It was the night the Samuels family was supposed to leave Alexandra and Ruth’s heart was breaking and her head was spinning. She loved it here and she couldn’t bear to leave. She also didn’t want to go back to her old school; Bairdmore Hall. There was a menacing trio of bullies waiting for her there that had made her last school year an unbearable hell. Georgie, Chelsea and Bella, but lead by Georgie had defaced her school binders, “accidentally ripped” her backpack and put such a wad of gum in her hair she had to cut it out and then get a shorter haircut to cover the damage. Her father was older. Ruth was born on his 50th birthday and the bulk of the bully taunts were about his age. Her mother was much younger. They called him a dirty old man, even a pedophile. The principal, Ms. Spanner had made it worse when she tried to get help. They were all still there this year and Ruth couldn’t face it. She had begged her dad to change schools, even to homeschool because she heard it was extra popular with Covid numbers being high right now. But Bairdmore Hall had assured parents they had a safe education plan and her father had stocked her up on masks and told her to keep her chin up. Of course she hadn’t told him about all the bad stuff. She couldn’t tell him a horrible girl bully called him a pedophile!
Now her father and brother and Saba were packing up. She was running on adrenaline and then she was slipping into her shoes and running down the stairs and out the front door while they were all busy. She had on her apple printed hoodie over a grey t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans she’s found at the thrift store. That’s how she’d solve it...she’d run away! Either they’d leave ehr behind or stay with her. She didn’t care which. But where could she go on foot to hide. As she hit the pavement her answer was revealed. A bunch of girls rode their bikes up the the door of Thrifty’s and dropped them to one side before going in. They looked similar so she was guessing three sisters all fairly pretty with golden hair. Ruth had noticed many people didn’t lock their bikes up at all here which today was just what she needed. The middle aged girl of the trio was close to her height and probably her age so she eyed her bike, the blue one with the pink metallic shiny ribbons on the ends of the shire handlebars. and casually made her way over to the front of the shop. The girls went in talking and laughing and then they chirped a chorus of “Daddy! “ and a small man in a grocery store uniform greeted them with hugs and they followed him further in. Ruth looked around for witnesses and casually read a poster for grocery items on sale while a couple walked past her. Then she picked up the blue bike by it’s handlebars and hopped on and rode away in the other direction. She had learned her way a bit and she needed to get somewhere remote and not so public. She hoists herself up so she’s riding standing up to gain some speed as she heads for the park and the beach but both are busy places so she keeps riding until she gets to 3rd and turns at the bigger houses towards the school. Maybe she could hide in the school field? But as she approaches the school she sees a little dirt and gravel road and veers off. This would be perfect. She had no idea where it went but it was remote.
It ended at what looked like a farm and a brown haired woman in a bandana working in the fields notices her and seems to take interest. Ruth doubled back down the road and through the trees a bit and she drops the bike behind one as she hops off. From her position she can see the woman walk a bit towards where she was and then walk back. Ruth sees a lighthouse further over and hugs the treeline as she heads for it, thinking she’s unseen still.
Avery Peterson had seen a kid ride up and then ride back a bit and disappear. She had the sense the girl was still in range and made it look like she was walking away and then shot a look back and saw her skulking through the threeline towards the lighthouse. Morgan was harmless enough but hopefully he could keep her occupied and not scare her off. The kid was running from something. She knew that look well. Once the kid went around to the front of the lighthouse Avery used her own pathways to trace back to where the kid had moved from and found the bike. She knew that bike. It was Chloe McLeod’s. She knew all those girls from when she worked at Thrifty’s. Now she texted a picture the bike to her brother Chris:
Hey...minor crime but I think we have a runaway or a kid who’s rebelling against their parents. This is Chloe McLeod’s bike but the little girl in the lighthouse who rode up on it is not her.
Ruth met a weird old man in the lighthouse who told her an unbelievable story about the island and an earthquake and some kind of fog that kept them apart from what he called the big world. He seemed a bit not in the big world himself so she was polite and then after he gave her a tour she excused herself and tried to head back to her bike, her borrowed bike but all of a sudden she saw a police car on the road she came in on and ran through the thickness of trees instead. Ruth ran until she had no breath in her and she went in so many directions she couldn’t recall the way back out. She started to panic and her breathing was out of control. She tried to run in a random direction and ran smack into a giant man with a long beard and long dark hair. He had a scar on his face and as his gaze bore into her Ruth fainted from the shock and stress and fell back on the ground in a heap.
Esther finished packing her bag, then packed Ruth’s, since the girl had, at some point, left the room, possibly to say one final farewell to her big brother. She smiled a little sadly, as she would miss Levi also. But she had made him promise that he would visit with them virtually and she had hoped that would satisfy the ten year old. Leaving the small bedroom she moved turned into the living room, whee she found her son-in-law and her grandson finishing up their packing. “Do you have everything?” she asked both of them, really, but making it look like she was asking Daniel, as he was the child.
