Ruby and I

chapter 36

Assuming that Ruby wouldn't want to see him right now, Clark kept his distance. So for a whole week, he spent his time at his parents' house. And all those days were spent in bed crying and kicking himself for saying those awful things to her.

"Clark...wake up, sweetie," Renee said.

Clark rolls over in his bed, burying his face in the pillow. "Mom...it's too early." he groaned.

"It's 3 in the afternoon," Frank said.

"I don't care..." Clark said.

"Come on. It's a beautiful day outside! Wanna come with your father and mother to get some lunch? I know how much you still love those club sandwiches down the street! With the waffle fries!" Renee said.

"No..." Clark said.

"Oh, how about we go to the flea market? You always love going there!" Frank said.

"I don't want to go anywhere..." Clark said.

Renee sighs and motions for Frank to leave the bedroom. She climbs in bed with him. "Come here. Cuddle, momma," she said.

Clark scoots closer to Renee and lays his head on her chest. "What do I do?..." he asked.

"You're gonna have to talk to her," Renee said.

Clark doesn't say anything.

"Sweetheart, you need to talk to her," Renee said.

"I...I can't.....I don't think she wants to see or hear from me." Clark said.

"Well, how do you know that if you don't talk to her?" Renee asked.

"Because I really messed up. I said some things to her that were just horrible." Clark said.

"Do you wanna tell me what you said to her? You never really filled me in on this argument, and you've been staying here for a whole week." Renee said.

"Well...I pretty much got angry at her for putting me in therapy and...I made this stupid claim that she's only doing this just to hurt me again when I'm all better. And...then I compared to Mandy and said how she's acting like her...." Clark said.

Renee's jaw drops. "Clark....how could you say that?" she asked.

Clark gets out of bed. "I don't know, mom! You don't think I feel terrible? Because I do! I can't believe I went ahead and just shitted on her support...sorry for the swearing, mom." he said.

"And this is where you need to apologize to your fiancée," Renee said.

"....I'm afraid," Clark said.

"Of what?" Renee asked.

"...What if she doesn't forgive me? What she calls off the engagement? What if she leaves me? Mom, I love her way too much for her to do that." Clark said.

"I know you're gonna think about the worst outcomes of the situation, but you can't let that stop you from trying to fix this," Renee said.

"But I can't fix this. I just screwed everything up. We were supposed to get married, live in a nice house, and have children, and I screwed it up, mom, I...screwed it up." Clark sobbed.