House on a Swing

By Victoria James

This is the story of a girl named Lizzie who struggles with the people around her. Her birth mother abandons her. Her adoptive mother beats her and tortures her mentally and physically. She runs away to find her birth mother, who promptly sells her as a sex toy to the highest bidder. She is abused by foster fathers. Throughout her life, the very people who were to take care of her and show her love are the very people who betray her.

She goes through several abusive relationships until she finds spiritual healing, self-love, and peace. Eventually, she escapes the cycle of abuse and finds her true love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Aug 18, 2015
• ISBN: 9781504920179

Victoria James

Victoria James has worked in restaurants since she was thirteen. She was certified as a sommelier when she was twenty-one, making her the youngest sommelier in the country. She was Food & Wine’s Sommelier of the Year in 2018, and has appeared on both Forbes and Zagat’s “30 Under 30” lists. She has worked at some of the most prestigious restaurants in New York City, including Marea and Aureole. Currently, she is the Beverage Director and partner at Cote, a Michelin-starred hot spot in the Flatiron district. She is the author of Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé, which Harper Design published in 2017.

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© 2015 Victoria James. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

Published by AuthorHouse 8/17/2015

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2018-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2019-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5049-2017-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015910574

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Foreword

Preface

Chapter 1 Arrival on Earth

Chapter 2 Ruby

Chapter 3 Where Is Ruthie?

Chapter 4 Ruthie

Chapter 5 Buy Two Get One Free

Chapter 6 The Dirty-Pink House

Chapter 7 Lizzie Learns English

Chapter 8 Blood Transfusion

Chapter 9 Visit from the Wicked Witch

Chapter 10 Through the Wall

Chapter 11 More Adoptions

Chapter 12 Let’s Play Dropsy

Chapter 13 Green Peas

Chapter 14 Mustard Glass

Chapter 15 Mother’s Day

Chapter 16 Deer Hunting and Corn Fritters

Chapter 17 The Farm House

Chapter 18 The Dream

Chapter 19 Is Jesus There?

Chapter 20 Fire! Fire! Your Hair’s on Fire!

Chapter 21 Water for the Christmas Tree

Chapter 22 Bloody Mama

Chapter 23 Give Me Back My Dress!

Chapter 24 The Birthday Party of Worms

Chapter 25 The Two-by-Four

Chapter 26 Walking Home

Chapter 27 God, Are You Listening?

Chapter 28 Possibilities

Chapter 29 Vodka

Chapter 30 Runaway

Chapter 31 Dreaming of the Ocean

Chapter 32 Sold for $5,000

Chapter 33 The Grooming

Chapter 34 Grocery Shopping

Chapter 35 Not Again?

Chapter 36 Hanging in the Garage

Chapter 37 I Know That Look!

Chapter 38 280 Days at the Hamptons’

Chapter 39 Coming Home

Chapter 40 Battle of the Bands

Chapter 41 I Don’t Love You

Chapter 42 It’s a Boy!

Chapter 43 Hi, Bridget

Chapter 44 In the Army Now

Chapter 45 Yes, First Sergeant

Chapter 46 Will God Forgive You?

Chapter 47 Leaving on a Jet Plane

Chapter 48 Leaving Outer Darkness

Chapter 49 Prayers Answered

Chapter 50 The Temple

Chapter 51 East Coast

Chapter 52 Homeward Bound

Chapter 53 Loneliness

Chapter 54 The Con

Chapter 55 The Historic Hotel

Chapter 56 The Sacred Grove

Chapter 57 Girl under the Clock

Chapter 58 Mr. Steel-Blue Eyes

Chapter 59 The Realtor

Chapter 60 Sparkles

Chapter 61 The Love Note

Chapter 62 The Beginning

Chapter 63 The Last Dream

Epilogue

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To all who have suffered, are suffering, or will suffer from lack of love, abuse, neglect, betrayal, torture, and offenses against the soul. I want you all to know there is always hope.

To the special people who believed in me and loved me just the way I am.

For my husband and my son, whose love makes my life worth living.

FOREWORD

While I was serving as a bishop in an LDS (Mormon) congregation that served single adults, a pleasant-looking woman started attending on Sundays. She always sat alone, along the side of the chapel, underneath the clock on the wall. I found her to be one of the most friendly, outgoing women I had ever met, so I asked her to be a greeter and work to make sure everyone visiting our church felt welcomed. She recruited others to help, and our congregation quickly earned the reputation of being one of the friendliest in the area.

