William Jarvis - Sky Valley 02 - Beaches & Coffee Read online

  CHAPTER 16

  I WANT OUT

  Edward's wake was held at this resort. As hard as it was for Emmy, she handled the task of standing the White roses used and she was also there to talk to the visitors. Somehow, she felt like it was her responsibility although she knew that she wasn't at fault.

  She also tried very hard not to snap whenever she heard people asking Ruby what happened. Ruby didn't even have the decency to say that it was an accident; she just let people assume whatever they thought was right.

  Emmy felt that whatever she says won't be taken seriously anyway so she just chosee to keep quiet. She didn't want to be part of another debacle and she just wanted to take a rest and forget about everything. She did not really want to deal with all of these anymore.

  Edward was buried at a cemetery not too far away from the Sky Valley Resort. "I don't want you to forget him." Ruby told her while Edward's casket was being lowered down the ground.

  "I'm sure you shouldn't forget forget him, too. I know you won't." Emmy said.

  Ruby stared at her for a long time. She was quivering and she didn't really know how to react to what Emmy said.

  "I liked Edward, Ruby." Emmy said. "I think he was a good man and you know what? I really don't think he deserved you. Doesn't that make you sad? He's being lowered to the ground now. He won't ever come back." Emmy went on. "Oh and took know what else? I know Daniel doesn't deserve you, too. He and I may not be seeing eye to eye right now but let me just tell you that he is way out of your league. And I hope he doesn't fall back to the trap of being with you again because he deserves someone far better than you. I don't know if that's me, but I hope to god that it isn't you. It cannot be you."

  Ruby cried for a long time after that.

  That evening, after going back to this resort and cleaning the main hallway which was used for Edward's wake, Daniel decided to check on nana and Emmy asked Troy to go home so he could rest. She walked up the stairs to rest in her room but to her surprise, Ruby's room wasn't locked and again, she was talking to someone on the phone.

  "I want out." She said. "I cannot do this anymore. My husband's dead, okay?" She was crying. "Do you know how that makes me stupid. And it's a shame, okay? I don't know what I'm doing anymore. I don't know who I am anymore. This isn't me. I've never been this girl. You...you played on my weaknesses and I thought you were my friend but you're not. You'll never be. So just...just stop, okay? I want out."

  She cried some more and spoke. "You don't own my life, okay? No! I don't care if that happens! I just...I just want out. Please. This can't happen anymore. Just...please. Hello? Please---" but apparently, whoever she was talking to has already ended the call.

  "Damn it!" Ruby cursed as she threw her phone on the floor.

  Emmy took that as an opportunity to go inside. "You really should try locking your door especially when you're talking to someone like that."

  "Oh for heaven's sake! Give me a break."

  "Ruby, who were you talking to? And what do you want to get out of? Don't try denying anything. We both know you're hiding something."

  "It is none of your business, Emmy. Get a life."

  "You know who cut that dress, don't you? You also know who sent those notes. And maybe, someone also asked you to say that you are poisoned on your wedding night. And this person that you're talking to? He or she may also have something to do with your husband's death. And that's such a shame, Ruby. Your husband is rotting under the ground while you're trying to cover something up. But why would you cover something up, Ruby? What's going on?"

  "Stop." Ruby said. "Just stop, okay?" She took a deep breath. "You want to know something, Emmy? Years ago, I thought I had the perfect life. Daniel and I were the perfect couple and I had a great career. But then life changed. When Daniel broke up with me, I was demoted. I know it's not his fault but you know...our break-up really tore me down. I guess you could say that it weakened me. And...Daniel is not at fault for that but...but somehow, I got angry at him and at myself. I had all these good things but I could not make them stay and that was so frustrating for me. All my life, I was used to being what I wanted then this time, I wanted like, the best thing in life and I couldn't have it. Of course, that didn't feel good." She sighed and tried to hold back her tears. "I don't even know why I'm telling you this." She laughed sadly. "I just...I just want you to know that I haven't always been like this. I haven't always been a bitch it whatever it is that you want to call me. I am not an awful person."

  "Then tell me what's really going on, Ruby. Help me umderstand."

  Ruby shook her head. "I can't." She cried, get face red and splotchy. "I really can't. I'm sorry."