Daniel simultaneously leaned on his bag and zipped it up. He was leaving with more clothes than he came with, but he made it all fit. And not a moment too soon. Saba walked out of the room she had shared with Ruth asking if he had everything. “Yea.” he admitted with a sigh. He really liked this place and he’d have loved to stay longer, but their ferry was leaving today and it was the next to the last one before it shut down indefinitely. “Dad?”
Joseph zipped up his bag and was now powering off his laptop and putting it in his computer bag. He hears Esther and grins as he zips the bag closed. “We’re all packed upland ready to go.” he looks at his watch. “And we have just enough time to not have to run.” he rolls his eyes. “Ruth!” he calls. “Come on, baby. We’re going to be late.”
No reply
He sighs and heads for the back bedroom, but before he can knock, he sees Levi leaving it. “Hug Ruth and tell her it's time to go.” Joseph tells his son.
Levi raises his eyebrows. “I thought she was out here or packing with Saba.” he replied, slightly confused. He walks into the small lying room and sees Ruth is not there.
Esther sighs. “Well she’s got to be around here, somewhere. She wouldn’t have gone to the ferry early, would she?” she asks the room.
Daniel shakes his head. “No, she wouldn’t have.” he confirms. “Maybe she went to the beach one last time?” he offers. “We met a big dog there yesterday. Want me to go get her?”
Joseph looks mildly annoyed. “Yes … run, Daniel. We’ll meet you at the ticket office.” he looks around, as if Ruth might pop out from behind a chair. “Well, let’s get our bags down there. I don’t want to get on until we’re all together.”
Daniel immediately got into his runners and took off looking for Ruth. Levi helped his father and grandmother with the bags and they walked to the ferry. The departing whistle sounded loudly and all of the adults were still in the ticket office. The ferry was departing before Danny came running in, out of breath.
“She wasn’t at the beach.” he told them, bending over and holding onto her knees. “And she wasn’t at the park, either.” he blows out a breath and straightened. “I didn’t see her on my way back, either. I tried to call her but it keeps going to voicemail.”
Joseph grumbles, looking at the departing ferry. “Well, we’ll catch the next one. It’s the last, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem.” he speaks to the women behind the counter and she lets them keep their bags behind her with her. Then Joseph looks at Levi. “Alright, we need to find her.” he blows out a breath and looks around, more annoyed than angry.
Ninety minutes later they all met back at the Ferry ticket counter. The final ferry was now departing and they still did not have Ruth. Levi helped bring the bags back to his apartment and, as they had looked everywhere they could think of, he sat to think some more.
Joseph stood out of the window. It was almost 7pm and the sun was setting. They had missed the last ferry, but what was on his mind now was where his daughter could possibly be.
“Levi, call the police.”
<>
The little girl had fainted once she looked up at him, but Jude had shown no reaction. Not that he was used to little girls running onto his property, bumping into him and fainting dead away. And this kid wasn’t a local, as far as Jude knew. Alexandra had undergone some massive changes since reuniting with the rest of the world, so he couldn’t be sure. She was clean, well fed and had an expensive haircut. Yet her clothes screamed thrift store. No matter who she was. He wasn’t going to leave her lying on the ground in the North Woods. He picked her up and brought her inside of his one room hut and lay her down on his cot. A cursory exam told him she wasn’t injured, so he expected her to not be out for too long.
Three hours later, after the sun had set, the girl awoke.
Ruth’s eyes opened and she was lying down looking up at wood beams in a dim space. She sat up a bit and turned her head and saw the bearded man looking at her and shrank back from him apprehensively. Her mother had warned her about scary men who take little girls and do terrible things to them. It was one of the reasons her mother claimed she had kept Ruth so sheltered. Of all the things she questioned about her mother’s “wisdom “ she really hoped she was wrong about this. “Where am I?” Ruth said defensively. She tried to remember all the things her mother said could save her if this did turn out to be a bad man kidnapping her. Kick them. Bite them. Scream as loud as you can.
Jude heard the little girl as she woke up and moved to watch her. The hut he lived in was lit by two candles and a solar lantern he rarely used. He’d brought the lantern in for the extra light. She looked at him and demanded to know where she was. Trying to look non-threatening was almost laughable, he thought, but he could at least remain relaxed. “My house on Alexandra island.” he told her. With his pale hand, he motions around his rugged hut. “My name is Jude Murphy. And you are …” he left the question open for her to answer so maybe conversation could go from there, although it had been a while since he talked to a little kid.
