Ruby by Heather Burnside (carter reed txt) 📗

softer. Eventually she seemed to resign herself to the fact that her daughter was definitely going. As Trina struggled down the stairs carrying her school bag and an assortment of carrier bags filled with clothes and other items, her mother eyed her through tear-filled eyes. She tutted as Trina dropped one of the bags, spilling its contents, then plonked the others at the foot of the stairs while she picked everything back up.

‘Is that any way to live?’ Daisy asked. ‘You’ve got a perfectly good home here and yet you’re living out of carrier bags.’

‘It’s only till I get there. I’ll have my own room with a wardrobe and chest of drawers,’ Trina said proudly.

‘This sounds like one hell of a generous friend. Are you sure there isn’t some catch?’

‘No!’ Trina replied, but she could feel herself flushing slightly. She quickly began arranging her bags in the hallway to divert her mother’s attention then said, ‘Can I ring a taxi?’

‘I suppose you’ll have to with all those bags to carry,’ said Daisy.

Daisy didn’t offer to let Trina use her battered old suitcase and Trina didn’t bother asking. It was partly because she didn’t want to push her luck even further, but also because she wanted to prove her independence. Neither did Daisy offer to help with her bags, but Trina knew she wouldn’t. Why would she help her leave when she didn’t want her to go?

The taxi soon arrived and, despite her resolve, Trina could feel herself becoming emotional. She bit back the tears as she hugged her mother and promised to get in touch as soon as possible. Then she was inside the cab. As she looked out of the window at her old family home, a feeling of excitement shot through her. She’d done it! She’d left home and set out on her own, venturing confidently and unaware into her new life.

29

July 2007

It was Ruby and Tiffany’s night off and they had decided to stay home and chill. Normally, as they ate their Chinese takeaway and sipped wine they would have been feeling relaxed. But not tonight.

It was almost three weeks since the landlord had served notice on them and they were no nearer to finding anywhere to live. With the threat of eviction looming they had started to pack up their stuff but their attempts were half-hearted. It was hard to decide what to take when you didn’t know where you would end up or whether you would even have a home.

Ruby had lost count of the number of places they had viewed since the landlord had served notice on them. But none of the properties were suitable. They were either too small, too run down or in residential areas where they would attract too much attention. She had been right; finding a property suitable for a whorehouse wasn’t easy.

The situation was also putting a strain on their relationship. Ruby hadn’t realised just how much Tiffany relied on her to sort things out. In the past she had always been able to come up with a solution to most problems, but now even Ruby with her strength of character couldn’t conjure up a suitable property.

Tiffany put down her knife and fork and slid her empty plate across the dining table then took a slug of the wine. ‘What are we gonna do, Rubes?’

Ruby shrugged. ‘I dunno. Well, I know what you’ll do but the bastard doesn’t want me, does he?’

Ruby was referring to one of Tiffany’s clients who had offered to put her up if she didn’t find anywhere to live, which had caused a massive argument between her and Ruby. She knew she had overreacted to the situation, but it was due to the strain they were under.

Tiffany reached out and placed her hand on top of Ruby’s. ‘Aw, Rubes, please don’t start that again. I’m sorry I mentioned it now. I told you I don’t want to go anywhere without you but, you never know, I might be able to persuade him to take you in too. But if that doesn’t happen, maybe we could squat somewhere. I know someone who…’

‘And what would we do with all our nice stuff?’ snapped Ruby. ‘We can’t take it to a fuckin’ squat with us, can we?’

‘OK, it’s only a suggestion. It’s not my fault we’re in the shit, Rubes. I’m only trying to help. Besides, if push comes to shove you can always go back to your mam’s.’

‘Yeah, without you. And what d’you reckon my mother would think if I brought you round to meet her? She could hardly introduce you to her church friends as my lesbian girlfriend, could she?’

Despite her angst about their situation, Ruby managed a slight grin as she thought about the shocked reaction of the congregation at the church her mother attended.

Tiffany laughed. ‘You never know, she might surprise you and greet me with open arms. Maybe she’s always secretly dreamt of having a lesbian for a daughter-in-law.’

Ruby couldn’t resist joining in with Tiffany’s laughter. When she’d stopped laughing, she said, ‘Seriously though, the whole situation with my mam is awkward. She still hasn’t got a clue what I do for a living. For the last few years she thinks I’ve been working in a nightclub. I couldn’t tell her I worked in a restaurant anymore; she kept bloody wanting to visit me there. At least I know she’s not into nightclubs.’

‘I don’t know how you’ve kept it up all these years,’ said Tiffany, ‘especially when you’re round there visiting her every week. Anyway, we’ll have to come up with something about where to live,’ she added, looking once again to Ruby for the answers. ‘What about Victor? Can he not find us a place?’

‘I told you, he left me to look for a property because he was too busy with his other businesses. And, to be honest, Tiffany, I don’t want him to think I can’t hack it. After all, he’d be putting me