As I got to know this remarkable woman, I was stunned to learn of her background and the outrageous abuse she had suffered. I sat spellbound as she told me her story. She said she was reluctant to tell people about her past because she was afraid they would think less of her, that she was wicked and unworthy of love.

Quite to the contrary, her story raised my opinion of her even further. I learned what an outstanding woman she had become despite all she had suffered. Her story inspired me to look past the pains in my own life, which were insignificant in comparison, and strive to do better and be better.

I realized that her story could be uplifting and inspirational to many others, especially those who had suffered abuse, and could help them overcome their pain. With this hope in mind, I encouraged her to write her story. The process was difficult because she had to relive much of the suffering she had blocked out of her mind. She could write only small amounts at a time, but with the support of her loving husband, the story has finally been told. This is her story, and I hope many read it and are inspired by it to overcome the obstacles in their lives.

—Bishop in the LDS Church

PREFACE

This is the story of a young girl who struggled with the people around her. Her birth mother abandoned her at age three. Adopted at age five, she was beaten and tortured by her adoptive mother for seven years. At age thirteen, she ran away and returned to her birth mother, who promptly sold her to her ex-boyfriend as a sex toy for five thousand dollars.

Later, when she was in foster homes, when the father figures found out she had been raped, they sexually abused her as well. Marrying for the wrong reasons, she went through several abusive marriages.

Throughout her life, the people who were responsible for taking care of her and show her love were the very people who betrayed her.

Eventually, she escaped the cycle of abuse, found spiritual healing, and became a productive member of society.

This story needs to be told because it proves that no one has to grow up to accept what life dealt him or her. People can break vicious cycles and learn to love themselves and realize that there is hope for them and that there are good people in the world.

CHAPTER

1

Arrival on Earth

Ruby’s birth occurred on a very hot July day. Her mother arrived at the hospital emergency room late in the afternoon. The nurses helped her with the paperwork as she got settled into the maternity ward. On her admitting paperwork, she wrote the name Harriett Bogart. The admitting nurse looked at the paperwork and wrinkled her forehead. Is there something wrong with my paperwork? the mother-to-be asked. No, everything looks fine. Let’s get you ready to deliver a baby, the nurse said.

The nurse told the expectant mother she was not quite ready to deliver. Is this your first delivery? she asked.

No, the patient said. I have two other children. A boy and a girl.

Good. You’re not new to this. I need to check on my other patients. I’ll be back before you know it.

The nurse walked down a long hall and stopped at the head nurse’s door. She knocked. Come in, the head nurse said.

She walked into the head nurse’s office and noticed how plain the office was—just a metal desk, a chair, and a metal file cabinet. The nurse wondered why the head nurse had never even put a picture up.

What can I help you with? the head nurse asked. The young nurse hesitated before pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket and handing it to the head nurse. The head nurse studied it for a minute. You were right to bring this to my attention. Go attend to your patients. I’ll take care of this. Close the door on your way out, thank you.

Yes, ma’am, the nurse said.

The head nurse dialed a phone number on the admitting paperwork. Hello. Is this Harriett Bogart?

Yes, it is.

Harriett, this is Nurse Bailey, Linda Bailey, from the Nurses’ Association.

Yes of course, Linda. How are you?

Fine, thanks.

What can I do for you?

I’m at the hospital, and we have a woman getting ready to deliver who has put your name, address, and phone on her admitting papers, claiming she’s you. There was silence on the other end of the phone. Harriett, are you there?

Yes, Linda. I’ll be right down. Don’t alarm her that I’m coming, okay?

That’s fine. I should call the police.

No! Harriett exclaimed. I can explain when I get there.

Click. The phone went dead. Nurse Bailey stared at the phone as if it could tell her what was going on. She hung up.

In the maternity ward was a girl who had just been born. She was sixteen inches and nine and a half pounds. Wow! the nurse said. She’s a big one. She put the newborn into her mother’s arms. What are you going to call her?

The woman looked at the baby. Ruby.

That’s a good name, the nurse said. I’ll take her to the nursery so you both can get some rest. The nurse turned around as if to ask her a question, but the woman was already asleep. The nurse and beautiful Ruby left the room.

