Chapter 54 "Lucky Number 7" Ruby celebrates her seventh birthday. (Part 2)
Matt entered his house after returning home from work expecting Ruby to be in the parlor waiting for him. When he wasn't greeted by his precious Little Gemstone, Matt removed his hat, hung it on the hook, and stepped out of his boots. He heard commotion in the kitchen and assumed Kitty and Ruby were in there working on supper. Matt ambled his way to the kitchen and pushed the swinging door forward. Once again, he was surprised to find only Kitty.
"Where's Ruby," Matt asked, his deep voice scaring Kitty.
Kitty slightly jumped and turned towards Matt. "Oh, you scared me. You're home a bit early today." Kitty opened the oven door and took out a loaf of bread and placed it on the counter.
"Things were a bit slow, so I decided to head home," Matt responded. "You didn't answer my question. Where's Ruby?"
Kitty took some butter and wiped it across the top of the bread. "She's been in her room working on her birthday plans. Each time I've gone in to check on her, she's been at her desk working diligently."
"It will be interesting ta see what she came up with," said Matt. "Is that stew that I see 'n smell?" Matt observed the big pot sitting on the stove.
"It is," Kitty answered. "I thought it was funny you mentioned stew this morning, and that's what I planned on fixing for supper. It's ready. Why don't you go 'n get our daughter, while I start slicing the bread?"
Matt left the kitchen and walked down the hall to Ruby's bedroom. He stood in the doorway with a smile on his face and watched his little girl. She was deep in concentration with her little tongue hanging out to the side. "My little girl must be awfully busy if I don't get a kiss 'n hug when I get home from work," Matt softly spoke from where he stood.
Ruby turned her paper over and climbed down from her chair. She went over to her daddy with open arms. "Daddy! I missed you!" Matt scooped her up. Ruby gave Matt a big squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.
Matt greatly accepted the squeeze and kiss. "I missed you too. Momma said you've been working hard on yer birthday plans. What didja come up with?"
Ruby looked back at her desk with the paper she had turned over. "I'm still working on it. It's a surprise."
"I can't wait ta see what you came up with," said Matt. "Let's go into the kitchen. Momma has supper ready."
Kitty buttered a piece of bread and put it next to Ruby's bowl of stew. "What plan did you come up with for your birthday?"
Ruby took her bread and put a spoonful of stew gravy on it, mimicking her daddy. "I'm not done yet. It's a surprise." Ruby repeated the answer she gave her daddy.
The early morning sun stretched across the wide Kansas plains, filtering through the lace curtains of the kitchen window. Inside Matt and Kitty drank their coffee while they waited for Ruby to wake up. It was Saturday, and since she didn't have school, they decided to let her wake up on her own. After supper the night before, Ruby said she had a few more touches to put on her big birthday plan. Kitty was reluctant to let her finish. Evening time was supposed to be family time. However, both Kitty and Matt were curious to see what their daughter had come up with, so Kitty said she could have ten minutes to work on it. Ruby was able to finish in those ten minutes, but decided she would make the big reveal the next morning.
"What do you think she came up with?" asked Kitty as she refilled her porcelain mug.
Matt put down the paper he had been reading. "I honestly don't know. I was almost tempted to take a peak last night. I didn't because I didn't wanna get caught and upset her."
"You're not the only one," Kitty admitted.
At that moment little feet could be heard scurrying towards the kitchen. The door came forward and Ruby in her nightgown and head full of tousled curls entered. She had a folded piece of paper clutched to her chest. "It's time for my birthday plan!" she announced.
Both Matt and Kitty gave their daughter their full attention. "Alright, let's hear it," said Matt.
Ruby unfolded her crayon-covered masterpiece. It was a picture of the jail with what looked to be balloons and streamers around the bars. I want my party at the jail," she said proudly.
Matt blinked. "At the jail? Ruby," Matt said gently, "the jail isn't really a place for parties. It's where we keep dangerous people, sometimes real bad ones."
"But you work there, so it has to be safe," Ruby protested. "And I love the clanky door and the wanted posters and all the keys on the hook. It's the most exciting place in town!"
Matt glanced at Kitty with a look that said, 'Help me out here.' Kitty just sipped her coffee. "Sweetheart," Matt said gently, kneeling to Ruby's eye level, "you sure you don't want something... less dangerous?
"Please, Daddy," Ruby begged, her red curls bouncing with each bounce of energy. "I really want my birthday party at the jail. You promised I could pick anywhere I wanted!" Ruby crossed her arms defiantly. "And I want it at the jail." Matt stood up. He now realized what Kitty meant when she told him he better remember what he told Ruby.
Kitty put her coffee cup down. She knew it was time to rescue her husband. "Ruby, why don't we make a compromise?"
"I don't know what that means," said Ruby, and she wasn't sure if she would like it.
