I stared outside the window, watching as twilight slowly creped into the horizon. It had been an hour since I talked to Grant and I had seen Zach.

Lazily in a daze, I drifted into my room where I spent my childhood. Lost in my own world—my symphony. I watched the grass swaying in sync with the wind, the town old pale radio fans swirling around, the squeals and humming sounds of laughter from a family at a distance having a pinic.

Looking at them, I felt a foreign feeling, a feeling I had denied myself for years.

I felt calm and at peace and that everything was alright.

For seven years I'd conceded in a cheating relationship. Living daily without a doubt that Johnny loved me. I ignored all negative warnings tossed in my face later to face the bitter truth, I was a fool. Johnny never loved me.

Tenderly, I felt a touch on my shoulder. I swirl around to face Grant standing few feet away, his eyes looking downcast.

He turned his head in my direction. "Ma is awake."

Reluctantly dragging my eyes away from the peculiar view, I turn to him.

"She okay?"

"She would get better. We all will."

I head over to the door. Remembering Zach, I stopped and turned to Grant again—looking out the window. "Have you seen Zach anywhere, it's been an hour and I have no idea where he is."

Without looking back he answered. "Relax sis, I settled him in the guest room—right next to yours."

I shook my head, forgetting he couldn't see me. I open the door to an inch and stepped outside. I paused again, tilting my head to the occupant inside my bedroom and asked the question I had been afraid to ask myself for days. "Are you okay?" I questioned softly.

He turned around then nodded.

With certified assurance, I slowly walked to my parent's bedroom my feet feeling heavy at every step. I was barefooted and the cold tiles gave me shudders.

I came to a halt in front of the once lively and homey feeling bedroom. I raised a folded fist to the door before I paused as a memory from a few years drifted to mind.

It was Christmas holidays and I was home for the holidays. I got out of a taxi with my overnight bag and closed the door behind me. I stared at the house while adjusting the straps of the bag. The distance from Green Bank to Lexington, Virginia wasn't lengthy but it didn't stop the jet lag feeling.

I stared at the house, it looked calm and too quiet. I drag the bag along with me rounding to the corner where the front door was structured. Immediately my eyes landed on the blond hair nursing the roses.

For a minute, I stared at her. Without a doubt she was Ma. She looked calm and relax than the last time I was home. Her lips were moving; she was humming some words.

Ma picked a few flowers and stood to her height. Seeing me, her eyes widen in surprise, "oh! You're here. How long have you been standing there?"

My lips curved into a smile I moved closer to her, "about a few seconds."

I stopped an inch away for her, suddenly, she pulled me into a hug. "Ruby, you should have called out to me," she said, stroking my loose tresses, fondly.

"You looked so at ease, I didn't want to disturb you," I replied as she released me.

Ma flushed, "Grant is at school and there was nothing to do. I came out to check on the roses and put a few around the house and my bedroom. You know I love roses and your dad loves making me happy. I'll put a few roses in my room and later add the rose he brings home for me every day." She smiled happily.

I sigh deep at the memory. I looked around the hallway for flowers but there was none in sight.

I backed away from the door and moved downstairs, outside to Ma's garden. One just look at the withering roses I knew what had to be done.

I watered the roses and trimmed weeds. Soon, they started to look like Ma's roses. When I was through, I pondered about taking flowers to her. She would be glad and thankful to know I still remembered her and Dad's thing.

Plus it would lift her spirits. Ma had always been sentimental. She would like it.

Picking out a few bright looking roses, I sauntered back to the house and up the stairs two at a time until I was standing at her door.

Immediately, I knocked but no answer. Repeating thrice, I creaked the door open stuck my head inside.

Ma was sitting in a chair at the corner of the room. She was curled into a ball and stared into space.

From her side view, she looked like a little girl who got the message that all the candy in the world was gone. Her face was blotted, the tip of her nose had a faint pink color, her once wavy and smooth as silk blond hair was disoriented.

Ma sniffed, wiping her tears with the back of her palm.

Suddenly, I felt like I was interrupting something—her quiet time. Quietly I turned away slowly. Before I could close the door behind me. I heard a low weak voice.

"Ruby, honey."

That stopped me instantly in my tracks. Hesitantly, I turned around. "Ma. Are you feeling better now."

Ma stared at my face blankly, leaving my question unanswered. Her eyes drifted to the roses in my hand.

