Read Online Seasons of Her Life by Fern Michaels - Free Book Online

you are with me ... by the way, what are you?”
    Calvin’s face became suddenly gloomy. “What do you think I am?” he hedged.
    â€œAt first I thought you might be Greek. Actually, I don’t care. It’s what’s inside a person that counts. Does the question bother you?” Ruby asked quietly.
    â€œSometimes,” Calvin said miserably. “I’m Filipino. I come from Saipan. I haven’t been back in over five years.” He watched Ruby carefully, as if for her reaction.
    â€œThat’s terrible. Don’t you miss your family? Do you write? Do you get homesick?”
    Calvin laced his fingers tighter around his knees. “Yes, yes, and no,” he said and then, in a tired, defeated voice, admitted to her that he would give up half his life if he could be a real, white American for just a little while. Just long enough to see what people’s reaction to him would be. He looked away, his face miserable.
    Ruby digested Calvin’s confession and without a qualm launched into her own sorry past. When she was finished she reached over for Calvin’s hand. “I guess this is what they mean when they say birds of a feather. Neither of us feels as if we quite fit in. Let’s go for a walk, my rear end is getting damp from this grass.”
    Ruby stood. “I don’t think we have to talk about this ... ever again. I don’t want to remember last month or last year. I bet if we walked around this park we’d come to a crick where we could stick our feet in and cool off.”
    â€œWhat’s a crick?” Calvin asked, puzzled.
    â€œCity people call it a brook or stream. People in Pennsylvania call it a crick. It’s water deep enough to stick your feet in. See you guys later,” she called over her shoulder to Nola, who waved airily.
    They walked along jauntily, hands swinging, laughing at everything and nothing.
    She had someone.
    And there was going to be hell to pay, one way or the other.
    â€œWho gives a shit,” she muttered.
    â€œWhat did you say?”
    â€œI said, shhh, look at the squirrel chasing his tail.” Ruby grinned, and Calvin threw back his head and laughed.
    The afternoon rushed to its conclusion. Ruby knew she should go back to the Y Amber always checked on her at dinnertime, weekdays and weekends, but Amber had gone out with Ethel and Nangi. Calvin hadn’t said anything about extending their afternoon into the evening.
    â€œI have to go back now; it’s almost suppertime.”
    â€œOh,” Calvin said forlornly.
    â€œWhat are you going to do this evening?” Ruby asked quietly.
    Calvin shrugged. “Read the Sunday paper, maybe go to a movie. Unless you want to go to one. Do you?” he asked hopefully.
    â€œI was hoping you’d ask,” Ruby said.
    Back in Barstow, movies were forbidden. Sex, lust, and fifteen-cent admissions were Satan’s handiwork to George Connors’ way of thinking.
    â€œA Streetcar Named Desire is playing on Fourteenth Street. In the movie house by Dupont Circle The African Queen is playing. Which one do you want to see?” He squeezed her hand. “Should we ask Nola and Alex if they want to go?”
    Ruby’s first thought was to say no. She wanted to be with Calvin alone, but when she was called to task for this day, she might fare better if she could truthfully say she was with three other people. “Not really, but I think it’s the polite thing to do. Do you mind?”
    â€œIf you don’t mind, I don’t mind,” Calvin said agreeably. “We should get something to eat first, though.”
    â€œSure,” Alex chimed in. “And what say we have dinner? Horn and Hardart, on me. I just got paid.” Nola squealed her agreement.
    Calvin looked at Ruby and caught her winking at Nola. He wondered what that sly wink meant.
    â€œLet’s walk.” Nola winced but agreed good-naturedly.
    Walk they did.
    Dinner