Ruby checked her outfit in the mirror after plucking the unwanted hair at the edge of her eyebrow.

"Mrs Warner, as far as I can tell, I'm not your daughter. Forget about me." While preacting the bold revelation she was intending to make, she ridiculed herself for not being able to come out confidently. "Damn, Ruby. Joseph thinks that I can confront her. But, I'm feeling sick already. How I'm gonna do this?"

She did not spend hours deciding what to wear for the (hopefully) last meeting. Decency was quintessential. The embellishments made the sheer black button-down top ─ a conservative top and the pencil-brown pants highlighted her long legs with no excessive flesh.

These were all Sarah's clothes given to her on her trainee days. "Sarah, you are my savior. May God bless her with wonderful children."

Benighting her chest with a little silk scarf, she exited from Joseph's bedroom.

"Joseph, Joseph, I don't have any shoes to wear?" she yelled as she sped downstairs. He turned around with popped-up collars, his adroit fingers creating a knot of the acidic blue tie. "Hmmph . . . did I miss something?" And then his eyes flickered with excitement. "You look so ravishing, Ruby!"

"Coming from a dapper," she smirked and leaned across the four drawers set across him, wondering. "I wish I had learned how to do that."

"What thing?"

"Your tie."

"But, I'm sure you would be good at undoing it. Someone has to know how to remove it also." That statement made her heartbeat even louder, she shied away and distracted herself as she picked a piece of chocolate cream roll and stuffed her mouth with it.

"Um . . . Joseph, I can't go in slippers like that. So, you gotta get me a so-so pair of shoes."

"Not a problem. We will take Sarah's help. That way, she could get a chance to talk with you." He smacked her head lightly. "See, this is what happens when you try to avoid someone."

"Like as if you wanted a bone in the boneless chicken," a rather flat comment flew from her mouth, as she clapped her hands.

Joseph laughed and pulled her by the arm, nuzzling against her neck. "So stupid of me to keep on repeating the mistakes when I know I'm actually gonna lose it to you every time."

Ruby hummed, repelling to play with his already-gelled hair. So, she rested her hands on his chest. "Indeed. Be careful next time."

Ruby felt a sudden pressure on her chest, Joseph peeped at the drawer which was behind Ruby to fetch the keys. Supposedly the car keys. Her nose sniffed the lemon flavor of his perfume.

"You bought a car?"

"No. It's Mrs. Warner's. I brought this to home as I went back and forth to the mansion in search of you."

"I see."

"Just give me five minutes," he said and perched on the seat only to give Ruby a view of his majestic gray roots.

"Old men can be so hot. I couldn't have imagined it before. Thanks for changing my mindset."

"What's so hot about me?" he asked perfervidly and gazed at her thereafter.

Ruby widened her eyes and then narrowed them in concentration. "I honestly believe that it's your aura── your daddy-like aura. I feel so tension-free, secure, and pampered like a child."

"In short, you mean to say that I'm your Dad," he asserted slanderously and got up after tying the lace of his other shoe. "Very soon I'll introduce you to a side where Dads can be so terrifying that you will wish to stay out of their sight. Trust my words."

Ruby teased him. "Oops, does it hurt anywhere daddy? Should I get you an ointment?"

Joseph dug his face into his hands. "Stop it!"

Ruby's face expolished with exquisite laughter. Well, her face had been deceiving her inner feelings. Ruby's heart clenched just after getting thought about what the future had kept for her. The next couple of hours were going to decide her fate.

Minutes later, Joseph locked the gate and they walked hand in hand to Sarah's house. While Ruby was touching the fabric of his tie now and then, Joseph stared at her sweetly.

He would've rung the bell for a single time and Sarah was looking at them blankly. "Who are you, people? And I'm not interested in buying any kind of family policy from anyone who passes by."

She was about to close the door when Ruby held up a hand. "Hey, Sarah. What do you mean by you don't know us?"

Sarah refrained hard from giving in and asked seriously, "Why aren't you people fighting, if you are Joseph, and you are Ruby?" She gesticulated at the turns of their names.

Ruby cackled and Joseph rolled his eyes. "Sarah, your jokes can wait but we can't. Ruby is heading to the mansion for one last time. She needs your help."

"Oh, of course. Ruby come on in. This is such good news. . ." her voice trailed off as she disappeared into the unlighted room.

"You─"

Joseph reified, "She will start spinning a yarn and we will never get there in time. I'm staying here. You go and get your work done immediately."

Ruby waited for Sarah to come out of her tiny room. She saw the size of her house was relatively smaller than Joseph's. Everything came to her face seemingly. Ruby flopped on the stool, placing her palms on either side of the stool. She looked toward the door. Joseph's refulgent face, his veiny arms, and his firm torso eloped her to a different world.

"Oof . . . stare at him as much as you want to you have entire life for doing it. For now, tell me── loafers or something in heels?"

"I don't think fancy heels will be appropriate for the moment. I'll go with casual loafers."

"What! Who is giving you the fancy heels? A simple two inches block heel is not a fancy heel." Sarah made her understand the technicalities of the shoe and its categories.

"Ruby! We are gonna run short of time. Be quick," Joseph reminded from afar.

"Yeah. I'm coming. A million thanks to you, Sarah." She slipped her feet and quickly made it to the door.

"Ruby! We'll go for a barbeque eat-out together tonight." Sarah shouted and ran to see them off. "Anshuman knows a very good place . . ."

"Deal is sealed," Ruby affirmed by showing the thumbs-up sign and getting inside the car.

****

Joseph pulled the car in front of the foyer. Her stomach was twisting and turning, nevertheless, she stepped out of the car.

Joseph mumbled from behind, "Are you sure about it? Present my name before her, Ruby. You would have never known about this place unless it was me who brought you here as, Elizabeth."

"No. I'm going to deal with it in my own way. Let's see what God has decided for me."

They headed on.

Word count - 1200

a/n; lots of love to everyone ♥