  Emmy took a deep breath. "It's hard to be kept in the dark, you know? It's hard when people lie to you even if they're not doing it on purpose." She said. "I just want you to tell me the truth. I just want to know what's going on. Ruby, you don't have to stay in the dark forever. You don't have to feel guilty over everything. You can tell me the truth now so this could all be over."

  Ruby stood up and looked out at the window. "At this point," she said, looking back at Emmy, "I don't know if things could still be over."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I've dug a hole so deep, I could no longer get out of it. I can't anymore."

  "Ruby."

  "Please," she said, "leave me alone for now."

  "You can tell me anything."

  Ruby shook her head. "I'm sorry." She said. "I'm really sorry."

  CHAPTER 17

  SCARLET FEVER

  "Daniel and I baked that Apple Pie for you." Rhoda smiled as she handed Emmy a slice of apple pie the glowing morning." And that cup of tea has Chamomile. It's meant for healing."

  "Thanks, Rhoda." Emmy smiled and asked Rhoda to eat with her.

  "Daniel really loves you, Emilia." Rhoda said. "I know things are really tough right now but you don't have to give up on each other. There are people who meant to stay in your life forever and Daniel belongs with you. I just know it."

  "That's a really nice thing to say, Rhoda, but I don't know. We're doing to work things out but I'm not sure how much we could manage."

  "Well, you will. And don't worry about Lena." Rhoda said. "She's always been crazy."

  "You're familiar with her?"

  "She was classmates with your father when they were kids. My son, Pierre was also a friend of theirs. She was tough even as a child. I don't really know what happened but I think she's been tougher than necessary ever since they all started their careers."

  "Wow." Emmy said. "I didn't know they knew each other that way."

  Suddenly, Grace stormed into this room, crying. "Emmy!" She said, sounding helpless. "Emmy, you have to help me." She was shaking.

  Emmy stood up to face her. "What happened?" She asked. 'What's going on?" She was shocked because Grace had always been composed. It was nerve-wracking to see her that way.

  "The...the paramedics called me. They...they said that Ruby feel down a cliff--"

  "What?!"

  "She apparently stone her car just a couple of blocks away. To you know, to the cliff and she hit this boulder of rock and..." she cried, "She's gone, Emmy. My sister's gone. She's gone!" Grace sat on the floor, not caring about what everybody else thought.

  "Grace," Emmy said. She still couldn't believe that this was happening.

  "I just...I can't believe this." Grace said. "I can't believe she'll do this. I don't understand why. I just... I don't."

  Emmy also didn't know what to say. She felt numb and she had no idea how someone so alive could be gone just like that.

  Moreover, it made her feel like she would never be able to make sense of things anymore because of what happened. Ruby will never be able to tell her what she was so afraid of. The truth will never be able to come out and that crushed her in more ways than one.

  Daniel then arrived inside the coffee shop with a basket of fruits in one hand. He was shocked at the commotion.

&nbs
p; "Emmy? Grace?" He asked. "What's going on?"

  Emmy looked at him. She also had tears in her eyes now. "It's Ruby." She said.

  "What happened?"

  "Ruby's dead."

  The fruits fell on the floo. Soon, they were going to rot--just like Ruby's already lifeless body.

  CHAPTER 18

  THIS HAS TO END

  Later that day, Emmy found herself going inside her room. She wanted time to stop so she could grasp the reality of things. She wanted to go back to the beginning so all of these wouldn't have happened. But she knew that it was stupid to wish for the impossible. This was her truth now and that's what she should focus on.

  Then, she's saw a small white envelope on the floor of her room. She stood up from bed to check what there's envelope was about. She picked it up and opened it. Inside was a letter from Ruby. She's dead so the first thing that came to Emmy's mind was that the letter was a suicide note. Emmy gasped and read.

  Emmy,

  I just want to say how sorry I am. When we talked last night, I realized why Daniel chose you. You're amazing and understanding and you are definitely more than me. I know I've been awful and that I've been annoying and bitchy but I guess that all seemed from the fact that I couldn't get over Daniel. I couldn't get over our breakup and...and that led me to do allthose crazy things.

  You're absolutely right. I'm the one who wrote those notes and I slashed my own dress. I also just pretended that I was poisoned. There are other grave things that I did and I want to tell you all about them but I want to do it personally. Up until now, I couldn't decide whether to tell you or not but I know that I should.

