Ruby is wedged up against the wall of the costume wagon, sandwiched between the Jarrett brothers, Lorne behind her and Leroy facing her. They’re in Amarillo, Texas, after a second sold out show. Ruby leans back against Lorne. “I like you better, baby girl,” he whispers in her ear. “But Leroy won the coin toss this time.”
After Leroy’s had his turn, Lorne pumps Ruby until he’s spent. “Oh, Ruby,” he says over and over. Ruby feels another well of warmth filling her groin and, this time, a tight tingling explodes deep inside. She arches her back and groans as a stream of warm liquid runs down her bare legs.
Leroy sinks to the ground, his back against the wagon and his long legs splayed out. Lorne joins him. They both look at Ruby, her gold hair mussed and red boots wet. At first, Ruby couldn’t tell the twins apart, but now she can tell. Lorne has a birthmark just below his left eye. It looks like a tear. They say they’re nineteen, but Ruby doubts it. No one tells the truth around here, she learned that from her pop.
Ruby hides a smile. “So that’s what all the fuss is about.” She pulls up her damp bloomers, rearranges her skirt, and runs her hands through her hair. “Move over.” Ruby kicks at the boys’ legs. She sits between them, smoking, her head on Lorne’s shoulder and hand on Leroy’s knee. “Got any hooch?”
Leroy unfolds himself and pecks Ruby on the forehead. “Back in a minute.” He hoists his britches and lopes off to the supply tent.
Lorne takes Ruby’s rough hand and rubs it. “You alright, baby girl?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Lorne strokes Ruby’s hair. “How old you say you are?”
“Not telling.”
Leroy appears from the shadows dangling a jug. “What aren’t you telling?”
“Not telling,” Ruby says. She stubs out her cigarette. “How many girls you do like that?” She takes a swig from the jug and wipes her mouth.
The brothers glance at each other.
“Not telling,” Leroy says.
“Although most of them don’t seem to like it as much as you,” Lorne says.
“Again?” Ruby asks.
“Now?” Leroy asks.
“Yes, now. I’m not talking about going to Sunday School.”
“It might be a little while, miss,” Lorne answers. “You see …”
“Why?” Ruby says. “I’m ready.” She starts to get up, but Lorne pulls her back down.
Lorne hands Ruby the jug again. “Seems likes there’s some parts your momma left out.”
“Leave my momma out of it.”
From the corner of her eye, Ruby sees a group of men round the costume wagon. Their faces are shadowed, but she recognizes the boots.
“There she is, fellas,” one of the men says.
“Where?” says the largest of the three. Ruby would know that voice anywhere. It’s her pop’s assistant, that smooth Chicagoan who joined the troupe at the beginning of the season. He’s a natty dresser and a looker. Ruby can’t help but notice. Handles gate receipts. Books big names. Proceeds have never been better, and Big Burl says Ruby is going to be an even bigger star, now that Willie Fortune is marketing the show.
“What have we here?” Willie Fortune asks. “The Jarrett brothers at it again?” He takes a swipe at Leroy’s boots with his steel toe as he loosens his belt.
“Knock it off, Willie,” Leroy says.
Lorne protects Ruby with his arm.
“You’ve got no business here, Willie Fortune,” Ruby says.
“Seems you are my business. Better I do this than your pop,” Willie says, as he swings the belt buckle at Lorne’s face. The buckle broadsides Lorne’s cheek and chin and leaves a bloody gash. Leroy wrenches free and scrambles up. He runs.
“Stop it, Willie!” Ruby says. “What did Lorne ever do to you?” She reaches over to see to Lorne, who is bleeding from the ear and nose.
“Got what was coming to him,” Willie says. “Taking advantage of young girls.”
“They weren’t taking advantage of anyone,” Ruby said. “I asked.”
“You did, did you? Get up, Ruby.”
“No.”
“No one says no to Willie Fortune.”
Lorne turns over toward Ruby, coughs up blood. He reaches to touch Ruby’s face. “I’m sorry, baby girl.”
Willie kicks Lorne in the mouth. “You’ll regret this.” Lorne’s eyes loll back into his head.
Leroy circles back from behind the costume wagon and kneels by his brother. “Wake up, damn it.”
“I’ll tell my pop about what you’ve done,” Ruby says.
“He won’t hear you, Ruby. That’s what I come to tell you. Your pop’s dead.”
“Liar.”
Divina rushes from around the back of the costume wagon and crouches at Ruby’s side. “What in tarnation do you think you’re doing, Willie Fortune?” she screams. “There’s a better way to tell a girl her pop’s up and gone.” Divina grabs hold of Ruby and pulls her to her breast.
“Just sealing the deal, Miss Divina. Went to Big Burl just today to ask for Ruby’s hand. Shook on it.”
Divina strokes Ruby’s face and hair. “I’m so sorry, Ruby. About your pop.”
Ruby stares into the night sky, her eyes dulled. “Pop?”
Divina turns to Willie. “Not something you’re known for. Truth telling, that is.”
“It’s true, every word of it,” Willie answers.
“Get out of here,” Divina bellows.
Ruby still hasn’t moved.
“Pop?” Ruby says. “Pop!”
“Won’t do you any good calling for him now,” Willie says.
“I said, get out!” Divina thrashes at Willie.
Willie Fortune repositions his hat. “As you wish, your majesty.” He steps around Divina and bends close to Ruby’s face. He pecks Ruby on the cheek. “You’re my girl now, don’t forget it.”
Ruby hits his arm, hard.
He cocks his head toward his henchmen, Red and Slim. “I like them rough.” The men laugh. He swaggers away, flanked by his cronies. “What do you think, boys? I can see it splashed all over the banners.” He spreads his large hands out. “‘Ruby Fortune, Girl Wonder.’ We’ll get our money’s worth out of that name.”