Ruth still looked very wary and didn’t give her name right away. He was a stranger. Stranger danger. “Why did you bring me here?” She looked between where she was sitting and the door as if contemplating how fast she could get out. But his calm manner also confused her a bit. Bad guys on TV and in movies didn’t introduce themselves, unless they were monologuing, which this man was not. His home was very simple and lit by candles and a lantern like they had gone back in time. “You don’t have electricity?” Her curiosity was at war with her anxiety about this Jude Murphy being a potential kidnapper. Her phone was in her jeans pocket but she didn’t reveal it yet.
Jude was a man of few words, usually. He spoke to his closest neighbor and his family. This little girl wanted details so he would have to put more words into the air. “You ran into me in the woods, took one look at me and passed out.” he shrugged. “I can’t say that I blame you, but I couldn’t leave you laying on a bed of leaves in the North Woods, so I brought you here, checked you out and let you wake up on your own.” he canted his head. “No electricity. Manual plumbing. The toilet is out back, with the shower. Kitchen is the fireplace outside. Which reminds me. Would you like something to eat? The fish should be done by now. Or am I keeping you from an appointment…. I still don’t know your name…”
Ruth took in the information and found the man interesting and a little less scary. He didn’t seem to intend harm and he had made sure she was ok. And he was highly articulate which Ruth always enjoyed in people. “Fascinating. I’m Ruth.” She felt she could give him her name “What kind of fish is it?” Time had passed and she had ridden hard on that bike. She was actually a bit hungry. She sat up more normally on the cot and swung her legs over but her feet didn’t quite touch the floor.
Jude watched her. She seemed alright to him, but still she had been running away from something … or someone. Yet he knew the woods to be safe, so he wanted answers of his own because this was a ten year old girl out on her own after dark. It was far from late, but it was still after dark. And if there was someone or something in town making little girls feel the need to run, Jude wanted to know about it to pass the information on the Adum and Josh. “Pleasure to meet you, Ruth.” he nodded to the door. “Tonight I caught a nice sized salmon and made up some rosemary potatoes with leafy greens and cukes from my garden.” he nods towards the door for her to exit. His space is open and spacious with a campfire at a safe distance from his house, a garden as well as a greenhouse and several barrels to catch rainwater. Around the campfire are real logs and stumps with worn but clean looking blankets. Near the fire are covered cast iron pans; one frying pan and another pot. Inside are salmon steaks and the rosemary potatoes. He has nearby, a box with plates and utensils, and even cloth napkins. He pours them both cups of water and then sits and prepares her a plate with a generous portion first, then himself then sits on a stump by the fire to eat, enjoying a bit before he ventures further into their conversation. “So what brings you to my part of the woods?” he asks.
How Jude lived was like nothing Ruth had ever seen. His set up was like one of those old timey museums where they talked about settlers in the early days of Canada. She watches him with her intense stare and drinks it all in with wonder. Ruth takes her plate and sits on another stump feeling suddenly like she’s on a great adventure. She doesn’t answer him right away but eats a bit first. It’s good, really good. Ruth looks up after half her plate is empty and says “Thank you….I should have said that first. Sorry.” Then she gives Jude part of the answer “I got lost……” She doesn’t mention the running away part because she’s not sure how much trouble she’ll be in if he gets her back to her dad right now.
Jude enjoyed his own cooking, even if his thin frame suggested otherwise. She thanks him belatedly and he nods at her. “You’re welcome and it’s alright. Hunger is the priority, I believe.” he listens to her answer, which isn’t ringing completely true to him. The North Woods was large, but getting lost in it was near impossible. Go straight in almost any direction and you’d hit the cliffs. However kids ran away to the North Woods quite often. Usually it scared them back home, or at least to a place where they could run away in far more comfort than the woods provided. Plus this kid was not stupid, he guessed. She was articulate in her speech. His military background hadn’t covered child interrogation, unless child soldiers counted and to him, it did not. “Well, I’m glad you found me.” he tells her. “You must be new in town. Most kids avoid leaving the access road when they come here.” He drinks some water. “Your mom and dad are probably worried, eh?” he ventures. Then he seems even more concerned. “I hope your not a mainlander. The last ferry left a couple of hours ago.”
Ruth looks happy she hasn’t offended him by not saying thank you at the right time. That was a big deal with her mother. Manners made a lady after all she would say. She gobbled down the rest of her food and pulled a few salmon bones from her mouth as she went. She tried to look casual “Yes new in town.” She said vaguely. Ruth gulped a bit about the idea that her dad might be worried. He probably was. The pit of guilt she had about that was growing exponentially. But when he said the last ferry had gone she couldn’t help but give a little smile “That’s good to know.” She had done it. She had stayed. Maybe they went without her and she could live in this Jude Murphy’s hut like a pioneer. How hard could it be to catch a fish? She brushed the palm of her hand against the phone in her pocket, willing herself not to check it.
