Mama Ruby Read Online Free Page B

fun, and to Ruby, that was what life was really all about. Especially now that she’d ducked into the bushes with Ike.
    The tryst had happened that Saturday afternoon in July on the way to the Spoon family’s ice cream parlor, the day before Othella’s birthday party. It was over too quick for Ruby. Ike leaped up off her so fast, she thought that maybe a bug or a lizard had bitten him on his butt or something worse.
    “What’s wrong?” she wanted to know, massaging the insides of her thighs. “Is it over?”
    “It is for me,” Ike quipped, still huffing and puffing.
    Ruby was already puzzled, but she grew even more puzzled when he handed her a large leaf that he’d plucked from a bush. “What’s this for?”
    “Wipe that blood off your thighs, and get your butt home before somebody catches us.”
    “But ain’t we goin’ to finish doin’ it?”
    Ike snickered. “Girl, we done finished doin’ it.”
    “But it was feelin’ so good. I thought,” Ruby stopped talking when she saw the mean look on Ike’s face.
    “Look, Ruby Jean. I like you and all, and I just enjoyed myself. If you want us to stay friends, you won’t badger me like you doin’ now. We straight on that?”
    Ruby nodded. “This mean you my man?”
    “I guess,” he said, shrugging and zipping up his pants. “As long as you don’t tell nobody.”
    Ruby remained on the ground, lying on her side with her thighs pressed tightly together. She dropped the leaf, watched it flutter to the ground, and then she asked, “I can’t tell Othella?”
    “Especially not Othella! Her mouth is like a dipper, always open!” Ike hollered, waving his hands in the air.
    “Well, what about the next time?” Ruby hadn’t noticed it before, but now there was a stinging sensation in her vagina. To her horror, there was so much blood and semen between her thighs, they stuck together when she attempted to rise. Not to look like a damn fool, she rolled over on her back and sat bolt upright. She looked like a damn fool anyway, struggling to get up on her feet.
    Ike placed his hands on his hips as he stared at her. He was amused and impatient.
    “The next time what?” he asked, finally grabbing her arm to help her up. As soon as he released her, he hawked some spit into the palms of his hands and slicked back his curly black hair. “I ain’t got no idea what you talkin’ about, girl.” He brushed off his overalls and shirt. Despite his dingy cheap clothes, he was sure enough dapper and sexy, Ruby thought. “Why you lookin’ me up and down like that?”
    Ruby shrugged. “I never thought a girl like me would get a boy like you,” she said shyly, her face burning.
    “Well, you did. Now I’m goin’ to go play ball with the Porter brothers. They are scared to be around you too much on account of your mean daddy. Even I’m scared to death of that man! So don’t follow me, you hear?”
    Ruby was so taken aback, she almost tumbled back to the ground. She took a deep breath and composed herself. For one thing, she couldn’t understand why Ike didn’t share his fear of her mean daddy before and while he was making love to her. “What about that ice cream?”
    “Ice cream? What ice cream? I ain’t got no money for no ice cream. What did you do with that leaf I just gave you?” Ike said, looking around. He didn’t wait for Ruby to answer his question. He saw the same leaf on the ground, so he picked it up and handed it back to her. “Wipe yourself off and get on home. I’ll see you at the party tomorrow tonight.”
    Ruby snatched the leaf and began to swipe herself between her thighs. She was greatly disappointed, stunned that her first sexual encounter with a boy had not been more romantic. Ike must have sensed her feelings and thoughts, because he hauled off and kissed her on the lips, harder and longer than he’d ever kissed a girl.
    “Next time you won’t have to use no leaf to wipe yourself off with. I’ll bring a rag or some newspaper,