"It's kind of like a deal," Kitty explained. "Your daddy is right. The jail isn't the best place for a little girl to have a birthday. Plus, I don't think your friends' folks would appreciate them celebrating a birthday in the jail."
Ruby wasn't liking where this compromise was going. "But Momma…."
Kitty held up her hand. "I wasn't finished. If it's alright with Daddy, we'll celebrate your birthday with the three of us, Grandpa Doc, Uncle Festus, and Uncle Newly at the jail." Kitty looked up at Matt. "What do you think?"
Matt thought for a moment. He did promise Ruby she could have whatever birthday plans she wanted, and he hated to break a promise. "I can go along with that as long as I don't have any occupants in the jail."
Kitty turned back to Ruby. "Is it a deal? Can you go along with that compromise?"
Ruby tapped her finger on her lips as she contemplated the offer. "Will the jail be decorated with balloons and streamers?"
"Of course," Matt confirmed.
"Then it's a deal," Ruby agreed. "Yay! I get to have my birthday at the jail!"
"Today is egg dying day," Kitty reminded her daughter. Go to your bedroom and I'll meet you in there. Ruby happily skipped back to her bedroom to wait for her momma and to put her paper on her desk.
"Kitty, with Ruby's birthday being on a Friday, there just might be someone in the jail sleeping off a drunk," said Matt.
Kitty gave Matt a look. "Matt, you and I both know nobody will be in your jail sleeping off a drunk before midnight. I plan on having the party early evening. I have to help Ruby get ready to dye eggs at the Sunday School." Kitty stood on her tiptoes and gave Matt a soft kiss on the lips. "You did tell her she could have whatever kind of party she wanted. Lucky number seven."
"Yeah, I know," Matt mumbled. He never expected Ruby would want a party at the jail. Then again, Matt knew he probably shouldn't be surprised with Ruby's birthday plans. His little girl would choose something associated with him, and the jail was definitely associated with him.
Several days had gone by. It was the day before Ruby's birthday. Kitty and Ruby were in Jonas's store buying items for Ruby's small party with her friends. It was decided she would invite the few girls that were first graders with her, along with Mary and Rosie Ronniger. The Ronnigers girls weren't first graders. Mary was in the second grade and Rosie was in kindergarten, but both girls were best friends of Ruby's. "Momma, what are we buying for my party?"
"I need things to make party favors for your friends," Kitty answered.
"What's a party favor?" Ruby asked as she followed her momma around the general store.
"It's a thank you gift you give to your guests for coming to your party," Kitty explained.
"It seems kinda backwards that my guests are getting gifts at my party, but I'm not," Ruby mumbled. Earlier that week Kitty had told Ruby not to expect gifts at her party. Her momma had told the mothers of the girls that gifts weren't necessary. She informed them that the purpose of the party wasn't for Ruby to get gifts, but to spend time with her friends.
Kitty looked at her little girl. "I know you're upset about not getting gifts at your party. It's fun to get new things." Ruby nodded her head. "But it was a tough winter, and money is scarce for some people. Not everyone can afford extra things like gifts to give at a party. But since you won't be getting gifts from your friends, we can put together a party favor for you too."
Ruby's face lit up. "I'm gonna thank myself for coming to my own party." Kitty laughed.
Kitty and Ruby sat at the kitchen table with the items they purchased from Jonas's. "Now in each bag, we're gonna put the gumdrops, taffy, and lemon drops. We'll twist the bags and tie them shut with the ribbon. The girls can use the ribbon for their hair."
Ruby grabbed the first bag. Inside she put the gumdrops, taffy, and lemon drops. When she finished, Ruby handed the bag to her momma, who twisted it shut and tied a bow around it with a piece of ribbon. Seeing that these were Ruby's party favors, Kitty let her fill them up. Ruby made sure that each bag had the same amount of candy and flavors. When they bought the gumdrops, Ruby informed Jonas exactly what she wanted. Ruby filled the last bag and handed it to her momma. "It was fun making those." She smelled her hands. "My hands smell good."
Kitty finished tying the bow and added the bag to the small pile. "It was fun, and I'm sure your hands smell wonderful. We're gonna need room on this table to eat our supper. Take these and put them on the coffee table in the parlor room. Our next task is birthday cake baking." Ruby carefully gathered the party favors and carried them to the parlor.
This year Ruby had decided on a vanilla cake with chocolate frosting. Kitty made extra cake batter, so she could make cupcakes for Ruby and her friends tomorrow. A whole birthday cake would have been too much for a few little girls to eat. Besides that, cupcakes were easier to hand out. The birthday cake would be brought to the jail for Ruby's jailhouse party.
