9

So the entourage of cars stops them at the entrance of the estate and leaves them.

The estate is a government project that started a few years ago to provide housing for even the poorest of people.

Each house has two cube-sized rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, and a small front yard.

Ruby's father, Thomas Sanchez was part of the architects who handled the project, not in a million years did he think that he would be so poor that he would be forced to live in one of these houses.

Andrew is walking with Uma in his arms. It has been a long day and Uma has fallen asleep against his chest.

He is holding Ruby's hand too, they are walking slowly on the sidewalk. Andrew has a slight frown on his face, he can't believe that Ruby's parents live here.

Finally, she stops at the ninth flat, the house is so worn out that the brown paint has started falling off.

The small gate opens with a creak, and they walk into the compound. Ruby knocks softly on the door before walking in.

Her father and mother erupt with joyous shouts, it has been months since they last saw their daughter.

“Ruby, are you fine? Are they overworking you at your job again? Is that why we haven't been able to see you for so long?” Her mother quizzes.

“Doreen, let her relax. She looks so tired. I will make you some tea.”

Andrew still hasn't walked into the house yet. It has been five years since he last saw them. How are they going to react to seeing him again?

“Ruby, you are never this early, what happened?” Her mother asks. “Those employers of yours are very vicious.”

Andrew sees Ruby shake her head with excitement and she explains to her parents that she was saved from her job. He saved her.

Andrew finally enters the house while her parents are still trying to understand what she has signed for them.

“Holy mother of God,” Doreen, Ruby's mother, gasps.

Her father's face is stiff with what appears to be both shock and annoyance.

They look very different from what Andrew remembers. They were vibrant people in expensive clothes, but now, they are just poor people in faded, threadbare clothes.

Even though they look very thrown off by his unexpected presence, Andrew still smiles at both of them.

“Hello, mum and dad. It's nice to see you again.” He says.

Doreen is the first person who walks to Andrew. He doesn't know if she is about to slap him in the face or hug him, but she just takes sleeping Uma from his arms.

“Poor child, what did they do to her this time around?” She mutters.

Without saying a word to Andrew, she takes Uma upstairs.

An awkward silence fills the place, Thomas is leaning on his walking stick. Andrew's eyes go to his knee, he has a pain in his knee.

“Where have you been, boy?” Thomas finally sighs.

“At the army,” Andrew answers. “I had to find a way to not be the useless son-in-law anymore.”

“You left Ruby mute and pregnant! We were ridiculed and thrown out because of you!” Thomas' angry voice echoes around the house.

No one would dare raise their voice at Andrew, their heads will roll, but because it's his father-in-law, Andrew lowers his gaze in respect and bows his head.

“I apologize, Dad. I shouldn't have left my family. I shouldn't have left you guys.”

Thomas rubs his eyes and sighs. He was angry, but now that Andrew has apologized, he has let it go.

“And did it work?” Thomas asks him. “You said you went to the army to get a better future for your family, did it work?”

He turns to Ruby, she bites down her lips and shakes her head negatively. If he dares to tell his lies to her parents, they are going to be so mad that they will kick him out immediately.

Andrew inhales, but he doesn't answer with words. This gives Ruby's parents the impression that nothing changed about him.

Doreen has descended from the stairs, she has her hands over her chest. A sad long look on her face.

“Well, all of that doesn't matter now.” She says. At least you are back in one piece and Uma has a father. But as for Ruby, maybe you don't recall, but she wasn't the one you married that night…”

“Ruby is my wife.” Andrew interrupts her. “She is the one I love, I don't care what happened that night. I'm the reason she can't speak, but that doesn't change how I feel for her. Ruby and I will get married. She has always been my true wife.”

Ruby holds her breath and waits for her parents to reject Andrew's offer, but they don't say anything.

The thing is that Ruby is mute and no family would allow their son to marry her. There is no harm in Andrew marrying her, and besides, Thomas plans to talk to a construction guy he knows, if he can't offer Andrew a job. Maybe this won't be so awful in their small family.

“Besides, we already have something important to do.” Doreen walks into the small kitchen.

Ruby tilts her head in confusion, but she follows her mother into the kitchen. They all stand around the small dining table as her mother retrieves a small jar from one of the cupboards.

Andrew leans against the wall as he watches them. What's going on?

The small jar has different denominations of dollars. She empties them on the table.

“We have finally done it, Ruby, we have finally gathered enough money to buy your grandfather a good gift,” Thomas says. “His birthday is in a week, and you will go to him and beg on behalf of us all. Maybe he will agree to take us back this time around.”

Andrew's eyes immediately narrow with displeasure.

Doreen turns to him. “Andrew, you are going. You will take Uma too.”