A woman rushed by her so fast that she almost ran them over. Excuse me, the woman said. Where’s the head nurse’s office?

The nurse looked up, whispering as not to wake the newborn. Just down the hall on the right.

Thank you, the woman said and hurried down the hall until she saw the sign Head Nurse. She knocked so loud that Head Nurse Bailey almost jumped out of her chair.

Come in, she said excitedly.

Hi, Linda, the woman said.

Nurse Bailey asked, Harriett, how are you? Come in. Sit down. How is everything over at Holy Cross? It’s been a while since I worked there.

Everything’s the same. I see you’ve moved up to head nurse. Congrats! Harriett’s voice was stressed.

I can tell you’re anxious to find out what’s going on here, Nurse Bailey said as she handed Harriett the paperwork. Look this over, Harriett. You can see why I called you.

Harriett took the paper with a shaking hand and read it. Harriett knew she needed to say something, but she wondered how much she should tell Nurse Bailey about the woman in the maternity ward.

Nurse Bailey raised her eyebrows. Can you tell me what’s going on with my new mother who claims she’s you? What’s her name?

Ruthie. Her name is Ruthie, Harriett blurted out. Can I see her?

Nurse Bailey knew Harriett as a no-nonsense kind of nurse who just got the job done. She figured there would be no harm in Harriett’s seeing Ruthie. Yes, of course. You passed her room on the way here. Go back two doors down. She’ll be in there. She’s already delivered.

Harriett’s eyes lit up. She tried to speak. Nurse Bailey knew what she wanted to know, It’s a girl, Harriett, a sixteen-inch, nine-and-a-half-pound, perfectly healthy baby girl. Will I see you here when you’ve finished talking to her?

Yes, Linda. I’ll explain everything to you. Harriett jumped up and darted down the hall. Nurse Bailey got up and closed the door.

Harriett saw that the door was partially open. She knocked but didn’t wait for a response before walking in. Ruthie, it’s Harriett. Are you awake?

Ruthie opened her eyes and turned her head so she wouldn’t have to look at Harriett directly. Harriett walked around the bed. Ruthie, I thought we talked about this and that it was a very bad idea.

Ruthie looked at Harriett. No! You’re the one who thought it was a bad idea, not me! Ruthie turned away.

Harriett paused for a moment. You know I want to help you, but I can’t do it this way. We must do it legally.

Ruthie was getting upset, but she thought maybe if Harriett saw the baby, she would change her mind. She pushed the button for the nurse to bring her the baby.

A few seconds later, the young nurse walked in with the baby and said, Hi, Harriett! How are you?

Harriett was not surprised to see the young nurse there; many of her young nurses at Holy Saints worked shifts at other hospitals. She gave Harriett a peek at the newborn. Ruthie asked the nurse if she could talk to Harriett alone, and the young nurse nodded and said it was almost time for nursing anyway. The nurse left.

Harriett looked at Ruthie holding the baby Ruthie hadn’t wanted. Ruthie, let’s do this the legal and correct way.

Ruthie glared at her. I told you already it has to be this way. My husband is coming home in a few weeks, and I don’t want to have to explain any of this to him.

The women argued back and forth until Ruthie was screaming at the top of her lungs. It’s my way or not at all! You’ll never see this baby or my other children ever again. If you won’t help me, I’ll find someone who will! We have nothing else to say to each other. Get out.

Nurse Bailey heard the screaming down the hall and went to see what was going on. The new mother was yelling, Get out of here! Go! I hate you! Leave me alone!

Nurse Bailey opened the door in time to see Harriett pleading with Ruthie. We can work this out. We can—

Harriett, what’s going on?

Ruthie screamed again and threw a teddy bear at Harriett. Get her out of here! I don’t want her here. Get out!

Nurse Bailey pointed to the door for Harriett to leave. Ruthie, you need to calm down and get some rest. I’ll send in a nurse to attend to you and the baby.

Harriett and Nurse Bailey walked quietly toward her office. She opened the door and asked Harriett to sit. She offered Harriett a glass of water. Harriett, what’s going on?

Harriett took the water and told Nurse Bailey that the woman down the hall was Ruthie Vasquez. "I babysit her other two children. Robby is four, and Candida is two. I put an ad in the newspaper that I could babysit weekends. Ruthie came by with her children. We talked for hours and arranged things while the kids played.