  Emmy, please don't judge me for anything. I am not this person. I know there is no excuse for everything that I did bit I felt so lost and confused. I felt like I had no idea who I am anymore and I just...I thought I found the right friends and that I was going there right thing but obviously, I was wrong. I did all those things because I was asked to and I know that I have the choice to do those things out or not but I was overcome with emotion. Again, that's not an excuse but I was feeling stupid.

  When Daniel remembered that thing about my allergies, I started to feel guilty. I was playing on a nice person's feelings and I know that he didn't deserve that. Still, I was so envious of you because you got the guy and you have this amazing life that I don't think I'll ever have. I was envious because you were living the life I thought I would have. I know it's unfair but then...when was the world ever fair? It has never been a bed of roses. If I understood that earlier, maybe this wouldn't have happened. And I am so sorry.

  I want to talk to you, Emmy. I want us to talk but I have to do something first. Please do not think I'll of me. I'm sorry.

  Ruby

  She placed the letter back inside the envelope. Emmy felt all the more confused after reading Ruby's letter. It was as if Ruby wanted to talk to her but obviously, it wouldn't happen anymore because Ruby is dead.

  But, if she was planning to talk to Emmy, wasn't that a sign that she didn't want to die and that her death was an accident? What made her drive to that cliff when she knew that it was such a dangerous place?

  Emmy was getting all the more confused. The were to many questions and not enough answers. Nothing felt right and the world has gone haywire.

  And then there's Daniel. As much as Emmy loved him, she felt like their whole relationship was wrong. People get hurt and people for because of it which does not make it right in any way.

  She had to end things and she had to do it now.

  "Emmy?" Daniel said, putting Emmy out of her reverie.

  "Hey." She said and gave him a peck on the cheek. They both realized how awkward it was.

  "Ruby wrote me a letter." She said, handing him the envelope. "She said that she was the one who slashed her dress in half and that those notes came from her but that someone asked her to do so."

  "What?"

  "I don't know. I'm confused, too. I have no idea what she's talking about but I knew that someone was behind this because of those sketchy phone calls and it's just frustrating because it led to this. I was so close to finding out the truth then this happened. I drove her to this. I--"

  "Em, it's not your fault."

  "She loved you." She said. "She loved you, Dan. And I know you'll say that this is wrong but I think...I don't know if we can still do this."

  "Oh here we go again."

  She took a deep breath. "This isn't easy for me. I love you, Fan, bit all our relationship brings top other people is pain and death. You saw what happened to Annabeth. You saw how Audrina was implicated. And now, Edward and Ruby have died."

  "And you're actually blaming me for that?"

  "All I'm saying is that sometimes, no matter how you want something, it may not always be meant for you. We only destroy everything around us."

  "You're just confused. You're always confused and now you're taking it out on us. You always take it out on us."

  "You think this is easy for me? I love you Daniel. I chose you over everything else and I care so much about you but we can't just allow love to rule over us, you know? It's not right. We have to fix this problem." Her voice was breaking. "I am so tired of going through this over and over. It's not healthy for us. We need to fix this."

  "And how exactly do we fix this?" Daniel asked, resigned. He knew what she was going to say but he wanted to think otherwise.

  Emmy did notvwant to break up with Daniel bit she felt like there was nothing else she could do. She didn't know anything anymore.

  "We have to break up."

  "Damn, Emmy--" but Daniel wasn't able to finish what he was going to say because Grace stormed inside the room.

  "Emmy," she said with a white envelope in her hand. "I have something to tell you."

  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

  Emmy tried to break up with Daniel, but will he allow her to?

  And more importantly, what does Grace want to tell Emmy?

  Plus, there's a new man in town and he's meant to change the lives of the residents of Sky Valley. The question is, will it be for better or worse? And what would this mean for Emmy?

  Find out what happens next on The Sky Valley Mysteries 3: Mayhem at the Mansion--out soon!

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  William Jarvis loves writing mystery stories. Writing is his passion since he was a child. Now, he shares this gift with everyone through his books. He has been writing several book series and aims to do more as he grows more with his writing.

  Currently, he is traveling the world while he continues to write where his feet take him.

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