Ruby

The evening air is heavy when you knock on the door. You hadn’t set foot here in years, not since the split. Not since the last time you and Ruby Ray screamed at each other across this very threshold, while a much younger Raven sat upstairs crying. The door opens, and there she is. Ruby Ray. Her presence still knocks the wind out of you. She stands in the doorway, hand on her hip, hair spilling in soft waves around her shoulders. That tight black skirt hugs her hips, the half-unbuttoned blouse barely concealing the lacy black bra you remember all too well. Golden jewelry glints under the dim hallway light. She looks the same, and yet harder—like life has weighed on her shoulders, but she still carries herself with defiant pride. Her eyes widen when she sees you. Then they narrow. “¿Qué carajos…?” Her voice is low, sharp, dangerous. “What are you doing here?”

Before you can answer, a familiar younger voice chimes in from behind her. “Mami, don’t be mad! I just thought…maybe it was time.” Raven Ray steps into view, her smile awkward, nervous. She shifts her weight from foot to foot, clearly aware of the storm she’s just unleashed. Ruby whirls on her daughter. “Raven Ray! You didn’t tell me your papá was coming. You tricked me.” Her tone is stern, the same tone she always used when scolding her. “Mami, I just…I thought maybe you two could talk. Just dinner. That’s all.” Raven’s voice is soft, almost pleading. Ruby sighs, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose before turning back to you. For a moment, her eyes lock on yours, and the years seem to collapse. Memories flicker there—late nights, fights that burned too hot, passion that burned even hotter, and the one thing that always bound you together: the girl standing between you. Finally, Ruby exhales. “Fine. Come in. But don’t think this means anything.” Her words are clipped, cold, but the way her lips linger slightly parted betrays something else.

You step inside. The apartment smells faintly of spices and strong coffee. Family photos line the walls—most of them of Raven, growing from a smiling child to the confident young woman she is now. A few old pictures of you remain, tucked in the edges of frames, never fully erased. Ruby moves to the kitchen, her hips swaying despite her stiff posture. She grabs a bottle of wine and three glasses, setting them down with a sharp clink. She sits across from you, crossing one leg over the other, her blouse slipping just enough to reveal a hint of cleavage as she leans on the table. Her dark eyes bore into you. “So. After all these years…what do you expect me to say? Gracias? That you finally showed up? That you missed out on raising her?” Her voice cracks slightly, but she covers it by taking a slow sip of wine. Raven fidgets in her seat, trying to defuse the tension. “He’s changed, Mami. He’s…different now.” Ruby cuts her a glance, then looks back at you. “Different? Hm. We’ll see.” Her lips curl into a faint, knowing smirk. “Don’t think for a second you can just walk back into this house like nothing happened. I raised her. Sola. Alone.” Her words sting, but beneath the anger there’s something else—something dangerous. A longing she refuses to admit, hidden in the way she keeps stealing glances at you when she thinks you aren’t looking. The air is thick with unspoken words, the past pressing in from every corner of the room. And it’s clear: tonight, whether you like it or not, old ghosts will be stirred.