Chapter 8
Noah came to see Ruby without Corinne.
His driver brought him.
He carried the expensive sneakers in their original bag.
Ruby was drawing at the kitchen table.
Noah placed the bag beside her.
“You can have these.”
Ruby frowned.
“They’re too big.”
That nearly made me laugh.
Noah looked frustrated.
“I mean… I don’t want them.”
Ruby stared.
“Why?”
He looked toward me.
I nodded for him to say what he meant.
“Mom said I get more because I’m supposed to be more important.”
Ruby thought about that.
Then asked:
“Are you?”
Noah looked miserable.
“I don’t know.”
Ruby returned to coloring.
“You’re Noah.”
Simple.
He sat beside her.
That answer dismantled months of adult poison faster than any speech I could make.
Later, Noah asked me privately:
“Will Mom lose everything?”
“No.”
He looked surprised.
“The boutique?”
“Yes.”
“Because of Ruby?”
“No.”
Important.
“Because she used the boutique to decide which family members deserved more based on loyalty to her.”
He struggled with that.
Children should not have to understand factional patronage.
So I simplified.
“She used something she managed to reward people for choosing her side.”
“Is that bad?”
“Yes.”
“What if her side is right?”
Fair question.
“Then she should make the argument.”
I paused.
“Not buy agreement.”
He nodded.
Then asked:
“Is Ruby going to be boss?”
I looked toward my daughter.
She had blue marker on her hand and was trying to draw a horse that looked like a chair.
“She is four.”
Noah smiled.
“So nobody knows?”
“No.”
Relief crossed his face.
May you like
That told me Corinne had not only burdened Ruby.
She had burdened Noah with a race that did not exist yet.
