The Hardest Part Is Letting Go Of Your Dreams

The next day Frank goes to work and I take Ruby to the park. We play near the lake for a while before I take her to a travelling cart to get some ice cream and we sit under a tree in the shade and eat. Just as we are finishing up I spot someone staring at us out of the corner of my eye and when I turn my head to fully look at them I realise who it is, Ruby's mother. "Ok Rubes you ready to go?" I ask and she nods before standing up and taking my hand, leaving the park with me. We walk along the street towards home and as we're waiting to cross the street I turn my head and see the woman in the crowd of people behind us. I start to panic so I scoop Ruby into my arms and quickly change our direction, heading for the music shop. I walk fast and Ruby notices where we're going and she smiles and says "Are we gonna visit daddy?" "Yeah baby girl" I tell her, trying to keep my voice calm, not wanting to worry her. When we reach the store I put her down and she runs over and gives Frank a kiss before running off to talk to Matt. Frank comes out from behind the counter and startles me by wrapping his arms around my waist, my back having been turned to him as I look out the front window to see if she's out there. "Wow baby why are you so jumpy?" He jokes around and when I turn to look at him and he sees the look of terror on my face his smile drops. "What's wrong?" "Um....well we were in the park and Ruby's mother was there watching us like a total creeper and I freaked so we left and she was following us home so we came here instead and I don't know if she's still following us or not and....." "Hey hey it's alright" Frank cuts off my frightened babbling, reaching up and cupping my cheeks. "You're alright now. How about you guys hang out for half an hour and I'll take off early?" I nod my head before stepping forward and slumping into his chest, resting my head on his shoulder. Frank wraps his arms around me
and gently rubs my back as he whispers in my ear "You're alright baby I promise, I won't let her anywhere near either of you." I slowly nod and pull myself away from him, taking a deep breath and nodding again. "Ok I gotta get back to work, you wanna hang out in the break room or you can come sit behind the counter with me?" I take his hand and he smiles at me and leads me around behind the counter, telling me to take a seat. Ruby jokes around with Matt for a while and he is currently sitting at the drum kit in the corner with her in his lap, attempting to teach her to be the 'Worlds Greatest Drummer', the afternoon slow for them with no customers in here when the bell over the door goes off and Frank and I break our conversation to look over, my heart stopping momentarily. I let my instincts take over and I rush around the counter and grab Ruby out of Matts lap, rushing through the door to the back of the store, an overwhelming sense to protect her taking over. "Don't like the bad lady daddy" she tells me and I say "Yeah I know baby me either." We go into the break room and sit on the couch. "I'm hungry daddy" Ruby says after a minute so I get up and go to the vending machine in the corner, inserting a dollar and saying "What would you like Rubes?" She comes over and points out the chips she wants and I get them, opening the packet and sitting her back on the couch with them. "Ok Rubes baby I need you to stay here, don't leave this room until daddy or I come back ok?" She nods her little head and I lean in and kiss her forehead before walking from the room. When I reach the front of the store the woman is still there arguing with Frank, Matt standing by him backing him up. "Get the fuck out of my store and you leave my family alone. If I so much as see your face anywhere near anyone I know again I will have you arrested so fucking fast..." "Well I think I stand a pretty good chance seeing as you kidnapped my daughter..." "Right that's it, leave right now or I'll call the cops." The woman smirks and says "You'll be seeing me again, I can assure you of that" before walking out of the store. I let out a choked off sob and Frank turns his head to look at me. "Baby it's alright" he assures me as he runs across the room and hugs me. "I won't let her near you guys again, I promise everything will be ok." I nod, trusting him completely and Matt comes over, resting his hand on my shoulder. "If there's anything I can do Gee" he offers and I smile and thank him. "Ok take off guys, I can lock up on my own, get Rubes home where she's safe." I nod and turn to go get her. When we come back Frank is gone and Matt says "He'll be back in a second, he's scouting the street." I nod and wait with Ruby on my hip, Frank coming back a few minutes later. We leave hand in hand, Ruby still on my hip and there is a cab waiting outside. "Get in babe" he tells me and I climb in with Ruby, Frank following and we take a short cab ride home.

The next day Frank goes to work and about an hour after he leaves there is a knock at the door. I look over at Ruby, she seems completely preoccupied with her drawing so I edge towards the door, grabbing my cell phone and setting up a call to Frank, ready to push the call button if I need to and crack the door open, coming face to face with the woman. I step infront of the opening, blocking it with my body as I hit call and slip the phone into my pocket. "What the fuck do you want? Why are you here?" I ask loudly and she cackles like a with before saying "I'll just be taking my daughter and I'll be on my way." "Yeah I don't fucking think so bitch, get out of here now or I'll call the cops." She cackles again and says "Well I think you'll be letting me in and doing this the easy way or my friend here can make it the hard way, the choice is yours." I swallow hard, terrified and praying that Frank answered and is hearing all this. I go to push the door closed but a hand reaches out and stops me and the woman steps aside, bringing me face to face with Bert. "Hey baby long time no see" he snarls at me as he shoves the door open and they step inside, Bert backing me against the wall and wrapping his hand around my throat while the woman enters the apartment. "Bert get off me" I choke out and his hand tightens, cutting off my breathing.

Notes

So someone suggested Bert coming back into the story....