Jude both listens to and watches her reply. She admits to being new in town and then seems a little TOO happy that the last ferry was gone. “Well, welcome to Alexandra.” he tells her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone but me so happy to see the island cut off from the rest of the world before.” he chuckles. That's not entirely true … there were a few people he could think of that would be perfectly happy with Alexandra right back in the fog again. He looks at her and shrugs. “I sort of ran away too. Here in the woods like some wild man of Alexandra. But my family is here, so I can see them whenever I want.” he pauses. “I hope you do too. I have my sister and her family. My parents … meh.”
Ruth realizes she’s been called out. Nicely but there it was plain as day. She sighs “I ran away. I don’t want to go back to school. Bad things happen at school.” As he talks about his family she pulls out her phone and sees the notifications for all the missed calls. But she also has no signal to call back. She looks full of regret. “I do love my Dad...and my brothers….and my Saba….they’re probably really scared.” She looks trapped by her own choice now and her eyes fill with tears.
Jude is glad she just comes out with it. “Bad things like what?” he asks, curiously. She pulls out her phone. “You should. Especially your grandmother.” he betrays he knows the term. “Tell them you’re with Jude Murphy and I can take you home. “If it makes them feel better tell them I am a friend of Josh Greene, the chief of police.” he isn’t about to let a girl new in town to just walk the streets after dark and Alexandra is about as safe as it gets most of the time.
She wipes at her eyes “Bullies…….I was their..project….” She takes in a big breath. “I don’t have a signal. You know the word Saba? Do you speak Yiddish? Hebrew?” She gets up and walks around seeing if moving finds her a signal. “And you’re friends with the police chief…..but you didn’t call him on me when you found me?” Then she gasps “Oh god...I stole a bike…..I didn’t mean to. I was borrowing it. I don’t plan to keep it. Will I get arrested?!”
Jude nods slowly at the news of school bullies. Then he shrugs. “I have a phone that gets a signal, but how about we just start walking you back to your family, eh?” he shakes his head. “No, I didn’t. I wanted to be sure you were alright first. You never know about people. And no worries on the bike. I’ll explain it to the police on my way back from dropping you off.” he promises.
Ruth nods and sighs “thank you for not turning me in. I think I needed to come here today to ...I dunno understand it. Can I use your bathroom before we walk? I do have to go but I’ve also never used an outhouse before. My brothers got to go to summer camp but my mom always kept me home with her. I’m pretty sure they got to use outhouses.” She sounded almost jealous of their worldly experiences in the realm of bathroom types.
Jude nods. “You may. Just toss the washcloth toilet paper in the bucket outside with the water in it.” he tells her. He is not UNcivilized. “Then fill the basin with water .. the sort soap is in the shelf alongside the house. Chuckling at the brothers getting to use an outhouse while she never could, he tells her. “I’ll meet you back here in a few.” he moves in the opposite direction using ‘the third tree from the left’ before he then uses that basin to wash his own hands with the soft soap. He hoped the kid didn't have terribly sensitive skin.
Ruth’s eyes go wide at the instructions for the bathroom and the cloth but then she nods slowly and goes to give it all a try. She opens the door and peers in and sniffs. It’s not as stinky as she thought it would be. Then she goes in and does all the things and comes out and tosses the washcloth and deals with handwashing at the basin feeling like some kind of anthropologist. When she meets up with Jude again she’s grinning “That was very interesting. You don’t create any real waste do you?” She’s super into all of this.
Jude dries his hands. He grins at hos interesting Ruth is finding his way of life. “Nope … not really. To be honest I think the most wasteful things I have are a military grade satellite phone and a military grade laptop. Don’t ask.” he advises.. “Where are you and your family staying?” he asks heading into the woods but taking completely sure steps.
The words don’t ask only make her want to ask everything. Ruth fights the urge. She had learned better with grown ups. Don’t ask with her mother meant a talking to if she pushed. But she was desperately curious. “With my brother, above the law office….. Beside the place that sells pancakes … beside the dentist….on the street with the grocery store and the clinic.”
Jude sees the fighting. “You won’t believe me, but I used to be a spy.” its the absolute truth. “So…” he places his fingers to his lips. “Shhhhh.” he nods and starts walking through the trees. Hey come out on 3rd street. “That is Alexandra Academy, the local school. You’re stuck here now, so you might wind up going there now you’re stuck here.” he begins to walk past the houses pointing a couple of them out. “That’s the mayors house … “ they walk a little more. “This is my sister's house. Biggest family in Alexandra, the Reinhardt’s. If you ever need me and can’t find me, these folks might know. But you know where I am. Let me know if bullies bother you in Alexandra.” this is an OK kid, so he’ll keep talking and give her the dime tour.