"Over the next few months, everything had been going well. I’d babysit on weekends when she and her family and friends wanted to go out dancing. I’d keep her children overnight, and sometimes, she wouldn’t come back for days.

"Then one afternoon, Ruthie told me she was pregnant and it wasn’t by her husband, who was out at sea in the navy. She told me if I wanted the baby, I could have it on one condition. She told me she would check into a hospital as me and deliver the baby under my name, so legally the baby would be mine, and she wouldn’t have to tell her husband about it.

The baby was due a few weeks before her husband was due back. I tried reasoning with her that I would love to have the baby but that I wanted to adopt the baby legally. Ruthie flew into a rage and said it had to be her way or not at all. I told her I’d have to adopt the baby legally. So we dropped the subject and went back to the way things were. I didn’t hear anything about it again until I got your call. I’ve had her children with me for weeks.

Nurse Bailey said, We’ll take it from here and let you know what happens. Go home, and let us take care of this.

Harriett got up to leave. Nurse Bailey said, Harriett, good luck with everything.

Thank you, Harriett said.

As Harriett passed Ruthie’s room, she was tempted to try to talk some sense into her, but she felt she better not upset Nurse Bailey. She kept on going. Harriett knew she would see Ruthie again; after all, she still had Robby and Candida, Ruthie’s other children.

Harriett got Robby and Candida up and dressed. She sat them at the kitchen table while she stirred oatmeal on the stove. She heard a loud knock. The front door opened. It was Ruthie. Where are my children? she screamed. Robby? Candida? Come here right now! We’re leaving. Get your things now!

Harriett approached Ruthie. What’s wrong? Let’s talk about this.

No! There’s nothing to talk about, Ruthie blurted out. You’ve put me in a bad situation. I had to tell my mother-in-law and bring the baby to my house. They’ve called my husband, and he’s on his way home. I’m going to have to tell him about the baby.

Ruthie! I need to adopt the baby legally or not at all.

Then remember you’ll never see Robby, Candida, or Ruby again ever! Leave us alone. We’re leaving.

Ruthie grabbed her children by the hand and pulled them out the door. Harriett jumped when the door slammed. Robby and Candida were crying that they didn’t want to go with Ruthie because she didn’t take care of them or feed them. They were very upset.

CHAPTER

2

Ruby

When Howard came home from being at sea, he found Ruthie with a newborn. Howard was furious. They fought about it for weeks. The pressure from his overbearing mother and his friends and family was too much for him. He had been out for too long, dreaming of the time when he and Ruthie would be together again.

He wanted Ruthie to get rid of the baby, to take it to her friends, give it to her mother, anything; he didn’t want the baby with him. Ruthie, get rid of the baby or it’s over, he’d say. He couldn’t love a child who wasn’t his.

Ruthie told Howard that she couldn’t have cared less about the baby, that she’d wanted Harriett to take the baby but Harriett hadn’t wanted it. Ruthie of course was blaming it all on Harriett. It was her fault for not taking the baby.

Ruthie couldn’t take the pressure from Howard and his family, especially his mother. That evening, Ruthie gathered up Ruby’s few things and took her to her mother’s house on the west side of the city.

Ruthie convinced her mother she couldn’t care for Ruby and that she would lose her husband. Terry, Ruthie’s mother, suggested, Why don’t you take her over to Rufino and let him take her? He should be responsible. It’s his daughter.

Ruthie explained to her mother that the last conversation she’d had with Rufino was the night before his wedding, three months before Ruby was born. Ruthie was in love with Rufino and would have left Howard for him, but he was in love with his girlfriend, Bridget, and he was going to marry her. When he had met Ruthie, he was out for one last fling before he settled into married life. Ruthie was heartbroken and didn’t want to look at her baby’s face either.

Ruthie remembered she had been with Rufino on the night before his wedding. She was a few months pregnant; Rufino wanted no part of it since Bridget was also pregnant. Bridget came from a prominent family in the city, and her family was insisting they get married. Rufino was quite charming and had convinced Bridget’s father to buy him a liquor store on Main Street. He kissed Ruthie good-bye and said, Get rid of the baby. I don’t want it. You shouldn’t have been out cheating around. He ran out the door to his wedding and his pregnant girlfriend. Ruthie wondered if she would ever see him again.

