Read Online Saving Ruth by Zoe Fishman - Free Book Online Page A

at the counter, her fuschia manicured hands on her flat brown hips. She was a fixture at the pool, with the kind of commitment to tanning that you had to admire, even if facing her head-on made you grimace.
    â€œHey, Miss Laney,” I replied, adhering to the southern code of Miss First-Name-No-Last-Name. It drove me nuts.
    â€œHoney, just call me Laney. You’re makin’ me feel old, and Lord knows I don’t need any more of that.”
    â€œOkay, sure. Sorry. How’ve you been?”
    â€œWell, fine, I guess. Another year down the tubes.”
    â€œHow’s Khaki?” I asked. “I haven’t seen her yet today. Is she here?”
    â€œOh, Khaki’s doin’ just fiiine.” She fidgeted with her swimsuit top. “She didn’t feel like comin’ down today. She . . . well, she wasn’t feelin’ well.”
    â€œUgh, summer colds are the worst. I hope she feels better soon.” Khaki was Laney’s only daughter. She seemed like a sweet girl—quiet and reserved despite (or more likely because of) her mother’s over-the-toppish-ness. I didn’t know her that well; she was probably around eight or nine, but had never swum on the team or taken swim lessons. I had a soft spot for her nevertheless. She was plump, and I could see a lot of me in the apologetic way she carried herself.
    â€œListen, Ruth, can I be frank with you?” Laney beckoned to me to lean in closer. Up close her wrinkled chest folded like an accordion.
    â€œSure.”
    â€œLet me get right to it. You look wonderful. The whole pool has noticed. I’d like you to help my Khaki this summer. She just will not listen to me about anything diet- or exercise-related, and I know she’s miserable. Bless her heart, she just keeps gettin’ pudgier and pudgier.”
    â€œI’m not sure I’m following you, Laney. How can I help her?”
    â€œI was thankin’ y’all could exercise together a few times a week or so. You know, you could come over and y’all could ride bikes or go for a walk, or maybe jog or somethin’. I’d pay you well, and we could work around your work schedule.” She gazed at me expectantly.
    â€œWell, I . . . I guess that could work. Khaki’s a sweet girl, and I could use the money, but. . . .”
    â€œOh, wonderful! That is the best news ever, sweetie. I am so thrilled. And Khaki will be too—eventually. Oh, I just love it! So, we’ll start next week or somethin’? I’ll give you a call to set it all up.”
    â€œBut I don’t have to help her with her diet or anything, right? Just exercise?”
    â€œWell, no, not outright. But maybe you could mention the healthy foods that you love or somethin’. You know, just get her thinkin’.” I nodded warily. Employing me as a diet guru could be classified as child abuse. I would stay mum on that topic.
    â€œAll right, I’ll talk to you soon, darlin’. I am just over the moon about this! Toodles!” She waved daintily, as though she were playing air piano, and walked away. I took a gulp of water from my bottle. This qualified as the strangest job opportunity I’d ever been offered.
    Finally, the sun began to make its slow descent. At 2:30, the shift changed, meaning that Kevin and I could leave and two new lifeguards would stay on until closing time at 8:00 PM. As I was gathering my bag from the snack bar, David walked in.
    â€œHey,” he said.
    â€œHey.”
    â€œHow was the day?”
    â€œThis place never changes.”
    â€œYeah.” He looked at me wistfully for a minute, as if he wanted to say something. “Did you bust out your mustard trick?”
    â€œYeah, still a crowd pleaser.” I wiggled into my backpack.
    â€œHey, did you have soccer this morning?” I hadn’t seen his car when I left, and he always trained with the Tech team during the summers to get ready