Ruth gives Jude an open mouthed smile at the admission he was a spy. She closes it and nods when he gives her the shhh signal. She looks at the school warily but hopefully. It wasn’t Bairdmore Hall. She lets her eyes follow his pointing to the rest “I come from a really big family….but we’re not all here.” When he says he’ll help her with bullies she inwardly soars. A spy that can help her with bullies? She grins. “This is a good town. Thank you.” She enjoys the tour and learns things.
Jude grins at her when she mentions being from a large family. “If you stay you’ll learn about Reinhardts. It’s inevitable.” he turns the corner. “How many siblings do you have? You mentioned brothers.” he shrugs. “Sorry … CSIS training. You can Google it if you want to.” he motions to things as they pass them. “Fire department, where my nephew works. Police department where my brother-in-law works.” at a glance he can see a couple of the cruisers are not in the lot. They may be looking for her. “Municipal building where my nephew’s boyfriend works. Clinic where my sister works … you get the idea. Finally he stops at the door to the law buildings and its apartments. “Which floor?”
Ruth nods “The Reinhardts…..but you’re a Murphy so your sister married into them?” she smiles “I have eight brothers. Only one is a full brother with same parents. Daniel but Levi is like a full brother even though he had a different mom.” She looks intrigued about CSIS “CSIS. I’ll remember.” And she will. She looks at all the town buildings where Jude’s relatives work “You’re very connected. Your nephew has a boyfriend? My brother has a boyfriend. Are they nice about that here?” she looks truly concerned after the whole big conversation regarding the Jewish beliefs about homosexuality. She wanted Levi to be safe. “Second.”
Jude nods. “Yup. My sister married a Reinhardt, but I’m considered one of them … which was better than my being a Murphy.” he seems to consider her question for a second. “They’re very nice about that here. The majority don’t care, as long as the person is nice, but you and I both know there are bad people no matter where you go.” he looks at the building and the name of the firm as he enters and climbs the stairs to the second floor. He realizes that he may be a bit alarming. He doesn’t stink, but with his old and faded clothes, tangles beard and long wavy hair, he may be alarming to adults that don’t know him, so he’s ready to be somewhat professional. He raises his fist to the door and raps three times.
Joseph is sitting and sipping coffee, trying not to worry. The police had agreed to look for Ruth, but so far … nothing. He was now officially worried about his daughter. But before he can do more than stand and begin to pace again there are three sharp knocks on the front door.
Esther is in the kitchen stress cleaning what doesn’t need to be cleaned. Ruth was not her granddaughter technically, but Ruth was her granddaughter and she was worried. The knock on the door made her freeze with cleaning cloth in hand.
Daniel is sitting at the dining room table chewing on the pad of his thumb nervously. He knows the adults are worried. He’s worried. Of all of them, only he knew how much Ruth hated school, why she hated school and the lengths she might go to to avoid ever going back. But it was dark now and she was just a kid. So now he was worried too. He jumped when the knock came and turned in his chair to look towards the front door.
Levi was walking between the living room and the kitchen. He’d never been so worried in his life. The police were out searching and he had tried to avoid rounding up a whole search party using his connections in town. Ruth was just a kid out there. Alexandra wasn’t by nature a dangerous place, but his big city legal mind kept tossing disastrous terrifying scenarios at him to make him worry. He was just passing his front door when he heard the knock, so he answered it immediately. First he saw a giant of a man. 6 foot 6 or 7 easily with long scraggly raven black hair and beard on a scarred face. His grey eyes seemed kind enough. But he looked down and saw Ruth. “Thank god!” he exclaimed.
Ruth likes talking with Jude. He got that she actually had a clue and talked to her like an adult. Her father and Levi did too but the years of her mother’s fashion friends telling her she was such a pretty little girl whenever she was too outspoken had worn her nerves thin. She didn’t want to be pretty. She wants to be smart. Jude telling her it was good here for gay people but there were bad people everywhere made sense. He knocks and the second Levi opens the door and she can see how relieved he is she feels so guilty she just breaks down crying and hangs her head “I’m sorry. I can’t go back to that school. I’m sorry I made us miss the ferry.”
Levi looks at his little sister crying and motions her inside. He looks up at the tall man. "Thank you for bringing Ruth home." there is a strong temptation to reach for his wallet, but he suppresses it. "Please, come in."
Joseph moves to Ruth and hugs her. Hard. "Oh uth!" all of his anger melts away and is replaced by confusion. "School?" he blinks and looks at all of the adults, including the giant of a man who brought her back.
