Free Ruby (Orlan Orphans Book 2) by Kirsten Osbourne Page A

dresses her husband wanted her to make.
    Lewis approached her at lunch time.  "Let's lock the door and take a real lunch like we did on Saturday."
    Ruby frowned.  "I have a man coming this afternoon to pick up this shirt.  I'll have to eat while I work.  I packed you a lunch and put it behind the counter."
    "That's not the kind of hunger I'm worried about."  He took her hand and tried to tug her out of the store.  "Let's go upstairs."
    "I told you, I need to finish this.  If it's not done by this afternoon, it will look bad for me."
    "What does it matter?" he asked calmly.  "You're not going to keep the business going anyway."
    "It matters, because I gave my word.  Would you go back on your word?"  Ruby knew his word meant a great deal to him.  Surely he could understand her word meant a lot to her as well.
    "Well, no, but I have a family to support.  You don't."
    Ruby closed her eyes for a moment, annoyed that he would say such a thing.  "That doesn't make my word mean any less.  I'm sorry, Lewis, but you'll have to just make it through the day without a sex break."
    Lewis turned his back on her and walked away.  Why was she being so unreasonable?  It wasn't like it would take hours to make love anyway. 
    Ruby watched him go, irritated with him.  Why couldn't he see that her word mattered to her?  She'd been working for almost a year to build up her business, and she'd never been late with a customer's order.  She wasn't about to start being late now.
     
    *****
     
    After Mr. Clemmons stopped by the store to get his shirt, Ruby was too annoyed to be cooped up in the house.  She needed to go for a walk to clear her mind.  She had no idea why but walking had always been her solution when she became angry.  After a few minutes in nature, she rarely remembered what she was angry about to begin with.
    She grabbed her shawl and walked briskly out of town toward the Hayes' ranch.  Mrs. Hayes would always be the person she wanted to talk to when she was upset, and she wanted to take them a loaf of bread.  She knew it was getting harder and harder for the older woman to do anything as her due date drew closer.
    Once she reached the ranch house, she knocked on the door to the small cabin, waiting for someone to welcome her.  Instead of someone opening the door, she heard a crash from within.  Ruby didn't hesitate to open the door.  Mrs. Hayes was sitting on the floor, gripping her distended belly with both hands.  "Are you all right?"
    "No!  I was having pains this morning, but I didn't want to send Tino for the doctor yet, because I was told first babies come slowly.  Well, this one seems to be coming awfully fast."  Mrs. Hayes had a single tear dripping down her cheek.
    "I'll go get Mr. Hayes!"
    Mrs. Hayes shook her head.  "There's no time."  Her eyes implored Ruby.  "You're going to have to help me."
    "But...I don't know anything about it!"
    "I do.  I've delivered a few babies.  I'll walk you through it. I just need you to help me."
    Ruby took a deep breath, hating the very idea of helping a woman give birth, but knowing she really had no choice.  "Of course.  What do I need to do?"
    Following the older woman's instructions exactly, Ruby rushed about nervously, wanting to be anywhere but there. 
     
    *****
     
    Lewis looked up as the boys walked into the store after school.  "How was your day?" he asked. 
    "Good," Robert said.  Robert always said his day was good.  Never any more or any less.  "Where's Ma?"
    "She's upstairs, isn't she?"
    James shook his head.  "No.  We looked everywhere.  She always has a snack waiting for us, and there was no snack."
    "We like the snacks she makes us," Robert added.
    Lewis frowned, walking to where Penny was sitting in the corner of the store working as usual.  "Did Ruby say she was going anywhere this afternoon?" he asked trying to keep his voice casual, as if he didn't suspect that his second wife had left him. What was wrong with him that he