Disclaimer: Cold Mountain belongs to Charles Frazier; the movie to Miramax Films, and several people. Purty, however, is mine.
A/N: Between Inman's death and the Epilogue. My first attempt at Cold Mountain fiction. Let me know if the dialogue is confusing. Oh, and please don't hound me on the grammar/spelling/punctuation. I take my cues from Renee Zellweger's interpretation of Ruby's speech, and Charles Frazier's method of indicating it.
Ain't No Harm
Ada was on the porch writing and rocking silently in her old wooden chair when Ruby stomped out from the kitchen.
--I been watching you through that there window, an' you ain't so much as lost that frown since you came out here midday.
--Precious little to be smiling about, Ruby. Why?
--Just gets awful quiet when you're out readin' an' frownin' alla time. What's that you're writing? Ruby pointed a strong finger at Ada's paper.
Ada looked off towards the fields, still thawing from the hard winter. It's just a letter, Ruby. Are…are you looking for help with the dishes? After a moment, she glanced up. Ruby had been studying her with narrow eyes and pursed lips.
--What's the purpose in it? What'd he say, about going on, and scars…that wasn't so stupid.
Ada was silent. Ruby turned away, hands on her hips, and after a moment added, Seems to me I been where you are. But there's no telling me I can't smile when I wanna. Took some time, but here I am!
The next time Ada looked up, Ruby was swinging her legs over the porch rail. Ada shifted, and her chair creaked. That was enough encouragement for Ruby.
--When my daddy left me, that time I was eight? Well, I went explorin' all over, ever'where you can imagine, jus' me an' my charity blouse an' skirt. Had some knickers, too. Folks from the city brought 'em to my daddy for me. So one day I woke up in the field I found that night, an' there was this boy standin' over my head yellin', Ain't you the blacksmith's kid? My daddy wont's your daddy! No, I says, I don't know no blacksmith an' he sho ain't my daddy. Oh, he says, well then whose kid are ya? I ain't nobody's kid, I says, an' he thought that was about the best thing he heard all week. So then we was friends. We went fishin' an' explorin' an' swimmin' all day long. I tol' him all 'bout my daddy, and he tol' me 'bout his. His daddy was a preacher, just like yours was, Ada, an' he sounded awful proper for havin' a kid that'd be my friend. I betcha my momma'll give you some'n t'eat, he tol' me, if'n you wash up real nice like me before dinner and say please ma'am. An' maybe my daddy'd letcha stay on and on forever till your daddy gets his nose above th' bottle. Jus' maybe! Then he gets this bright idea, let's play Adam an' Eve! Who's they? I ask, an' he told me. An' that was such fun, goin' round namin' things. You ever named a thing, Ada? He says we was jus' s'posed to make up words an' name things we saw, but I couldn't help name him Purty an' my hair Raven an' my daddy The Devil Hisself.
Ada listened thoughtfully, watching Ruby's feet swing incessantly and feeling the air grow cooler as the sun sank below the hazy line of mountains. How's all this like me, Ruby?
--I ain't done yet. Then I found some berries and was tryin' but couldn't for my life make up a name besides Tasty, or Juicy, an' Purty said they didn't count. Then I thought, no use in namin' it when it'll better be used for eatin', when Purty let out a shriek 'nuff to set my ears to ringin'. Don't you eat that, he says, it's poison! That ain't poison, I says, an' Ada, you know I knows a poison berry when I see one. But he says, It is! So I let go the berry. An' then, the silly boy went whoopin' an' jumpin' clear into the air. Now there ain't no sin! He says, No more sin! What's sin? I say, an' he says it's like when a black man won't work right, or tries to run away. And you won't hafta scream no more when you have babies – tha's what my daddy says. Like when momma had my kid brother, she was screamin' like the world was burnin' an' I said why? an my daddy says that's 'causa sin. I don't have babies, I say. He says, sure you don't, but now you don't gotta scream. Okay, I says. And, he says, it mean we don't gotta wear no clothes. I like my clothes jus' fine, I say, an ' he says Why? I didn't know how t'answer that, so he starts takin' off his britches. I thought that was 'bout the purtiest thing I ever saw, an' he acted mighty pleased with hisself too, 'cept for then his momma came burstin' through the trees sayin' dinner time.
Ada snorted.
--Well, she let out such a holler the neighbors down the road banged open their shutters to see who's slave had died. IEEE! What're you doin', boy? An' what're you doin' with my boy? You'd better go back where you came from, girl, 'fore I call the neighbors. Who's your momma? I'll be havin' a word or two for her! I dunno my momma, I says; my daddy says she was had by a heron an' out comes me, jus' to get stuck with him. I dunno where she is. Whatever happened then, I don't recall – jus' that none of my ma'am's did any help, an' I never saw my friend agin. I never really had a friend like that since.
--You have me, said Ada.
Ruby let that sit for a minute, then hopped down from the rail. She licked a finger and roughly rubbed a splotch of ink from Ada's chin. That's right. I got you. An' Sally.
Ada nodded slowly. Looks like you've got yourself someone new, too.
--Huh? said Ruby, and Ada nodded towards the figure approaching from the barn. Ruby looked over her shoulder and smirked. Looks like I have. But he seems mighty familiar. Maybe he's Purty, after all this.
--He's from Georgia, Ruby.
--I coulda been in Georgia, you don't know.
--That's an awful long walk for a little girl.
--My daddy was gone a awful long time. Ruby was quiet for a moment. 'Sides, she added more slowly, ain't no harm in thinkin'. In wishin'.
Ada smiled, and set down her pen. Ain't no harm at all.
--There ya go! See, no harm in smiling, neither.
Ada nodded, and watched Ruby as she grabbed her paper and pen, and opened the front door. Ruby, was all that true? About the boy, and his…britches, and his mother?
--Course it was! Come on, there's dishes waitin'.
Ada laughed, and followed her inside.