Esther sags in relief and tosses out a quick prayer, hurrying into the living room to hug Ruth. "Oh my goodness. Ruth. You must be starving." she turns and sees a gigantic man. This man brought their Ruth home. "Come in, Mr ... Are you two hungry. I'll make sandwiches." she hugs Ruth again and turns to go in the kitchen and feed people.
Daniel blows out a relieved breath and moves into the living room. He looks at his sister and then at the big man who brought her with wide eyes. But he doesn't say anything.
Jude steps inside and watches the reunion. A small woman offers to feed him and Ruth and he almost smiles. "My name is Jude Murphy. I live in the North Woods. Ruth here ran into me, but fainted, so I let her sleep." he doesn't mention that she has already been fed. His words as it is may well make what appears to be a well to do family over the edge. "She told me there was bullying."
Ruth burrows into her father and sobs almost hysterically for what seems like a really long time. Everything she’s held inside and born the brunt of trying to be brave and pretend she’s fine rushes out like a damn bursting. When Jude says bullying she nods into her father’s shirt which is now tear soaked. Ruth was a child who never cried easily. She was stoic through the bloodiest scraped knees and she sat silently and contemplatively through family funerals and the saddest movies you could imagine so her breakdown now was very uncharacteristic. Finally she sniffed and said “Jude made me dinner already. It was very good food.”
Levi watches her sister and sees her nodding. Ruth crying was a shock in and of itself. But bullying? He looks at his father, who is holding her and letting her cry. Then he looks at this Jude Murphy who found and fed her. “Thank you, Mr. Murphy for finding my sister. We really appreciate it. I’m Levi Samuels, one of the Samuels and Sons .. the law firm.” he’s never seen this man before, but he’s also never been in the North Woods before. He starts. “Oh, I had better call off the search.” He pulls out his phone and is soon talking to the police, telling them what happened and mentioning Jude. He listens nodding and looking curious.
Joseph holds his daughter while she cries. This has obviously been a problem for her for a long time. “Well if there have been problems at Bairdmore Hall …” he sighs. “Oh, Ruth, I’m so sorry. How blind can I be? Well … this is no good, obviously. You don’t have to go back. I’ll think of something.” and he sighs. “School starts Tuesday. I’ll just have to get you in the local school … somehow.” he looks at Daniel. “This is why you wanted Ruth to be able to go to school with you, isn’t it?” he blows out a breath and looks up at the man who brought Ruth home. “Mr. Murphy. Thank you. I’m Joseph Samuels … the kids father.” he motions not only to Ruth and daniel, but Levi as well. “Is there any way I can repay you?” The man looks down on his luck, but now that his firm is taking in more pro bono cases, it isn't a problem.
Esther watches her son in law with his daughter and her heart melts. It’s heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. She looks at Jude Murphy with gratitude. “Thank you so much.”
Daniel watches his sister nod in confirmation of the bullying and, sure enough, his father asks if this is why he wanted Ruth in school with him. “Yes, Papa. I can’t protect her if we aren’t in schol together, so I couldn’t do anything to stop those stupid girls who … they were awful to her, Papa.”
Jude watches the family and is glad he was able to go some good. He grins a bit at Ruth. “Thank you. It was good to have the company.” and then he shakes his head. “No thank you, Mr Samuels. I’m retired military. My pension suits me just fine.” he doesn’t mention specifically that he was with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, but Ruth knows the acronym now. “I’ve done my duty bringing a young girl back to her family.” he looks at Ruth. “I should get going now. Ruth it has been a pleasure meeting you and your family.” he’s already told her how to get in touch with him.
Ruth cried in relief as her father said she didn’t have to go back to Bairdmore Hall and she could be enrolled in the local school. But she was confused too “Wait...we are staying HERE on Alexandra?” It was too good to be true. She looked hopefully between her father, Levi, Daniel and Saba. Then she gives Jude a genuine smile “Thank you Jude Murphy. For everything.” Her new friend…..the spy.
Levi raised his brows at his father, but he was smiling. As much as he loved his younger brothers, he had to admit that having Ruth and Danel closer would be wonderful. He also knew that Ruth had their father over a barrel. Granted, it could have been much worse, but it also amused him. He nodded to Jude as he headed for the door. “Thank you again, Mr Murphy.”
Esther smirked at her son. Ruth had scared them all, but in the end, it could probably work out for the better. She turns to Jude and waves at him. “Yes, thank you do much Mr Murphy. I suppose we will see you around.”
Daniel listens to his father and can’t resist smiling. They were staying on this cool little island? He wasn’t beng bullied in school but he did get some teasing about teachers who had had brother after brother before him. “Thanks Mr Murphy.” he calls tot he retreating giants back. Ruth had made the coolest friend, ever.
Jude nods to them all. “You’re welcome.” and he exits, heading home in the dark. He thought he might see the girl again sooner or later, if she braved the North woods or caught him on those rare occasions he went into town.