Her eyes darken momentarily and her fingers formed into fists. Slowly walked over to me and collected the flowers then turned away and moved back to the window.

I gave a low breath of relief. For a second I feared what could've be running through her mind. She could have accidentally hit me, I bought her flowers which was part of Dad's tradition.

Stupid, stupid.

It took ten minutes before she finally spoke, "the doctors...they said he had a stroke at first. Minutes later, he had a heart attack. The police said they found him on the str-ee-t abs-ol-ute-ly still," she stuttered, still looking out the window. My eyes fluttered down to her fingers, she clutched the flowers tightly like it was her only means of life support.

I winced as she talked, Dad had gone through worse than what I heard.

"Ma."

"He was in shocked as they wheeled him into the emergency unit like he was in a daze."

I shut my eyes tightly, blocking out the images forming in my mind of Dad lying lifeless on a hospital bed.

Quietly I walk over to her, gripped her shoulders gently and turned her to face me and called her what I hadn't called her in a longtime, "Mum, please stop. You're torturing yourself like this—remembering all these things—Dad won't want this, you know he won't."

My hand dropped from her shoulder. Slowly I released the already limp flowers from her grip and set it down on the dresser then picked up a white handkerchief.

"Ma."

Ma's tightly shut eyes opened, she stared at me as if she couldn't believe I was here. With a steady hand, I start wiping the tears from her eyes which were bloodshot due to crying.

Suddenly, she gripped my arms. "Ruby, I want to go to your Dad and bring him home. I can't leave without him, without him, our family isn't complete."

Releasing herself from my grip, she starts walking towards the door, mumbling words. Before she could reach the door, I grab her hand and spin her around.

"Ma, you can't," I choked out with tears, "we need you. Our family might not be complete but we are still together." While she was distracted listening to me Grant appeared in the doorway.

"Dinner is ready," he whispered, giving Ma a once over. Slowly, we led her downstairs and I placed her in a chair at the dining table before taking my seat next to her and Grant disappeared into the kitchen.

In the Daniel's family, Ma was the only one with an idea on how and what to cook—and sometimes Dad— while the rest of us stood in the sidelines, armed with a few recipes up our sleeves. Grant could cook rice and I...well...

So I was pretty much-expecting rice or something. But when Grant emerged from the kitchen, he was holding a bowl of lasagna.

What!!

A minute later, Zach walked out of the kitchen. Of course.

He had freshened up. Now he was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. The t-shirt brought out his biceps and hunk of trunks that formed his arms.

He caught me staring and immediately, I averted my eyes.

After the quiet dinner, Grant carried Ma up to her room leaving Zach and me to clean up. With a pregnant silence, we worked like robots as we cleared the table then moved over to the sink to do the dishes.

I kept sneaking glances at him and he was engrossed in washing the dishes.

I can't leave like this, I thought.

'Ya think!'

I had to talk to Zach. I had no clue why things felt soggy and unsettled between us. All of a sudden I looked at my appearance—wanting to look good—my hair I hadn't washed for two days or combed was tied in a messy ponytail. Already, I had ditched my sundress for sweats.

Unknowingly, my hands reached up to my hair to at least look presentable. Immediately my fingers reached my hair, they got tangled in.

After my quiet struggle with my cell, I thought off a conversation headliner. I could start laughing like crazy and then he would start the conversation or I could just run to my room and hide for life, leaving on chips and rice forever.

'Or you can just say hi, stupid.'

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Lack of good sleep and too much crying had taken a toll on me. My thinking wasn't great now.

"Ruby."

Just say Hi and get over with it. It's no biggie. You're an actress.

"Sweetheart."

Or Hello or anything else.

"Ruby!"

I blinked. Turning my eyes to meet his, "what. Yes, Zach."

He raised an eyebrow, "well for starters, look what you did," he pointed at the sink for emphasis. I gasped, the dry cloth I used in wiping the plates Zach gave me was in the sink. Floating in the sink of soapy water. I open my mouth to gush out a stream of apologizes but he raised a hand to halt me.

"And you keep sighing and rolling your eyes like something is bothering you."

No kidding.

"Your facial expressions keeps changing. Now you look pleasant but seconds ago, you look angry and then sad."