Ruby was playing with her dollhouse, when Matt came home. "Daddy!" She went over to greet him with her hug and kiss. After Matt put her down, she grabbed his hand and led him over to the coffee table. "Look at what me 'n Momma made. They're party flavors for my birthday party. Everyone is getting one, even me. It's a thank you gift for coming to my party."
Matt couldn't help but smile. He knew his daughter was incorrect when she said flavor, instead of favor. "Those look very nice. I'm sure your friends will love them."
At that moment Kitty entered the room. "Hello, Matt." She walked over and gave him a kiss. "How was your day?"
"Oh fine," said Matt. Kitty knew if anything happened that shouldn't be said in front of Ruby, Matt would share that when they were alone.
"Momma, I showed Daddy the party flavors," informed Ruby.
"That's party favors, not flavors," Kitty gently corrected her daughter.
Ruby scrunched up her face. "Oh. Well I think party flavors make more sense because of all the delicious candy in them.
Matt rubbed the top of his daughter's head. "I agree with you."
Kitty pulled the quilt over Ruby's shoulder. "This is your last night of being a six year old. When you wake up tomorrow morning, you'll be seven years old." Ruby would be seven. She was born at half past five in the morning. Kitty and then Matt gave Ruby a kiss goodnight and left her bedroom.
Kitty stood at the stove and carefully poured pancake batter in the shape of a seven into the hot frying pan. Last year she made Ruby a number six pancake. Matt came up and looked over Kitty's shoulder. "Ah, a number seven."
Seeing that the bubbles in the batter were starting to pop, Kitty flipped the pancake over. "I wasn't sure if she would be expecting one this year, but I thought I should probably make one." When the pancake was done on the other side, Kitty put it on a plate. "After I scramble up these eggs, we can go and wake our birthday girl up."
A grin spread across Matt's face as the unmistakable sound of the pitter patter of little feet could be heard getting louder. "I don't think we're gonna have to wake her up," he chuckled.
A few seconds later the kitchen door opened and Ruby stood there in her nightgown with her curly hair in a wild halo around her face. Her cheeks were rosy from the blanket cocoon she emerged from. "I'm seven years old!" she exclaimed.
"Happy Birthday!" Matt and Kitty wished in unison.
Matt went over to Ruby, lifted her up, and spun around with her. That earned a happy squeal from the seven year old. "I can't believe my beautiful Little Gemstone is seven years old." He brought Ruby over to the table and set her on her chair.
Kitty placed the seven pancake in front of Ruby and waited for her reaction. "Momma! You made me a seven pancake. Thank you!"
Kitty kissed the top of Ruby's head. "You're welcome, sweetheart. It's a special pancake for a special girl." Kitty returned to the stove and brought the scrambled eggs and stack of ham to the table. She put a spoonful of eggs on Ruby's plate, along with a slice of ham. Once Ruby's plate was done, Kitty made up her own plate of food. The rest was left for Matt.
"What's the plan for today?" Matt asked as he loaded up his plate.
"I'll take Ruby to school. When school is dismissed, I'll pick her and her friends up for the party," Kitty explained. "Oh, that reminds me. I'm gonna need the wagon. Would you mind hitching the team up for me?"
"That's no problem," said Matt. "Actually, I wanted to take Ruby to school along with you. We can take the wagon, I'll tether Buck to the back."
Matt pulled the wagon in front of the jail. He untied Buck from the back and loosely wrapped the reins around the hitching post. The next stop was the school house. Matt climbed back up on the wagon and drove it down Front Street towards the school house. You could see children arriving at school from all directions. Some were walking, while others were being dropped off by a parent. Matt and Kitty had wondered if Ruby would ever ask if she could walk to school. If she did, they planned on telling her no. First, the distance was a bit too far. Even if it wasn't, they would still tell her no because of safety concerns. Matt couldn't take any chances that his enemies would take the advantage of Ruby being alone and use her to get back at him.
Matt pulled back on the reins and set the brake. He hopped down from his seat. "Give Momma a kiss 'n hug goodbye, and then I'll help you down," he told Ruby.
Ruby leaned over to her momma, who gathered the little girl in her arms. Ruby wrapped her arms around her momma's torso. "Goodbye, Momma. I love you."
Kitty squeezed her daughter a little tighter. "I love you too, sweet girl. You have a wonderful day. I'll see you this afternoon." Kitty and Ruby released each other.
Matt lifted Ruby off the wagon seat and gave her his own hug, which Ruby returned. "I love you, honey. I'll see you later this afternoon." Kitty wordlessly handed Matt Ruby's knapsack, lunch pail, and water bottle. "Here you go. Bye, honey."
"Bye Daddy! Bye Momma! I can't wait until my parties!" Ruby exclaimed as she ran off to join the other children playing in the school yard.
TBC
Author's Note: My original plan was for this to be a two part story. However, I have enough to make it a three part story. Join Ruby tomorrow, April 24th, for her birthday celebration.