Joseph also looks at Jude. “You have my gratitude, Mr Murphy.” and watches him go. Then he sits on the couch and motions his younger children to sit with him. “Yes, we can stay and yes I will enroll you in the school here.” he raises his eyebrows. “You haven’t really given me much choice in the matter now, have you?” his words are stern, but his eyes twinkle a little bit.
Daniel is still a moment. “But Papa. You coil always rent a private boat … if you REALLY wanted to get back to Vancouver. And .. what about Elazer?” he owndered about his 15 year old brother.
Joseph looked at Daniel. “I could, but that would only give your sister a week or two off while I looked for another school for her to go to.” he half chided. “And Elazar can live with Mordechi and Immanuel … unless he wants to live with his mother … which I doubt.” That trio’s mother was a different set of problems and Elazar had been making noises like he wanted to be more independent. “But we cannot stay here, kids.” he looks at Levi. “It’s too small for all of us to live forever.”
Ruth looked contrite “I didn’t do it to be belligerent Papa. I really don’t know how I’d survive another year. I’m sorry for the cat and mouse approach but the subtle one didn’t work.” She closes her eyes and names the bullies “Georgie Lovell, Chelsea Trenton and Arabella DeLuca. Ms. Spanner knew and did nothing.” The DeLuca girl was the child of a rival law firm. “It was mostly Georgie though. She called you….she said some very awful things and then terrorized me all year.” She looks around Levi’s apartment “We could get bunk beds….or go live in the woods. Jude lives in the woods and he’s quite comfortable. He has a hut...but he also has an outhouse.”
Levi narrowed his eyes as he both listened to his sister and sent a quick text to Jasper telling him that Ruth was back and that they were ironing out the next steps. He can’t help but chuckle. “I am NOT sharing a bed with Dad Ruth.” he protested.
Esther pursed her lips to hear about the bullies. She was curious about the bullying also, but expected Joseph would get to the bottom of it. She chuckles. “Do I get the top bunk?” she teases. “No .. I will find a place of my own. Than you very much.” she thought it would be a good thing for these younger children.
Daniel looks at Ruth, ready to support her, but is distracted by the description of the hut. “A hut in the woods? Was it scary? No indoor plumbing or just the toilet outside?” this guy was sounding cooler by the minute.
Joseph hugs Ruth. “Some of this is my own fault.” he decides. “If I had been more available, maybe you would have come to me when this started … DeLuca … well that whole family.” he rolls his eyes and looks at her curiously. “What did they call me, Ruth? Probably old, at the least.” he could take some wrangling and had for having so many children and being so much older than the younger ones. He laughs a little. “We are NOT living with Levi. He has his own life. ANd we are NOT living in the woods. That Jude Murphy is at least 20 years younger than me and probably in better shape on his worst day. I’ve seen some rent signs and I am sure there is a real estate agent around who can at least rent a place for all of us.” he looks at Esther. “Well you kids and me .. so three bedrooms.” Ruth always had her own room … but Daniel had to share with Elazar because there were so many boys.
Ruth looks at Levi and then smiles. She couldn't imagine her grown brother sharing a bed with their father. She smiles at Saba “I would give you the top bunk though.” She looks at Daniel “I was scared at first but then it was easy to tell he wasn’t a bad man...like the ones mother warned me about. No indoor plumbing. Barrels full of rainwater I think…washcloths for toilet paper. Oh and he cooks over fire. It was like going back in time.” She sighs at her father “OK but maybe we can camp sometime?” She looks very excited that her father is talking about renting a house.
Levi chuckles as Ruth goes on about Jude’s place. “There you go Dad … sounds like just a thing for a 60 year old lawyer.” he winks at Ruth.
Esther giggles like a young girl. “I will stick to a place .. maybe with stairs so I am always guaranteed exterise, but this place would be amazing for jogs.” she realizes. She laughs at the setup in the woods. “I don’t want to go back in time.” she pfffts. “Hoopskirts and corsets .. no thank you.”
Daniel looks fascinated. “Washcloths … rainwater .. oh my god … that sounds so cool!” he breathes. ANd he rolls his eyes. “Well … Mother..” the tone is just barely civil. Ruth wasn’t the only one that had a problem with their mother.
Joseph points at Levi. “Your grounded, smart ass.” he quips. “No barrels of rainwater. I'll keep a water bill, thank you. But yes, we can go camping, if you want.” he gives her a one armed hug. “But you didn’t tell me what those girls said, Ruth.” he prompts her. He knew she had heard him and her pretending she didn't hear made him that much more concerned.
