SUMMARY: ''inside her heart was breaking, her makeup may be flickling, but her smile, still stays on... (How Ruby found out about her daughter´s passing.
DSCWin, Loveispatientloveiskind and QueenSheridan, thanks for the help and support.
Loveispatientloveiskind, a shout out to you, who give me this new idea, thank you very much.
I know we´re talking about ABBA here, but The Queen´s ''The Show Must Go On'' was written for Ruby.
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Another show, another performance ended brilliantly, as Ruby Sheridan expected, once everything with her, couldn´t be less than perfect. The crowd cheered and Ruby thanks falsely everyone to be there, as she always did.
''congratulations, Mrs. Sheridan, you did wonderful as always!'' her manager, Mr. Jackson congratulated her.
''thank you, Jackson'' she said politely. ''now, I would ask for two hours of rest in my room, till the next show'' she said
''certainly, ma´am'' the manager said ''I will ask Charlotte to bring your dinner''
''thanks very much. And I don´t want to be bothered.'' She smiled and walk toward her room.
_/_
Once in the quietly of her luxury suite at the Venetian Hotel, Ruby took a deep breath and set down. As much as she loved her life, she couldn´t denied the fact that she was coming to age and for a second, she thought, what would be, if she had chosen a different life.
Suddenly, the phone begins to ring, and Ruby almost jump out of her feet. Confused and furious for been interrupted, the old woman answered the phone ready to yell at the person at the other line, when the attendant announced that a man name Harry Bright, wanted to talk to her a bit urgently.
''alright'' she growled, thinking that this Harry could be a journalist, wanting an interview ''tell him to be quick, as Harry comes to the line.
''Good Evening, Mrs. Ruby Sheridan'' the man said solely
''yes, in what can I help you?'' she said not in a good mood.
''Mrs. Sheridan, my name is Harry Bright, I'm friend of your daughter, Donna Violet Sheridan…'' he said.
Right, Donna, what that stupid, reckless little slut, had done this time? Did she steal that poor man´s money? Ruby rage boiled, and she prepared to yell at him, when Harry took a dep breath and talk again.
''Mrs. Sheridan, it is with deep regret, that I come to communicate you, of the death of your daughter, Donna Violet Sheridan ...'' Harry said as he was reading a manuscript or a recipe for a cake. Actually, it was Tanya who wrote what he should say, knowing Ruby, she told Harry that he had to come straight to the subject, otherwise, she would change the topic. "…She passed away at dawn yesterday, at Mykonos hospital, due to a kidney failure, after an arduous battle against a cancer…'' he read it like a journalist, announcing the death of a celebrity, not someone announcing the death of his own friend and preventing Ruby to answer.
After Harry announced where and when the funeral would take place, all Ruby could do was muttered a shy 'thank you' and slammed the phone on Harry´s face.
Any other mother in her place, would certainly cry and scream and freak out with the news of their daughter´s death. Still, Ruby wasn´t that kind of mother, she didn´t screamed or cried or freaked out, instead, she just set on the edge of her queen-sized bed and controlled her breath, in and out, in and out, trying to calm herself down.
She remembered that a few months later, Donna called her, saying she was sick, still Ruby, in the drunk state she was at the time, slammed the phone on the other woman´s face, thinking it was a joke or that Donna was just playing tricks, to get her money.
Still in a mid-state of shock, Ruby get up from the bed and served herself with a large dose of whiskey, but doesn´t touch her food, hoping that the alcohol, could erased the call from this Mr. Harry Bright.
On the other hand, part of her couldn´t stop, but think about the fact she just lost a daughter. This Mr. Harry Bright wasn´t calling her to an interview or something like that. Instead he was calling her to inform her that her daughter, her only child was passed away, victim of an horrible disease and she did nothing to stop it.
Guilt start to creep inside Ruby´s veins, as part of her regretted casting her daughter away, the way she did. But the truth was that, mother and daughter was never that close, she used to beat her daughter a lot and more than one time, Donna ended in the hospital because of her. And of course, Donna for herself, managed to let Ruby´s life to be miserably, calling her names, screwing her shows schedule and getting involved with people she didn´t approve.
When Donna called her, telling about Sophie, she just told her daughter to disappear, once she doesn´t want to see the story repeating itself and Donna treating Sophie the same way she did, not knowing however that Donna was a great mother.
Realization fall over Ruby, as she wished she could turn back the clock and have a second chance with her daughter and granddaughter, away from this miserable life under the spotlight. But it was too late to apologize now. And she thought not even Sophie would like to forgive her.
Suddenly, as a sob make it´s way to Ruby´s throat, she heard someone knocking on her door. It was Mr. Jackson, to announce her that her next show would be starting in half an hour.
''coming, Jackson'' she said calmly ''give me ten minutes''
With that, Ruby composed herself and walk toward the bathroom, to look on her face. For a second, she doesn´t look like herself.
''Mrs. Sheridan are you alright in there?'' she heard Jackson calling her, so she took a deep breath, trying to forget her broken heart and the fact her makeup was starting to flick.
''Jackson!'' she said opening the door with a smile on her face ''I said 'I'm coming' no need to freak out''
''oh, Mrs. Sheridan, I was starting to get worry, we´re gonna be late'' the short man said
''so what are waiting for!'' she urged and followed Mr. Jackson toward where she needed to be.
With a smile, she forced herself to forget about that Mr. Harry Bright and his infamous call, he was the last of his problems now. Once back on the stage, she finally found a way to carry on.
THE END.