Three thousand.
A sum Ruby Grant wouldn’t have blinked at in the past—it was just a single day’s spending money for her.
But now she had Ceci.
At the beginning of this month, she’d already taken an advance of three thousand to buy formula and other necessities for Ceci.
At best, even if those supplies could last a month, what about the next month, and the one after that?
‘Am I supposed to take Ceci and go beg on the streets?’
She used to see women kneeling on the street, begging with children in tow, and never understood them.
She never imagined their fate would so quickly become her own.
Ruby Grant’s expression soured as she gripped the slip of paper in her hand.
Ceci stirred restlessly in her arms.
Ruby Grant’s crystal-clear eyes reflected Ceci’s chubby pink face, and she forced a gentle, reassuring smile.
“Don’t be afraid, Ceci.
Mommy’s here.”
But despite her words, she felt completely lost.
At nine o’clock, Ruby Grant had just settled Ceci down in the dormitory when the other women crowded around her.
They all chattered at once, “Ruby Grant, we heard your pay got docked?”
“Ruby, did you really find a gold necklace?”
Someone else chimed in to defend her, “What are you all talking about?
Ruby isn’t that kind of person!”
Ms.
Pound, who had just gotten back, pulled her aside before even setting down her things.
In a low voice, she asked,
“Ruby, have you offended someone?”
Because of yesterday’s incident, Ms.
Pound, who had taken the lead in helping her, had been transferred from her usual route to the worst, most difficult street to clean.
It was near a garbage dump, and Ms.
Pound was now covered in grime, both cold and filthy.
Seeing this, Ruby Grant quickly poured some hot water, wrung out a cloth, lathered it with soap, and began to wipe Ms.
Pound’s hands and cheeks.
As she wiped, she fought back tears.
“Oh, I’ll be fine.
Don’t you worry about me.” Ms.
Pound waved a dismissive hand, trying to act casual, but her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
She glanced over at Ceci sleeping soundly nearby, then quickly took Ruby’s hand to stop her from fussing, pulling her down to sit beside her.
“Look at you, getting all teary-eyed.”
“You’re a mother now.
You can’t be sad.
Ceci is counting on you.”
Ruby Grant quickly lowered her head and roughly wiped her tears with her sleeve.
“It’s not that.
I just feel terrible for getting you involved in my mess, Ms.
Pound.”
“Don’t be silly.
What nonsense,” Ms.
Pound said, though her eyes were filled with affection.
“I did it for Ceci.
I saw how pitiful she was, so I helped her mother.
It wasn’t just about you.”
In truth, from the moment she first saw Ruby Grant, she had come to see her as a daughter.
“Ruby, let me ask you again.
Did you make an enemy of someone?”
Ruby Grant got her emotions under control.
She looked up, her face a mask of confusion.
“Ms.
Pound, why do you ask?”
Ms.
Pound recalled, “On my way back, I saw Fiona Halloway.
She was sitting in her car on the phone.
I happened to overhear your name, so I pretended to sweep up some trash nearby.
I heard her talking to a man she called President Walker.
They were plotting to come after you!”
“Ms.
Pound, are you sure you heard right?
It wasn’t Vince?” Ruby’s heart clenched.
Ms.
Pound shook her head.
“I’m positive.
Fiona Halloway called him President Walker.”
‘President Walker?’
‘Which President Walker?’
Ruby Grant’s face was a picture of confusion, and Ms.
Pound frowned as well.
“Honestly, I don’t get it either.
It’s just you and little Ceci, a mother and daughter alone.
Who could possibly have it in for you two?
“But Ruby, Fiona Halloway manages our district.
She’s a level above Vince.
And she was incredibly respectful to that man on the phone.
If I’m guessing right…
I’m afraid you’re not going to be able to keep this job.”
“You should start making other plans.
I can tell you don’t belong here.
You can’t spend the rest of your life sweeping streets with Ceci, can you?”
“Also, Fiona Halloway’s nephew, the one with the limp, was sweeping the street next to yours this afternoon.
Steer clear of him.
That guy is a real piece of work!”
After she finished, Ms.
Pound took off her vest, clambered into her bunk, and was soon fast asleep.
Ruby Grant slowly sat down beside Ceci.
The baby was fast asleep, her little face as round and red as an apple.
Ruby’s eyes slowly began to shimmer with unshed tears.
‘She hadn’t made any enemies since getting out of prison…’
‘…and yet someone still had it in for her.’
‘Since this person knew the famous President Walker and could have him personally delegate tasks to his people, they must be someone important.’
‘An image of a suspect flashed through her mind: a handsome, aloof face, an extraordinary aura of cold, proud nobility.
But she quickly shook her head, dismissing the thought.
No, it couldn’t possibly be him.’
‘If it really was him, would she and Ceci still be here, safe and sound?’
Ruby Grant couldn’t be sure.
Ruby Grant had one more shift today.
From 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
That afternoon, she headed out to the street right on time, sweeping her way down the long avenue.
Thankfully, Ceci was a good baby.
Nestled in her mother’s arms, she would either gaze around with wide, grape-like eyes or be rocked into a drowsy state by the sweeping motion.
Soon enough, her little head would loll to the side, and she’d be fast asleep, giving Ruby Grant little to worry about.
After a little while, Ruby Grant sat on a nearby bench, pulled out a tissue to wipe Ceci’s drool, and shifted the baby into a more comfortable position in her arms before getting back to work.
A garbage truck pulled up to the curb.
Ruby Grant stood and emptied the contents of her dustbin into the back.
At that moment, an elegantly dressed, white-haired old woman approached, walking along the road and muttering to herself.
She walked up to Ruby Grant and asked anxiously,
“Young lady, have you seen my sapphire ring?
It was a love token from my late husband.
I’ve treasured it for decades, never even taking it off to sleep.
Now my husband is gone, and it’s the only thing I have left to remember him by.
And now I’ve lost it, what am I going to do?”
The old woman was frantic, secretly dabbing at the corners of her eyes multiple times.
Ruby Grant considered for a moment before replying, “Ma’am, please try not to worry.
I can help you look for it.
We might be able to find it.
Do you remember everywhere you’ve been today, or when you first realized the ring was gone?”
The woman thought for a moment, her expression clouded with confusion.
“Oh, this memory of mine…
it’s useless at my age.
I went for a walk in the park just ahead, but I’ve already searched it high and low and found nothing.
After thinking it over, the only other places I’ve been are these few streets right here.”
As she spoke, the old woman’s expression became one of utter despair.
At this, an image flashed through Ruby’s mind.
About ten minutes earlier, she had seen David Goodman, the cleaner for the next street over, furtively pick something up and tuck it away inside his clothes.
He had glanced around with shifty eyes, a sight that was hard to miss.
With that thought, Ruby helped the old woman over to a bench and offered her her own water bottle.
“Here, drink some water.
Try not to worry.
We might still get it back.”
‘Ruby understood that no matter how valuable the sapphire ring was, the love her husband had for her was even more precious.’
Just then, a few bodyguards jogged over from the direction of the park and stood in an orderly line before the old woman.
“Madam, we were unable to find it.”
The flicker of hope in the old woman’s eyes was instantly extinguished.
“What?
Oh, what ever will I do?”
Ruby watched the bodyguards.
Each was tall and powerfully built, impeccably dressed in a suit, and carried an impressive air.
Yet, they were all bowing deferentially to the old woman, their attitudes deeply respectful.
‘Clearly, this old woman was no ordinary person!’
So Ruby said, “Madam, I have an idea that might help you recover the memento your husband left for you.
You just need to…”