Ruth had dodged that question, about what they called her father. She had winked back at Levi and nodded at Daniel. Saba was always talking about the benefits of exercise. She laughed at the idea of Levi being grounded and then hangs her head “It was Georgie. First she called you a dirty old man...but when that didn’t make me react…” She sits with the rest for a minute and then finally says “She called you a pedophile.” She can’t look at him. Ruth had the vocabulary and knowledge to know what it meant and it was horrifying that anyone would say it about her father.
Levi sighs deeply when he finds out their father was called a dirty old man. Often he and his older brothers were confused as Ruth’s father. But the pedophile comment made him narrow his eyes. He knew he couldn’t fight his father’s battles but that one made him angry. WHich was probably the point.
Esther’s eyes narrow at both of the derogatory names. “The little … bint.” she growls. She is protective of Joseph, because he is her son .. in law but still.
Daniel watches Ruth and sighs. He’d known it and kept quiet.
Joseph nods slowly. “Because your mother is so much younger than I am.” he guesses at least part of why he was called a dirty old man. “Well … I’m not. I could sue her for slander, but she’s not worth it.” he hugs her again. “And no matter what happened between your mother and I .. I don’t regret you or your brother … not for a second.” he sighs. “But from now on, if anyone bullies you, I want to know about it. No matter what they’re doing. We’ll handle it .. and maybe your new military friend as well, eh?” he teases a little bit.
Ruth looks angry still about the names and nods “It’s still not ok. They did other stuff too...wrote on my binders...breaking my backpack, squishing gum in my hair and then pretending to help get it out and cutting it so bad I had to get a haircut….putting my gym shoes in the toileT…” She hugs back and looks tired. “I will Papa.” She smiles about Jude “Papa, what can you tell me about CSIS?”
Levi looks interested. “We could sue them, Ruth. If you wanted to.” he tells her. “All three girls, their parents and the school.” he knew that could put more stress on Ruth, which he didn’t want to do. Then she asks about CSIS, which seems an odd change of subject.
Esther looks more than a little angry about what happened to Ruth. “And where was your …” she stops herself from asking where her mother was during all of this, already guessing some of the things that shallow woman may have told Ruth. The change of subject intrigues her.
Daniel bites his lip at the mention of lawsuits. He understands that is how his family fights abc, but it could make things worse .. but Ruth wasn’t going back to that school, so maybe not. He also looks interested in knowing what CSIS was.
Joseph looks at Levi, sensing the big brother coming to his sister's side. “We will, if you want us to.” he tells Ruth and then arches his brows. “CSIS? It’s the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Basically .. intelligence officers for Canada … spies.” he tilts his head. “Where did that come from?” he wonders.
Ruth shakes her head vehemently “I don’t want to sue them. I just never want to talk to them again. Changing schools will hopefully solve it. I hope they’re nice here. I also got bullied for getting better grades...which is stupid. I shouldn’t be punished for being clever and working hard. But they’d post the test scores on the classroom door.” She tries to look casual about CSIS “I was just doing some reading and I was curious. There was an article on the CBC website a while ago.” Ruth was thinking that one up on the fly but CBC reported on everything so if they did a search her decoy reason should work out. She did realize why she was asking now had no context.
Levi nods at his sister. “Alexandra school is a nice school from what I understand.” he sighs about her getting good grades. He wonders how and why school bullying can still possibly be a thing anymore. He smiles. “Going down a rabbit hole, little sister? Gee, I wonder where you got that from.” he teases as he has been known to do that when he was younger and sometimes their father still did when researching.
Esther blows out a breath. “Children can be so cruel.” she murmurs to herself, then giggles a little bit when Levi teases about the rabbit hole. “And it’s a wonderful change of subject but … we should try and focus on finding a place to live after tonight.” it was far too late to rent a place or even a hotel for the night.
Daniel tightens his jaw about the bullying. “No one better bully you. We’ll be in the same school and I’ll stop them.” It is a young brother's threat, but he means it. Then his eyes grow wide. “Spies….”
Joseph closes his eyes. “I need to start spending more time with you kids.” he proclaims. And then he nods and looks at Levi. “One more night … I hope …” he looks at his family and pulls out his phone. “Alexandra .. Alexandra…” he murmurs.
It was the night the Samuels family was supposed to leave Alexandra and now Ruth Samuels heart was full of the love from her family and her head was calm. She had gone to an extreme to tell her dad all the horrors she had to face the year before at Bairdmore Hall and lots of it hadn’t been easy. But he believed her and supported her and that was all she needed. She had made a new friend who was by far the most interesting adult she’d ever met, Jude Murphy, the spy in the woods. Now by her choice and by fate they were staying, making a home here where her older brother Levi had found so much joy and love. She and Daniel would go to school here and they said it was nice. Ruth was ready to stop running. Ruth was ready to stay.
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