Chapter 11 : If You Make a Mistake, You Have to Apologize 2

“Uh… I can’t, Paula. I need to help my mother with the desserts,” Ruby said, eager to leave. The siblings’ looks made it clear she wasn’t wanted.

“What a shame. Next time, Ruby, you must come and chat with me. I miss you and want to spend some time catching up with you.”

“Yes, next time, Paula,” she replied.

“Theo, put the desserts in bowls, wash the boxes and return them to Ruby.”

“Yes, Mom.” Theo carried the basket of desserts into the kitchen as his mother had instructed. In under five minutes, he returned with the cleaned lunch boxes.

“You go and open the door for Ruby as well.”

“Yes,” he replied reluctantly.

Ruby waved goodbye to Paula before turning to Chris, her gaze lingering on him. Following Theo to the front door, she knew he would seize any chance to tease her again.

“Are you going to flirt with Chris like last time, Ruby? So sly,” Theo said. Just as she thought, he was already teasing her before she even reached the door.

“Think whatever you want. Just give me back the basket.”

“Wait.” Theo held onto the basket that Ruby was trying to snatch.

“What now?”

“You’ll never succeed, Ruby. Do you know why? I once told Chris that I didn’t want you as my sister-in-law. And do you know what Chris said?” Theo paused for a moment to gauge her reaction. Ruby showed no sign of anger, standing still as if she were waiting for his answer.

“Never, Theo. That’s what Chris said, Ruby,” he repeated Chris’s words, smiling teasingly to make Ruby angry. She only pressed her lips together, not replying.

“Now that Chris has made it clear, remember this: you’ll never be my sister-in-law. Get over it, and don’t cause any trouble in my house again.” Theo shoved the basket back to her forcefully before slamming the door in her face with a loud bang.

He watched Ruby walk back to her house in a daze. His original plan—to trick someone into falling in love and then abandon them—didn’t work on Ruby. Since he couldn’t make her fall for him, there was no need to pretend to be good to her anymore.

Ruby admitted that she was quite shocked by Theo’s words. In the past, she had been the one throwing tantrums at him. Was this some kind of revenge? She walked inside her house, head lowered, carrying the basket.

“How did it go, Ruby? Did you meet Paula?”

“Yes, Mom. I’ve already apologized to Paula.”

“That’s good. If we make a mistake, we should apologize; it’s the right thing to do. So why the sulky face?”

“It’s nothing, Mom. By the way… have you finished packing the treats yet? I was planning to help you.”

“There are only fifty boxes left. Come here. If you want to help, put sesame seeds in the boxes for me.”

“Yes, Mom.” Ruby put the basket away and returned to sit on a chair, helping her mother carefully wrap the treat boxes. She tried to push all of Theo’s words out of her mind for the moment.

But those words still lingered in her thoughts. No matter how harshly Theo scolded her, it didn’t compare to what he had said—that she would never become his sister-in-law. Those words came from Chris’s mouth. She had thought that after seven years, she could leave the past behind. On the contrary, it felt as if the memories had been buried, and returning here brought all those feelings back again.

Later, she walked over and sat by the window, gazing at the neighboring house. A flood of memories rushed through her mind. She had tried to let go, but she couldn’t. In the end, it was she who clung to these feelings—a love that would never be fulfilled.

From that day onward, Ruby changed her routine. She tried to avoid going to Paula’s house, even during the next two cleaning sessions, swapping duties with her mother and letting her handle the cleaning while Ruby stayed home to make desserts instead. Having grown up closely alongside her mother, she was able to learn quickly and manage the tasks without much difficulty.

“Ruby, Paula has been asking about you,” Amber came back home and said to her daughter after finishing the last cleaning session.

“Why would she, Mom? I don’t even know what I’d talk about with her if I went there,” Ruby replied.

“You could just talk about everyday things… or is it that you don’t want to see someone there?” Amber hit the nail on the head. Ruby’s face fell slightly, and she gave a hesitant denial.

“It’s not like that.”

“Chris and Theo leave for work early in the morning. If you see them, it’s just a short moment, that’s all. So why be afraid, Ruby?”

“Let’s just not talk about that family, Mom. I’m trying not to think about them, not to care anymore,” Ruby said.

“Are you mad at Chris and Theo?”

“No, I’m not. But Chris and Theo act like they don’t want me around, so I don’t want to bother them anymore. I’m afraid I’ll just annoy them,” she said, with a hint of sulking in her voice.

“Oh, can my daughter be this considerate now? Back in the day, I warned you so many times, but you never listened. You were always sneaking over the fence to see that boy,” Amber teased, letting out a laugh. She felt relieved that Ruby wasn’t being stubborn and self-willed like before.

“I’ve made up my mind, Mom… but I still can’t let go.”

“Ruby, Chris isn’t the only guy out there. You can look at others, too.”

“Right now, I don’t want to look at anyone. I just want to stay with you like this.”

“You’ve got such sweet words, my dear. Oh, today I’m going out shopping. You drive me, okay? We can also stop and pick out some new clothes.”

“Sounds good, Mom. I’ve been back here for almost a month and haven’t had time to go shopping yet. Just give me a moment, I want to take a shower and change first. I smell like coconut all over.” She lowered her head and sniffed at her own clothes.

“Alright, I’m going to take a shower too. I smell really sweaty.” Amber tugged at her own shirt collar, sniffed it, and shook her head, just like her daughter.

Ruby and her mother spent time shopping for household items and clothes. It was a time of happiness that Ruby had not experienced for many years. When she worked on her father’s farm, it had been nothing but work, work, and more work. Everyone had taken life quite seriously, and there had been few occasions for fun or parties. She took her mother to a beauty salon, followed by a massage parlor, making the most of their time together.