Read Online Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters - Free Book Online Page B

and squeezed.
     
                  “This is also my way of saying thank you,” she said quietly.  I swallowed thickly.
     
                  “Thank you?” I asked weakly, though I knew instantly what she was getting at.
     
                  “Yes, Maggie.  Thank you for being the loyal, amazing girl that you are.  And for loving my boy the way you did.”  Her eyes sparkled with the strength of her words and I had to blink rapidly or I would start crying. 
     
                  I cleared my throat, feeling overwhelmed by emotion.  Almost recklessly, I yanked my bag open and pulled out the wrapped package, laying it on the counter.  I pushed it towards Ruby.  “Here,” I said abruptly.
     
                  Ruby frowned and picked up the heavy gift.  “What’s this?” she asked me, turning it over.
     
                  My hands were shaking so I shoved them in my coat pocket.  I took a deep breath.  “I ran into Lisa…” I began and Ruby nodded.
     
                  “Yes, she said she saw you,” Ruby admitted, watching me, waiting for me to explain what I had given her.  I started to panic.  Maybe this was a bad idea.  I was just starting to try and put Clay in my rearview mirror.  But here I was dredging everything up all over again, trying like hell to hold open a door that had shut firmly in my face. 
     
                  I was either an idiot or a complete glutton for punishment.  I was beginning to think I was a mixture of both.
     
                  “Uh, yeah, well that’s a gift for...Clay.  For his birthday,” I let out in a rush.  Ruby’s eyebrows rose and I could tell I had surprised her.  “Well, Lisa said you were going to see him and I’ve had that for a few months now and it’s just collecting dust under my bed.  And it’s not like I even know where to send the stupid thing, so I just thought you could give it to him.  You know, because it’ll be his birthday and all,” I rambled on nervously.
     
                  I stopped before I could say anything else.  Ruby watched me silently as I bit down on my lip, feeling ridiculously embarrassed.  Yeah, this was stupid.  Clay probably didn’t want a damn thing from me.  I looked pathetic and sad and all the million and one things that I probably was.
     
                  I reached out to take the gift back.  “It was a stupid idea.  Never mind,” I mumbled but Ruby pulled it out of my grasp.  I startled and then looked at her.
     
                  “I’ll give it to him, honey.  I’m sure he’d love to have it,” she told me but I saw that she was bothered by something.  She tucked the gift underneath the counter and I got the distinct impression that she wasn’t entirely sure that she wanted to give it to her nephew.  And that just made me feel even more foolish.
     
                  “Oh, well.  Thanks,” I said dumbly, wanting to get the hell out of there now that I had made a complete and total idiot of myself.
     
                  I gathered my bag of books.  “I’ll see you around,” I said dismissively, ready to leave.
     
                  “Maggie.  I’ll make sure he gets it.  I promise,” she called after me, though now I wasn’t so sure I wanted him to have it.  But I suppose it was too late now. 
     
                  I left Ruby’s shop and got into my car.  Why couldn’t I leave well enough alone? 

C HAPTER F IVE    
    - C LAY-
     
     
     
     
     
                    It was my birthday.  I wanted to be giddy.  Excited even.  But I just felt numb.  It had been a long time since birthdays really meant anything to me.  I seemed to recall a party when I was five, complete with scary clowns and pony rides.  Maybe it was the clowns that ruined me for all future birthdays.  Because