Chapter 2

Meeting Ruby Ray

Weeks later

A young girl watched me with analyzing eyes until she remembered something and relaxed a tiny bit. She had dark red hair, almost like Dante's, in thick, tight curls. Her eyes were a light green.

I knelt down to her eye level when I got to her chair, "I'm Montehue, your new guar-" She wrapped her arms around my neck.

"I don't like it here. Can we go now?" She whispered.

"Um, sure." I waited for her to let go, but she didn't want to so I picked her up.

"She must really like you." One of her nurses smiled.

"I think she just wants to leave." I said as the girl mumbled "home."

"Well, it's the best reaction she's had to a new person." The scrub clad woman said.

"Is there anything I need to know?" I asked her.

"No." I felt Ruby Ray shake her head.

"We've sent you everything." The nurse reaffirmed.

"Do you want to say good bye?" I asked Ruby.

"Bye bye." She announced.

"Well, I guess we'll get going now." I said and the red haired girl exclaimed yay.

I took her to the entrance, where Tersly was waiting, and she was a little apprehensive. Tersly was patient with her as I explained that he was my assistant and, more quietly, my husband. She waved at him. He smiled at her and waved back. She clearly wasn't excepting me to have a partner.

"Ruby, are you ok with Tersly? I'm sorry I hadn't told you about him." I apologized.

"He's not like Mom's boyfriends. He's nice." She said quietly.

"Tersly's very excited to have you with us." I smiled.

"Good." She said.

We walked to the car and I put her down. She got in the car and strapped herself in. When we got further down the road, she asked why the driver's seat was on the right. I told it's just how cars were made here then asked where she was born. She said Oregon and that her mom just moved them to Britain a year ago. I didn't press that subject, she would tell me later when she felt more comfortable around us, then asked if she wanted to go clothes shopping before we got home. She decided that would be fine after I explained we wouldn't stay too long. She got a few shirts and things and then we finally got home.

Tersly took her to the dining room while I put her clothes away. We made sure they had fit her. When I got the dining room, Ruby was helping Tersly make soup. I smiled. We had a nice meal.

Ruby didn't tell much else that night, but I didn't except her to. We told her about our jobs as museum owners and what Foundation Seekers did. She felt better about Seekers now than she had. I think she wanted another Titan. We showed her where her room was after dinner. She said it was nice. I reassured her it would feel better once she got a chance to decorate. Like her own. Tersly said she could come get us if she wanted. Her curls bounced as she nodded. Then we left her to go to bed.

"What do you think of Ruby?" I asked Tersly as he snuggled close to me.

"She's shy, but I think that's just because we're new. Very sweet and curious. She wanted to explore before I reminded her it was dinnertime. I love her already." He sighed and kissed my neck.

"I'm glad you two got along. I hope she'll like it here." I rubbed his arm.

"I'm sure Ruby will. It's a matter of time, Monty." He told me.

"I know. Let's get some rest, Ters." I turned off the light and held my dorky husband until we fell asleep.