Way Down Deep by Ruth White

Author:Ruth White
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780374706685
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

The song was too heavy, too sad, too close to her own situation. Ruby bolted into the house. She found Miss Arbutus at her sewing machine. Beside her, on a worktable, was a small, colorful pile of Ruby’s underpants. Miss Arbutus glanced up and smiled as Ruby entered.

“What are you doing?” Ruby said in a tremulous voice.

Miss Arbutus did not notice. “I’m putting new elastic in your day-of-the-week step-ins. I’ve already done Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. I’ll finish before I turn in.”

“I have something to tell you,” Ruby said.

This time Miss Arbutus heard Ruby’s troubled tone. Instantly she put aside her sewing and stood up. “Let’s go into my room.”

Together they went in and sat down on Miss Arbutus’s huge, old-fashioned iron bed. In a soft clear voice, Ruby repeated what Robber Bob had said. Miss Arbutus listened to every word, but did not herself speak.

“June of 1944,” Ruby finished.

Miss Arbutus placed an arm around Ruby. Her face was anxious, but still she did not speak.

“And Bird said she was a tiny thing—a little redheaded, curly-headed girl. It’s an amazing coincidence, don’t you think?” Ruby whispered.

“Do you know where Yonder Mountain is?” Miss Arbutus spoke at last.

“No, just somewhere in Virginia. Don’t you know?”

“No.”

They sat in silence for what seemed like a long time.

“Do you want to pursue this matter, Ruby June?” Miss Arbutus finally said.

“Pursue it in what way?”

“Maybe tell the sheriff.”

“And then what?”

“I don’t know. That would be up to him.”

After a long pause, Ruby said, “I’ll sleep on it.”

Quietly and thoughtfully they went about their evening ritual of bathing, brushing their teeth and hair, and slathering their limbs with lotion.

As they manicured their nails, Ruby told Miss Arbutus about Granny Butler and the prediction made by Aristotle. The room was so quiet, you could hear the night bugs flying against the screen window.

“I need a hug tonight,” Ruby told Miss Arbutus before going to her room.

“And so do I,” Miss Arbutus said as she folded her long arms around the girl. Then they stood together in a warm embrace, both feeling comforted.

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