Divina bends over Ruby.
“What happened?” Ruby asks.
“Shh, now, Pip. There will be time enough to tell you.”
“I want to know!”
“It was his heart, Ruby. Gave up, no warning.” Divina takes Ruby in her arms. “We lost a damn fine man today. I don’t think I’ll ever get over that he’s gone.” She rocks Ruby then, the girl reduced to wracking sobs.
Gone, this is a word that Ruby can’t grasp. Her pop? Gone? What will she do now, no mother and now, no pop? Of all she has lost, one thing she has found, and in the cruelest way: nothing will be the same ever, never, again.
“WE GOT OFF ON THE WRONG foot last night, Ruby,” Willie says. He takes off his large-brimmed hat and sits at the edge of the cot in Divina’s tent, where Ruby has slept fitfully. Dressed in good brown trousers, a crisp white shirt, and trim paisley vest, Willie fingers a large gold watch chain that loops from his vest pocket. He puts the watch away and strokes Ruby’s cheek. “I aim to make it right by you.” His long, brown hair curls at his chin and his trim mustache twitches as he talks. Ruby is tempted to touch it.
Ruby turns her head away. Her head, her bones—even her hair—ache. Is her pop really gone? She fidgets on the small cot, at once hot, then cold. She can’t stop crying. A large wad of rags is sandwiched between Ruby’s thighs where blood seeps. Her thin nightdress is soaked. She can’t get up to change while Willie is here. And she can’t go back to her own tent because Big Burl is laid out there.
Willie wipes a tear from Ruby’s face. He cups Ruby’s chin and kisses her forehead. “You know you’re the prettiest girl in all of Texas, don’t you?”
Ruby juts her chin out of his grasp. Her long curly blonde hair is matted to her blotched face and her large brown eyes rimmed in red. “Don’t you go getting all sweet on me. Me and Divina have our own plans.”
“You do?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Women aren’t meant to be alone.”
“Just because you say it, doesn’t mean it’s true.” Ruby adjusts the rags, which are becoming increasingly more pungent.
“And you, only sixteen.”
“Fourteen, you mean.”
He whistles. “Could have fooled me.” He runs his fingers through Ruby’s tangled hair. “Thing is, your pop and I shook on it. Just yesterday.”
“I don’t believe you. And neither does Divina.” Ruby closes her eyes. She pictures her father, velvet, fur, Conchos, and the lustiest laugh in Arizona Territory. She won’t hear his voice again, all those campfire stories, all those rides on his broad shoulders, Hold on, Ruby! Hold on!
Willie touches Ruby’s shoulder, his hand warm. Ruby pushes it away. “I didn’t say you could touch me. Go find yourself another girl.”
“Your pop knew what was best for you, Ruby. You might say Divina and I don’t see eye to eye. But it’s true, Ruby. I swear. Your pop gave me his blessing.”
Ruby sits up and moves away from Willie. “I still don’t believe you.”
A minute later, “Well, blast it,” Ruby says, sniffling. She wipes her nose on the bed sheet. “Why did he have to up and die on me?”
“I’ll take care of you, Ruby.” Willie bends over and takes her into his arms. “Starting today.” He reaches into his vest pocket and takes out a small flask. “Here, take this. It will make you feel better.” Willie tips the flask into Ruby’s mouth. “Good for what ails you.”
Ruby screws her face up. Within seconds, a warm rush envelops Ruby’s throat.
“You’ll get used to it.”
Ruby is silent for a minute, her body relaxing.
“And you’ll never want for anything, Ruby. Dresses, jewelry, shoes. Leave everything to me.”
Ruby stares at Willie Fortune’s angular face. Is there a better-looking man on the planet? “I’d rather have a pony.”
“Done. Today. Your pick of any of them.”
“You’re not pulling my leg?”
“Two, if you like. Before we sell off the rest of the entourage. You see, without your pop, there’s no more Triple B.”
“What do you mean, no more Triple B?”
“Your pop was highly leveraged, Ruby. I don’t expect you to understand, but there’s nothing left. He owed everybody. We’ll have to sell everything—horses, wagons, supplies, all of it—to pay off his debts. It’s every man for himself now, time to pack up and move on.” Willie runs his hand down to Ruby’s slim shoulders. “From now on, God as our witness, we’ll be man and wife.”
“Wife? I thought you said you’d take care of me. No one said anything about wife.”
“It’s for the best, Ruby.” Willie kisses Ruby’s neck, moves to her budding breasts, and down to her flat stomach. There is no urgency. Ruby thinks to push him off, but she’s drowsy. And it feels good. Over and over, he murmurs, There’s a yellow rose in Texas I’m going down to see …
Willie’s tongue traces a line south of Ruby’s navel. When his mouth reaches the blonde mass at the parting of her thighs, Ruby gasps. Her hands rush to the rags. “Not now, Willie.”
“I’ve got to go now, anyhow. It’s going to be a hell of a day.” He squeezes Ruby’s thin arm.
“What about my pop?”
“From the sound of it, there’ll be a large contingent going to, where the hell is he from? Jericho? To bury him. After that, you and I need to see about getting on with another show. You’re worth a lot of money, Ruby. You’re my Girl Wonder.”
Ruby stares at Willie Fortune and weighs her options. “You take me, Divina comes too.” She sticks out her hand.
“Deal.” Willie shakes Ruby’s hand and bends to kiss her forehead again.
“Do you have more of that stuff?”
“Plenty. Here, take another slug.”
Ruby shifts to her side. She needs to change the rags but she won’t do that in front of Willie. Not yet. “Don’t forget the ponies.” Ruby’s voice is slurred and she’s seeing double now. All she wants to do is sleep. “Two ponies. You said, Willie. We have a deal.”