Tried With Fire - (Ruth Harris Series)

Chapter 8

After visiting another one of my 'convalescents': an older woman who regularly attends my and Susie's support group with diagnoses of Aspergers and depression: I called Hunter. I was just getting into my car, at around 1:30, when he answered.
                'Hey.'
'Hi.'
'Are you alright?'
'I'm fine. I'm fine.' I said. I shut my car door and rested my head back. 'I've just been to see one of my ladies. She was telling me about her husband, a-and, and I realised how much I miss you.'
'Oh. I miss you too.' Hunter said. 'What are you going to do now?'
'I don't have much else to do this afternoon. I think I'll meet with Susie to plan for the group on Wednesday. She's got a magazine interview I could help her prepare for too. But I was thinking of getting something to eat first, if you're free?' I smiled. I thought I'd be exhausted by then, but surprisingly, I felt happy. Giddy, even.
'Oh...Ruth, I'm sorry. I'm totally swamped here, I hadn't even thought of getting lunch yet. I don't think I'll have time today.'
'Hunter, you have to eat something - it's half one already! You must be hungry by now. If I am, you must be.' My smile faded to a sigh. 'Look, we haven't had lunch - or dinner - together for weeks. And something amazing happened earlier which I can't wait to tell you about! I can come and pick you up if you like, and we can just get a cup of tea -'
'Ruth? Sorry, I didn't hear what you just said, Ryan came into my office. Apparently a client wants to have lunch with me.'
'Oh. Oh.' I squeezed my eyes shut. 'Okay. That's fine - I was just saying I'll go to Susie's for lunch then.'
'Okay.'
               There was a long, awkward pause. 'So I'd better get going.' Hunter eventually said. 'But I'll see you tonight - I should be home by six.'
'Okay.'
'Okay.' he said.
'I love -'
               He hung up.

I didn't know what to do with myself after that. I wanted to tell someone about Cassidy, and how I was going to visit her tomorrow and hopefully take her on as a new patient in need of support. I wanted to tell someone that I had a fan. I wanted someone other than me to know that the fruits of my labour were beginning to flourish, and prove to them that I was doing something worthwhile. I wanted to share this sense of pride with the other half of my life: but he was off having lunch with some 'client'. I bet it was a young, female client with flowing blonde hair and legs up to her chin. I bet they'd have a lovely 'work' conversation, all dressed up like business people with perfect hair and unwrinkled suits and confident auras. I bet Hunter would make her laugh, and she would lean right forward and put her hand on his arm while she giggled without wrinkling her nose up once.
               After thinking such destabilising thoughts, I drove to Susie's house as quickly as I could in the hope she could distract me.

'Hi, Ruth!' she greeted, opening her front door to me. I shuffled on the porch way. She was wearing a cute pair of flowery black jeans and a black jumper, with slippers and her fiery hair tied back in a ponytail.
'Hi, Suze. You look nice.'
'Thanks.' Susie eyed me up and down. 'So do you. What brings you here? I wasn't expecting you.'
'Yeah, sorry. I just had some spare time and thought maybe you might want to prepare for Wednesday? - Or your interview tomorrow?'
'Oh, er...' Susie looked behind her, peering around the wall that led into her living room.
'Is Andy here?'
'Yeah. He's got the day off today.'
'Oh! Susie, I'm sorry. I didn't know. I thought he'd be at work.'
               'I heard my name.' Andy said, appearing in the doorway. He looked as unkempt and youthful as ever. 'Oh, hey, Ruth. How are you?'
'I'm alright. You?'
'Yeah, I'm good. I like the hair.' and he gestured up at my head.
'Thanks! I thought you'd be at work today?' I asked.
'Nah, I went into the office for a bit yesterday so the boss gave me today off.'
'He's turning into a right workaholic.' Susie grumbled. He squeezed her shoulders. 'What's the point in earning all this money if you're not going to buy me a ring?' she asked him. He frowned.
'What's the point? After seven years of living together, we're still happy. What would getting down on one knee prove?'
'You're just a cheapskate.' I teased along with Susie.
'Oh yeah?' he said. 'Well I'm sorry I'm not a rich boss man like Hunter. What's he earning? Forty thousand a year? Forty five?'
'None of your business.' I smirked.
'Well, I'd like to see him try and manage a mortgage, the bills and pay for a wedding on my crappy wage. Especially when we all know Susie wouldn't accept a small wedding with just family and close friends and a cheap dress.'
'No I certainly would not!' Susie cried. 'One of these days you are going to marry me, Andrew Harris, and we will have the perfect wedding and marriage and we'll grow old together, and only then can you fully appreciate why marriage still exists.'
               Andy rolled his eyes and turned his focus back to me.
'Are you gonna come in?'
'No, it's alright.' I said with a botox smile. 'I'd better get the house looking presentable before Olivia finishes school.'
'Ha. More like: 'I'd better leave you two lovebirds to it, because you've barely seen each other recently and I'd hate to be a third wheel when you obviously want to make use of your alone time. Look, you're already edging the door closed!''
               'You're more than welcome to stay for a cup of tea.' Susie lied.
'No no, I'll leave you guys to it.' I said.
'Alright then.' Andy said quickly. Susie elbowed him in the ribs and stepped out onto the cold porch with me.
               'Ruth, I meant to ask, did you manage to get some sleep?'
'Yes, I did. Thank you. How was your game night here? Did Olivia behave herself? Thank you for having them both over -'
'No problem at all! Liv was a sweetheart, as always. And Hunter only got competitive towards the end of the night, when Andy brought out his dumb dart board.' Susie laughed, and I copied. 'Everyone missed you though! But we understood how exhausted you must have been. You look yourself again now!'
'Only mildly tired and strange then?' I smirked. Susie gave me a pitiful hug.
'Oh ssh.'
               Then there was a pause. That would have been the perfect opportunity for me to tell Susie about Cassidy, and the great morning I'd had, but her hands were already starting to shiver so instead I gulped a smile and said,
'Anyway, I'll let you go back inside. It's cold today!'
'Thanks, Ruth.' Susie smiled. 'I'll come to yours tomorrow, to talk about Wednesday.'
'Sure. I'll be out until about half three though.'
'That's fine. I'll pop by around then?'
'Perfect. Thanks, Suze.'
'No problem, chicken. See you later!'
               Susie hopped back inside, right into Andy's arms, and the two of them waved me off as I drove away again.