Susan Pfeffer - Shade of the Moon

Ruby was on her hands and knees scrubbing the hallway floor with Gabe attempting to help when the phone rang. She shrieked at the unexpected sound.

“That thing scares the living daylights out of me,” she said. “We had a phone back home in West Virginia, but I don’t remember it ever ringing that loud.”

“I’ll get it,” Jon said. He stepped around Ruby and picked up the phone. “Evans residence,” he said, hoping Ruby might learn.

“Jon, it’s Lisa,” she said so softly Jon could hardly hear her. “I can’t talk long. Call Dr. Goldman. Tell him to come over as soon as he can.”

“He’s probably at the clinic,” Jon said.

“Call him there,” Lisa said. “Just get him. Miranda had her baby. They’re dropping her off at the house any minute now. I don’t know what shape she’s in.”

“The baby?” Jon asked.

“Dead,” Lisa said. “So deformed they wouldn’t let her see it. They baptized the poor thing before it died. That should be some comfort to Alex at least.”

“Shouldn’t Miranda stay in the hospital another day or two?” Jon asked.

“She’s a grub,” Lisa said. “As far as they’re concerned, they’ve done enough. Call Dr. Goldman. I’ll be home as soon as I can.”

“Something the matter?” Ruby asked as Jon hung up the phone.

“It’s Miranda,” Jon said.

“Oh, the other grubber girl,” Ruby said. “She had her baby?”

“The baby died,” Jon said. He went to the living room and searched Lisa’s desk for her address book. He carried it back into the hallway and dialed the clinic’s phone number.

Dr. Goldman got on the phone. Jon told him what he knew.

“I’ll see what I can find out,” Dr. Goldman said. “I’ll ask for Alex to be my driver. We’ll get there as soon as we can.”

“Tell Alex the baby was baptized before it died,” Jon said.

“I will,” Dr. Goldman said. “If Miranda gets there before I do, put her in bed and keep her warm. Physically she’s probably fine, but this could be very hard on her emotionally. Especially so soon after losing her mother.”

“Thank you,” Jon said, and hung up. Ruby looked at him.

“Stop scrubbing the floor,” he said to her. “Get your things out of your bedroom and move them into the nursery. Take your sheets, blankets, everything, and put them on the bed in there. Then take the linens from the nursery and put them on your old bed. You understand all that?”

“Yes, Mr. Jon,” Ruby said. “But I don’t understand why you’re making such a fuss over a grub.”

“She’s not just a grub,” Jon said. “She’s my sister.”

Ruby stared at him. “I swear I’ll never understand clavers,” she said.

“Just do what I tell you,” Jon said. “Now!”

“Don’t yell at Ruby,” Gabe said. He walked over to Jon and began kicking him.

Jon lifted Gabe off the floor and carried him upstairs. “You’ll stay in the nursery until I say otherwise, you little brat,” he said. He slammed the door on Gabe, who began shrieking.

“Ruby, don’t let Gabe out of his room,” Jon said, rushing back downstairs. “And don’t play with him or be nice to him. We need to get your room ready right away.”

“Yes, Mr. Jon,” Ruby said. In a minute she was carrying the dirty sheets and blankets, along with her bag of clothes.

Jon carried the scrub brush and bucket into the kitchen and emptied out the water. There was a chance they’d bring Miranda in through the front door. It was better for the floor to be dirty and dry than clean and wet.

But they brought her to the back door. The ambulance motor kept running as an orderly dragged Miranda over to Jon and dropped her in his arms. Without saying a word he left.

Miranda looked half dead. Jon tried to shift her weight so he could carry her, but she didn’t help him any. So he dragged her as the orderly had and got her onto the bed in what had been Ruby’s room.

“Miranda,” he said, but she didn’t respond.

“Ruby, come here!” he shouted.

Ruby clattered down the stairs, Gabe running right behind.

“Don’t blame me, Mr. Jon,” Ruby said. “Gaby wouldn’t stay put.”

“Stay out of the way, Gabe,” Jon said. “When I lift Miranda up, Ruby, pull the blankets off the bed.”

Ruby did as Jon told her. Then they swung Miranda onto the bed and covered her with the blankets.

“Get another one from my room,” Jon said. “I don’t think she’s warm enough.”

“Is she dead?” Gabe asked, walking around so he could get a better look.

“No, she isn’t,” Jon said, but he wasn’t sure how alive she was, either. Miranda’s breaths were shallow and she was very pale.

Ruby ran into the room carrying the blanket. “You’re gonna be awful cold tonight if you let her have all those,” she said.

“I’ll worry about that tonight,” he said. “Have you made supper yet, Ruby?”

“No, Mr. Jon.”

“Then why don’t you go into the kitchen and make it,” Jon said. “Take Gabe with you. And keep quiet.”

“Yes, Mr. Jon,” Ruby said. “Come here, Gaby. We’re going to make you a nice supper.”

Jon sat on the bed next to Miranda and held her hand. Did she understand about the baby? And if she did, how could she bear losing both Mom and the baby? He held on to his sister’s hand and wished he could tell her how much he loved her, how much he’d hated hating her.

Lisa arrived before Dr. Goldman. She walked into Miranda’s room and then went back to the kitchen. “Bring me in a chair,” she said to Ruby, and in a moment the chair was there and Lisa was sitting in it.

“She’ll be all right,” she said to Jon. “I can’t say I’m surprised. All those chemicals she was working with in the greenhouses. No wonder the baby was born so deformed.”

“It doesn’t matter why,” Jon said.

“Of course it does,” Lisa said. “I got Miranda when we thought we were getting a greenhouse. She’s a greenhouse worker, Jon, not a domestic. She’ll be back in the greenhouses by Wednesday.”

Miranda moaned.

“It’s all right, Miranda,” Lisa said, stroking Miranda’s forehead gently. “You’re going to be fine. You just need to get your strength back.”

Miranda murmured something.

“She wants Laura,” Lisa said, and then her face crumpled. “Oh, Jon, how is she going to manage? This is all so unfair.”

Jon stared at her.

“What?” Lisa said angrily. “You think I don’t love her? She’s Hal’s daughter. I’ve watched her grow up. Of course I love her. I feel so helpless.”

The doorbell rang. Ruby ran to answer it.

“Miranda!” Alex cried. “Where is she?”

“We’re back here,” Lisa said. “Ruby, show them in.”

Alex raced past Ruby to Miranda’s bedside. Dr. Goldman followed, and Sarah came as well, lingering in the doorway.

“Alex, give me a minute to examine her,” Dr. Goldman said. “If you could all excuse us for a moment.”

“Come, Alex,” Lisa said, taking him by the hand. “Let’s wait here in the kitchen. Ruby, why don’t you take Gabe upstairs for a bit?”

“I have supper cooking,” Ruby said. “Mr. Jon told me to make supper.”

Jon realized Sarah was staring at Ruby. Ruby must have realized it also because she returned the look. “You Mr. Jon’s girlfriend?” she asked.

“That’s none of your concern, Ruby,” Lisa said. “I told you to take Gabe upstairs and stay with him. I’ll make sure supper isn’t burned.”