Free Carrying Mason by Joyce Magnin Page A

I promised Mason I’d take care of you, and that’s what I’m gonna do.”

CHAPTER 13
    I hurried to gather all the photos back into Ruby Day’s shoebox—all except the two pictures of her near that horrible sign.
    Just as I set the box on the dining room table, I recognized Mama’s voice on the porch.
    “It won’t matter that we miss church,” I heard her say through the opened window. “Luna needs us. Ain’t no rule that a body has to be in church every single Sunday. Helping people who need it can be just as much worship as sitting in a pew singing hymns.”
    “Well, that might be true, but Luna should be in church too. Probably nothing we can’t handle after,” I heard Daddy say.
    I waited to open the door until Mama knocked, just so they wouldn’t think I was standing there listening to them.
    “Mama.” I gave her a big hug and held on for an extra second or two. Next I hugged Daddy, but not for as long a time.
    “What’s going on, Luna Fish?” Mama asked.
    “It’s about Ruby Day.”
    “Figured as much,” Daddy said. “I knew there’d be trouble.”
    We all went to the living room.
    “Where is she?” Mama asked.
    “I made her go to bed. She slept on the floor all night.”
    Mama sat on the sofa. Daddy stood with his hands in his pockets. “What do you mean she slept on the floor?” Daddy said.
    “She has a shoebox filled with pictures and she was looking at them all last night. I found her asleep this morning.”
    “What pictures?” Mama asked.
    “Like this.” I held the picture of Ruby Day out to her. She took it and studied it a second. “Home for the Feebleminded? Is that Ruby Day? Wow, she looks so young.”
    “Yes, Mama, that’s Ruby Day. And the picture made her awful upset. Do you think it could be why she’s so afraid of Aunt Sapphire?”
    “Aunt Sapphire?” Mama said. “Who in the world is she?”
    “She’s a woman who showed up here yesterdayand started saying that Ruby Day had to go back to Philadelphia with her—now that Mason is … is gone. But I don’t believe her.” I looked at my daddy. “Do you think Ruby Day is afraid she’ll have to go back to this … feebleminded home?” I looked at Mama. “If you met Sapphire, you’d know. She has dead foxes and a snooty face. We can’t let that happen. You told me they’re terrible places. They treat people so mean.”
    “Aunt Sapphire?” Daddy said. “You saying this is a family matter? We are not getting stuck in family matters. Family is family, and even though you live here, Luna, you are not Ruby Day’s family.”
    That was when Ruby Day nearly stumbled down the steps. She pounded her temples in time with her steps. “Is so. Luna is like my own daughter. She takes care of me—like Mason did, only he was a boy. Luna is a girl.”
    “I know. I know,” Mama said. “Let’s just settle down and see what we can figure out.” Mama looked at me. “Luna, make some tea for me and Ruby Day. Now, Ruby Day, you come on over here and sit.”
    “Okay, Mama.” I looked at Daddy, who decided to sit in the big chair. He was wearing his Sunday suit with his shiny shoes and white socks sticking up. “You want anything, Daddy?”
    “No. I just want to get on with it.” He checked his watch.
    I put the kettle on to boil and waited. I knew Mamawell. I knew she would want to sit with Ruby Day with no words for a minute or two. It was her way. She always said that there wasn’t any rule that said people had to be talking all the time. Sometimes just sitting quietly was required. I peeked into the living room and knew without a doubt that Mama was correct in her estimation that day. Ruby Day had her head on Mama’s shoulder while Mama gently stroked her hair.
    Mama looked so pretty. But she always did. Her Sunday dress was mostly beige but had tiny green vines all over it. And she wore a little hat with a beige veil that barely covered her eyebrows. I was still in my pajamas.
    I prepared the tea the way everyone