Ruthie’s mother thought Ruby was the cutest baby she had ever seen and didn’t mind taking care of her along with her other children. She was very happy and content with her husband, Adam. Ruby stayed with Terry so Ruthie could be with her husband. Ruthie and her husband were just starting out. They lived with Howard’s mother in a small city out of town in a very small house.

Ruthie resented her mother-in-law; Howard was such a momma’s boy. It made her furious that Howard tolerated his mother. Ruthie couldn’t see why he cared so much for her. Ruthie disliked her and her entire family.

When Ruthie came back from dumping Ruby at her mother’s house, Howard grabbed her, and they fell into a passionate love affair again. He told her that she had done the right thing, that they could now be happy and have their own children, and he would put the past all behind him. He said that he loved her and wanted to be with her and would be able to save face with his mother and family.

So Ruby’s life began without the one person who was expected to love and care for her unconditionally. Howard, her would-be stepfather, and her own father, Rufino, didn’t want her. By the age of three months, three people already didn’t want anything to do with Ruby, except her grandmother with whom she was living.

Ruby’s first three years went by uneventfully. Her grandmother thought Ruby was as cute as a porcelain doll and loved dressing her up like one. Terry’s son, Alonzo, was around a lot. He was Ruthie’s twin brother. He had moved a few years after Ruthie had moved closer to her mother. He also wanted to be close to his mother and his twin sister. Alonzo had been convicted earlier that year of molesting his daughters, so the relationship between him and his wife, Carrie, was struggling. He would stay with his mother most of the time to let his wife calm down.

Later, Carrie took him back, and they decided not to tell anyone of his problems. He had convinced Carrie he had gotten drunk and hadn’t meant to do it. But he was a convicted child molester, which he tried to hide.

Alonzo grew very fond of his mother’s little porcelain doll. Ruby wasn’t afraid of her uncle; he was around constantly, and her grandmother loved him so. Usually, once a week, when grandma had to go shopping, she would leave Ruby with her uncle. Now Alonzo, Grandma said one time, Ruby is asleep. She should sleep until I get back. If she wakes up, give her the bottle of juice on the counter, but she should be fine.

Alonzo nodded. We’ll be fine. Go. Alonzo had started his daily drinking and had a buzz on. He saw Ruby sleeping in her grandmother’s room. She did look beautiful, he thought. He watched her as her chest rose up and down. He carefully put his hand on her chest to feel her breathing. She was so warm, he thought. He pulled the covers back and saw that she had a wet diaper. He thought he would change her diaper; he had eight children of his own and knew how to do that.

He carefully pulled her diaper off and threw it into the pail next to the bed. He looked at her for a moment and couldn’t believe he was getting aroused by this little girl, his niece. He put his hand back on her chest. He slowly moved his hand down her skin and began to molest her.

After that, he found any excuse to be alone with his niece to molest her.

One day, Grandma came in from one of her shopping trips and saw what he was doing. Alonzo! she screamed. Leave her alone! You’re hurting her! She grabbed Ruby and put a blanket around her. Ruby couldn’t be consoled. She screamed uncontrollably for hours.

When Terry’s husband came home, he couldn’t take the crying child any longer and insisted she be taken to the emergency room. Terry didn’t tell her husband about what her son had been doing to her porcelain doll. She knew Alonzo was bad but wanted to protect him. She tried to convince her husband that Ruby was just sick with the flu, but the crying didn’t stop.

Terry gave in. They took Ruby to the hospital. She told Alonzo what was going on and that he best be going back to his home for a while. She knew he had molested his own daughters and didn’t think it would hurt Ruby to be fondled. After all, she was only three and would never remember it anyway. Terry thought if he could get this out of his system, he could go home and no longer molest his children.

Terry and Adam sat patiently in the hospital waiting for the doctors to tell them what was wrong with Ruby. Terry had called Ruthie to tell her what was going on, Ruthie listened to her mother say they were waiting to see what the doctors had to say. Ruthie whispered into the phone so Howard wouldn’t hear, She’s your daughter now. You take care of her. I have two children and one on the way and can’t deal with her. She’s your problem.

