Unfortunately, she became prey to the most unthinkable act of humiliation ever.

Her fingers fluttered across her cheek to feel the heat of what happened to be a tight, thunderous slap. Little did she know, those efforts did any good to her shattered state of mind. She muttered, without looking him in the eyes, "As per my expectations Mr Holden." Then, she locked her gaze on his empty eyes. "Great."

In the meantime, the tides of disappointment broke over his face. He glanced sideways, his chest was still rocking up and down with rigorous breaths; his lips parted to say something--maybe her name, or an apology. But it was too late for anything. Ruby hustled out of the main door with a strong determination never returning.

Stephanie ran to him, pleading, digging her outgrown fingernails into his sinewy arms. "Joseph! What have you done? It was clearly not her fault. Rather she helped me heal my past wounds. Bring her back Joseph! Bring her back!"

Joseph's nod for admittance was hesitant after seeing the white gauge wrapped around her palm. But he had realized his mistake sooner and his gaze strayed to the door. He rushed out like a hero risking it all, only to save her heroine.

Ruby stalked off the street aimlessly. Wiping at her tears as she muttered, "I look like a misfit in his house. Yes, definitely. I shouldn't have gotten her out of her room or helped her in the first place. Why am I interfering in his life? Whatever he says is correct. But why do I always have to act like a fucking blockhead?"

"Ruby! Get back here!"

Ruby heard a loud and clear voice ringing from behind. Although it was an immense surprise to see The Great Joseph running after someone, still it didn't give her legs a strong reason to stop marching. She covered her ears and continued striding at an increasing pace.

"Ruby stop right there," Joseph called out through gritted teeth, and in a matter of few seconds he pulled her from her forearm, the typical style of controlling her. "I want to apologize for being stupid. It was a sudden outburst─"

"For the second time. Oh, you probably don't care much about the calculations in my case." Ruby tried to move away, but Joseph pulled her back. "Your anger always emerges in response to me. And you know this fine as hell that this fake apology is not going to compensate for what you have put me through these couple of weeks," Ruby yelled her sufferings out, pulling her arm away. "If I'm such a pain in your ass, then kill me already."

"Ruby, think before you speak." Joseph raised his index finger in the air. "We can talk about this at home also. It can wait─"

"No, it can't bloody wait," Ruby roared in a heartbeat; her fists clung against her thighs. "Why have you kept her hidden inside that dark room? It's been a dog's age since she got out of that damn place. She's living like a hostage in her own house. Care to explain, Joseph what the hell is going on here?"

"Ruby. Don't you think this matter a little too personal for you to put your finger in?" Joseph said, narrowing his eyes to crinkled slits. "I can't give you a way to get intimate with my grief, trauma and pain."

"Save it, Joseph."

"Whatever scene your eyes witnessed today is the direct consequence of her actions. She owns it. She did it to herself. In the early days when she was frightened into a fit, she used to experience episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that lasted from a few hours to days. And now, it has been years since she has never really recovered."

"Why does it look like you made no attempts to drag her out of hell? You never tried to talk to her about this?"

"Back then, I did approach her a few times."

"Back then," Ruby let out a sarcastic laugh and continued, "It was your duty to maintain transparency. How long were you planning to hide her from me?"

"Till your job's over," Joseph said in a low guttural voice.

"Ahh . . ."

"All good. Now let's go back home."
Joseph's hands brushed against her, as she retreated hers.

"No. I'm still upset and . . . and I need to take a small breather. You can go. Just five minutes."

"Ruby, stop being so adamant. It's not like your world shattered down after hearing his news, that you need some time to recover from it."

"Okay, but only on one condition," Ruby jeered, jiggling her feet.

"Tell."

"From today onwards your mother will not sleep alone, ever again. I'll sleep with her. She will walk and talk like normal people. I'll take care of her like a daughter and you'll not stop me from exercising this right."

"Hmm . . . even better."

Ruby understood his downright remark was a reminder for her to stop imagining him as her boyfriend, but has an elder brother. In the meantime, her fury against him plateaued.

As she continued her piece, the lights flickered open in his neighbor's room and someone peeked out of the tainted window. But due to the darkness approaching like fog and the properly cited trees enhancing the privacy, he couldn't see anything, only hear their loud arguments. "Wait-don't move! I'm going to call the police. You people don't know what privacy means," the old voice blared.

"Privacy? But your voice indicates that you are too old for making love to your wife, sir?" Ruby shouted back.

"But my son is forty-five!"

They both stood still in confusion until a rock hit the ground next to Joseph's right foot.

"Ruby, just run!"

Joseph entwined his thick fingers into hers and stumbled their way to their house. Being chased was nothing like the movies, as Joseph whipped his head to see the man following them in slow motion. The reality was far removed from the pretty version of running to save your skin depicted on celluloid. This could be validated by an instance when her loafer happened to slip through her foot and she had to return six steps to get it back.

Two minutes later, when Ruby was still struggling with her rapid heartbeats and her broken breath, and her voiceless laugh, Joseph pushed the door and entered inside.

Ruby fell to the floor, kicking the other loafer. "Thank God! We are safe."

"Now you should go to sleep. Get up and go to the room now." He bobbed his head, recovering from breathing difficulty.

"No Jose, pick me up and take me to your mother's room," Ruby whined, as she thrust her hands above her head and pouted.

Squatting down, Joseph grabbed her wrist as he hoisted her up, throwing her over his shoulder. Ruby yelped, as his nonstatic shoulder bone began sending waves of pleasure to her abdomen. He climbed two treads of the staircase at a time, walking through the lobby, and thereafter placed her before Stephanie's room.

"Thank you, sir," Ruby said, containing her smirk. She curled her two fingers to knock on the door but was stopped.

"You jog for how many minutes in a day?"

Ruby was taken aback by the question as she answered cumulatively, "Thirty minutes."

"Double it up," Joseph mentioned, perking his eyebrows up and nodding in recognition.

"Oh, shut up," Ruby said with faint traces of embarrassment washing over her once-flushed face making it redder. He turned around and walked over to his room. It was a wrong idea.

"Joseph you won't give your mommy a goodnight kiss? What kind of son you are?"

"Now since when did this tiny kiss have the audacity to decide my lifelong relationship with my mother?" he asked from a distance, slightly annoyed.

"Mark today's date in your calendar, 16 April," Ruby's eyes bore into his, and the world fell silent for their eyes to scream louder and louder. Ruby turned around quickly as she grew uncomfortable with the kind of silence eloping the two humble souls under one roof.

Joseph followed her inside. "Okay."

Word count - 1350

a/n; The shortest ever chapter. Sorry. Reserving something big for the next chapter *wink wonk*