into the society, a person must have been born by any member of the society, extremely wealthy or recommended by an exclusive member.
"Oh, very," Evelyn replied with a smile. "But I'm a senior member, so I'd be happy to recommend you. Besides, we could use more grounded women like you."
Ruby blushed, feeling both flattered and uncertain.
"Thank you, Evelyn. I… I'm honored."
They continued chatting for the rest of the evening. But every now and then, Ruby's phone buzzed in her purse, pulling her thoughts back to Arnold.
He'd been texting her non-stop since last night, apologizing and trying to make amends. Ruby hadn't read any of his messages, afraid they'd just rekindle her anger.
As their dinner stretched on, Evelyn occasionally glanced toward the entrance, but her grandson still hadn't arrived. After a while, she sighed, looking embarrassed.
"I'm terribly sorry, dear. I'm not sure what could be keeping him."
Ruby smiled, trying to ease her worry. "It's fine, Evelyn. Really"
But truth be told, Ruby was actually relieved her grandson had not come. She wasn't quite ready to make small talk with a new person, especially not under Evelyn's hopeful gaze.
Once dinner was over, Evelyn embraced Ruby once more before climbing into her SUV car.
Ruby stood on the curb as she fumbled with her phone, trying to request an Uber, but the app kept notifying her of canceled rides. The wine had left her feeling light-headed, and the cold wind was making it hard to focus.
"Ugh," she groaned, cursing softly as she hugged herself tighter against the chill.
Just as she was about to give up and start walking, she felt a hand touch her shoulder. Instinctively, she whipped around, stumbling a little in surprise.
"Who—?" she began, but the words died in her throat when she looked up and found herself face-to-face with Arnold.