Weiss

Mrs. Rose eagerly ushered me to the living room to show me her entire photo album of her daughter. When I was about an earshot away from Ruby, I rubbed the back of my arms and dug up the courage to ask her mother directly. It had been eating the back of my mind ever since Ruby had mentioned her mother lived in Atlas before.

"Have you known?" I questioned quietly, hoping that she would catch on to my question without any further details.

I was ninety-nine percent sure she had known. Anyone who lived in Atlas was bound to figure it out somehow, whether it be through newspapers or the media.

If that wasn't enough, then surely my name was the hottest gossip in the company. Even if Mrs. Rose happened to switch to another branch in Mistral, there was no doubt that it was one of the Schnee Company's branches. The mega corporation owned eighty five percent of Atlas' business.

"Know what?" Mrs. Rose asked. She searched through the shelves for her promised collection of Ruby's baby pictures. "Oh, that I have Atlas' billionaire underneath my roof? Yes, I — Ahah!"

She found what she was looking for but apologetically smiled for getting sidetracked. She gestured me over to the couch, and I sat next to her.

"I'm sorry. I hope it did not come off the wrong way when I said that," she said as she cracked the book open. I snuffed down a laugh when the first picture that popped up was Ruby dressed as a hotdog for Halloween. The neighboring photo was of her dressed as a traffic cone. Her taste in costumes were… Eccentric. "I knew I had seen you from somewhere, but I couldn't remember until you told me you were from Atlas. Then I recalled the news that was trending years ago…"

"The heiress of the Schnee Company revoking her own title," I said, already knowing what she was talking about. It was all over the headlines in Atlas. Hard to miss.

"I'm sorry, this must be very uncomfortable for you." Mrs. Rose began apologizing. "I was trying to avoid the topic, but somehow, it kept popping up. You have your reasons for your actions, and I wish that my association with a branch of your company doesn't discourage you from being my daughter's friend."

"Of course not!" I blurted louder than I intended. A blush rose to my cheeks and I toned down the volume of my voice. "Your connection with my father's company will not affect our friendship. Ruby is…" The memories of me accidentally climbing on top of Ruby flashed to mind. I couldn't forget about the painful prick in my chest when I saw the hurt on her face. "She is an irreplaceable friend."

"That brings me relief." Mrs. Rose placed a hand on her chest as she sighed. "Thank you, Weiss."

"I-I… Um, for what?"

"Keeping her company. I know I'm always on the other side of the world. Ruby never liked it and had been vocal about it, but she learned to accept it in the very end. This place has always been lonely for her, so getting to meet one of my daughter's good friends puts my soul to ease."

"Yeah, of course," I said, gently smiling. In some ways, Ruby and I weren't any different. She had always been there for me, and it was the least I can do for her.

It warmed my heart to hear the unconditional love Mrs. Rose had for her daughter. Being thousands of miles away must have been hard on her.

"How about we jump back to the photos?" Mrs. Rose patted on the soft plastic of her album.

"Can I ask you a favor, Mrs. Rose?" I said, watching her flip to the next page. Someone had the gall to draw on Ruby's face in one of the photos. Her eyebrows had been thickened by a black marker and the iconic mustache had been drawn below her nose.

"What is it, dear?"

"The whole Schnee Company," I started hesitantly. "I wish to keep this all from Ruby."

"Oh?" She looked at me in surprise.

"The idea of her knowing doesn't sit well with me… It's a part of my past that I'm trying to put behind."

"If that's how you feel, then I won't mention any of it."

"Thank you for understanding, and thank you for not mentioning it back at the table."

I knew her mother had lied about forgetting the corporation's name. The subtle smile she had passed to me was deliberate.

"Of course, but I doubt she'll find out anyways." Mrs. Rose then let out a soft laugh. "Ruby lives so far underneath the rock that — "

"I heard my name!" Ruby came striding to the living room and pointed an accusing finger at her mother. There was a giant wet splotch on her shirt from washing dishes. "I knew it! You're talking about me!"

"Only nice things, honey. Right, Weiss?"

"Yes," I smiled. The timing had been perfect. "Nothing but good things."

Ruby skeptically raised a brow at me. "Uh huuh…" Her silver eyes followed down to the photo album on her mother's lap and she immediately dived to slap a hand over the picture. "Mom!" She exclaimed in embarrassment, trying to hide the photo. "Why are you showing her these pictures?"

"What's wrong with these pictures?" I asked curiously. I tried to lift Ruby's fingers off the photo to peek under but they wouldn't pry off.

"Yeah, what's wrong with these pictures?" Her mother questioned. "The photos here are the cutest darn thing ever."

"Nooo! I look so hideous."

With one fast tug, Mrs. Rose yanked the album from her daughter's hand. When she finally placed it back on her lap, I finally got to see what Ruby was trying to hide.

"Pfft…" I hid a laugh behind a hand. Ruby's face paled in horror.

When Mrs. Rose said the photos here were the cutest thing ever, well, she wasn't wrong. It really was the cutest thing ever, because in the photo a very young Ruby had tied a bra around her head to use it as mouse ears