I lowered my gaze and with shaky hands, I picked the clothe from the sink and rinse it to appear to be busy with something. "Oh. I had a lot of things on my mind like burial preparations. Now am the breadwinner of my family, am not sure I can do it," I concluded with a low tone as I wiped my hands dry.

Zach lifted my chin; my eyes to meet his. His eyes looked soft and comforting, "you would be a great breadwinner—the best in fact—your family adores you and you are so lucky to have them."

"Zach, am so sorry, I wasn't thinking."

I raised my hand, placing it on top of his on my cheek in a comforting gesture. Family was a touchy subject for Zach, he lost his mother early in life and his dad, was a mystery. From the looks of it when Zach ever talk about him he didn't appear happy.

"Hey, hey it's okay. And as for the burial preparations, you won't take care of it, we would take care of it. Together."

I stared into his almond orbs as he stared back at me. I tried to blink but I couldn't. It was like I was a mannequin. My eyes fluttered to his lips, "Zach."

He looked at me, his eyes dimmed. I leaned in.

Suddenly, glass hit the floor. Zach and I sprung apart. I stepped away from the sink, the kitchen altogether and moved to the living room and started pacing.

Oh lord, what did I almost do?

I almost kissed Zach, I was the one who leaned in first and he followed this. Ruby you just got out of a relationship, you don't go around kissing men.

'Except Zach, you kissed him on the night of your breakup.'

Am an idiot.

It didn't take Zach long to stride in, looking all mighty, hunky and powerful. Stop it, Ruby.

Uncomfortable silence rang in the air for minutes before Zach spoke up.

"Back there I remembered back home when you poured water all over me and I got sick," he chuckled, taking a seat next to the already lit—by Grant—fireplace.

I laughed too, "yeah good times, good times."

"You want a tour around Green Bank tomorrow. I could be your tour guide nothing else you don't want me to be."

Shut up. God, I muttered to myself.

'Yeah please do.'

You shut up, I shut back.

For a minute he stared at me before his lips twitched into a smile, "thanks."

"Tomorrow it is. Did you like your room? I know it's not something you're used to but I didn't tell anyone were coming and that's what Grant could do on short notice. If you don't like the room you can sleep in mine, I'll sleep on the sofa then you can have to rooms, one for your workspace and clothes and the other for sleeping. I don't mind, you don't mind right?" I stopped to catch my breath until I saw the look on Zach's face.

"Am ranting, aren't I? I should stop talking."

"I never knew you could talk that fast, sweetheart," he smiled.

"Okay," I say awkwardly,

"Goodnight." And rushed up the stairs with Zach's quiet chuckle and smiling face haunting me for the rest of the night and a promise to myself to clean the broken glass in the morning.

         ★★★★★★★

At dawn, I rubbed my eyes, brushed my teeth then rushed downstairs to water the flowers.

It wasn't long till Grant came barging down and towards me. He thrust my phone in my hands, "it keeps ringing like crazy. It was in my..." He drifted off.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "it was in where?"

"Did I say it was somewhere, it was in nowhere. I found it in the living room." He said, scratching his hair.

I moved an inch away, "eww lice. Grant have you been with my phone all day?"

He gave a charming smile, "not all day, just since when you got home."

"You in fact-"

The shrill ringing of my phone stopped me from charging towards him and wringing his neck.

Without checking the ID I answered it. It would be Jersey who was worried about me not answering her text message.

"Hi, Jersey am so sorry I forgot to text or call-"

"Jersey!!" A slightly familiar voice echoed.

"I want you on the set right now. I gave you an opportunity and your wasting my time, Ruby."

Suddenly, it clicked. "Melissa."

"Yes, it's me. Ruby you're making me pull all my hair out, you didn't show up to work yesterday and you know we're on a tight schedule, we have to finish filming episode 3 by next tomorrow and today you're nowhere to be found," she said angrily.

My brain turned mush. I took permission, heck, I had Penny to get permission; maybe she forgot.

"Melissa am sorry there has been a mistake-"

"Yes, a mistake you would make if you don't get here in the next few hours, Ruby Daniels."

"Mel...hello. Damn she hanged up on me." I threw the phone into the grass. I start pacing and dragging the roots of my hair.

Grant, on the other hand, gave me a glare then ran off to pick the phone. "What's wrong Rubs, who was that on the phone?"

I stop pacing and stood in front of him, "that was Melissa, one of swapped up directors. I have to get back to L. A right now. If not, I might not have a job anymore."