The doctor had just come out of surgery and said Ruby was in recovery and resting. You need to know we’ve called social services and the police, the doctor said. Can you tell us what happed to her? She’s been badly raped, and we had to do a lot of reconstructive surgery to her tiny womb. Ruby may not be able to have children. We have to monitor her situation until she gets older. This is a shame. You were supposed to take care of her. You knew your son had problems, but you left her in his care. We’re taking her away from you.

Terry was in tears trying to explain; she couldn’t imagine what had happened to her. Her son had been cured, she said. He wouldn’t have done anything like that, she said.

They looked at Adam accusingly. It wasn’t me. This has to be Alonzo, who’s been staying at our house. He’s her son, and he gives me the creeps.

The doctor said, You had custody of her, but you let this happen. Since her mother doesn’t want her, we’re putting her in a home for children so she can recover and hopefully be adopted by a family that will look out for her.

The state placed Ruby in a hospital-type home for unwanted children until she was five. It was a cold, gray place with metal beds. Not much variety of food—a lot of oatmeal and potatoes, but she was glad to have it. Ruby had learned Spanish while she lived with her grandmother, so the home was teaching her English every day. Grandma Terry would visit Ruby and tell her that she loved her and that she wished Ruby could live with her again but that the judge wouldn’t let her.

Alonzo had fled to his home state the night they took Ruby to the hospital; the police didn’t know where he had gone. They were never able to prosecute him or prove what he had done to his niece.

Ruby begged her grandma, Please don’t leave me here! Please!

Grandma held Ruby’s hands and looked into her big, brown eyes. I’ll visit you, but you can’t come with me.

Ruby watched her grandma walk out the door and wondered why no one loved her. She was cold and afraid.

CHAPTER

3

Where Is Ruthie?

Life started to settle into a routine with Ruthie and Howard, but Ruthie was restless. Howard refused to move Ruthie out of his mother’s little house. It was so obvious to Ruthie that he had been manipulated by his mother his entire life and couldn’t say no to her. Ruthie wanted all Howard’s attention and the money he made, but he would give his paychecks to his mother.

After the birth of Howard’s two children and Howard Jr., it was even more crowded in the house. Ruthie wanted to raise her children in a different way than her mother-in-law. Ruthie was full-blooded Puerto Rican, and his mother was full-blooded Mexican; they butted heads constantly. Ruthie felt trapped; she wanted out. She was tired of all the Mexican traditions.

Ruthie had been secretly in contact with her cousins. She’d convinced them that her life was horrible and that her husband was abusive, so they sent her money to return to Puerto Rico and live with them. She knew Howard and his mother wouldn’t let her take the children without a fight, but that was a fight she wasn’t up for. She thought, I had them. I can have more.

Ruthie didn’t care about being a mother; she could take it or leave it. She felt having children was a way of trapping a man to pay for the things she wanted, but Howard was giving his money to his mother and making Ruthie and the children live in that house. Ruthie’s two older children, Robby and Candida, were with the babysitter, Harriett, and she would just leave them there for months at a time.

Ruthie recalled the day she had met Harriett. She knew that even though she had a falling out with Harriett about adopting Ruby, Ruthie eventually let Harriett babysit again. It was very convenient for her and Howard to leave Robby and Candida there so they could enjoy their own two children. No one really cared where Robby and Candida were anyway.

Ruthie was supposed to pick them up one day, but she had called Harriett and said she wasn’t feeling well. Would she keep them a few more hours? Harriett replied, Why don’t you leave them for the week and take some time to get better? This was good for both women. Ruthie had some freedom, and Harriett had some children to make her feel like a mother.

Ruthie was so happy that she could leave the children with Harriett anytime. She had decided to run away and leave Howard with his mother. She knew no one would be suspicious for quite some time, and by then, she would be in Puerto Rico at her cousin’s house. No one would know where she was.

Ruthie looked around her little house, realizing she wouldn’t miss it at all. She had had feelings for Howard, but because of his momma’s boy attitude, she had fallen out of love with him.

Ruthie was packed and ready to go. Carrie, her sister-in-law who was married to Alonzo, was going to take her to the airport. When Carrie came for Ruthie, she said, Are you sure you want to leave the kids behind?

Oh yes, Ruthie said. They’re in a good place. Harriett said that she’d be glad to take care of the kids as long as I would be gone and that I could have them back when I get back from my trip.

Carrie had started using Harriett as a babysitter for her oldest kids, Concha, Paula, and Alonzo