All That Glitters

sharply, he almost toppled, and then started for the door, followed by two of his associates who took his arms quickly.

The chatter started again. I looked at Gisselle.

'Good riddance to him,' she flared, her face red and very angry. 'I don't know what he's complaining about. He got more than he deserves anyway. Beau,' she suddenly cried weakly. He rushed to her side. 'Wasn't that just awful?'

'Yes,' he said. 'He's just drunk.'

'This on top of everything else. I can't stand a moment more. Please, Beau. Help me to my room,' she pleaded, and he guided her out, her head on his shoulder as she muttered her apologizes to the people who had stopped by. After that, people began to leave.

'I want to go home tonight, Paul,' I declared suddenly.

'Really? But I thought . . .'

'I don't care about any financial arrangements, anything. I just want to go home.'

He nodded. He had flown into New Orleans from Baton Rouge, so we would drive back in my car. I went up to my room to pack my suitcase. While I was doing so, I heard a gentle knock on the partially opened door.

'Yes?'

Beau stepped in. 'You're going home tonight?'

'Yes, Beau. I can't stay here any longer. It's the longest I've been away from Pearl,' I added.

'I'm sorry that I haven't asked you more about her. I just felt . . . like I had no right to ask,' he said.

'She is your daughter,' I reminded him.

He nodded. 'I know. Paul seems to have accepted everything completely. I mean, from the short conversations we've been able to have, I think so.'

'He loves Pearl, yes.'

'And he loves you,' Beau said.

I looked down at my suitcase without replying for a moment. 'Gisselle tries to be different when she's with you. I can see that,' I said. 'Maybe you are good for her.'

'Ruby,' he said, coming closer. 'The only reason I started with her again was that when I looked at her, I could pretend, imagine, I was looking at you. I have this dream that I can make her into you, but it's a foolish dream. There can't be another you and I can't stand the thought that I've lost you and the life we might have had together.'

Tears came to my eyes, but I didn't turn around so he could see them. I swallowed down the throat lump and completed my packing, only muttering, 'Don't, Beau. Please.'

'I can't help it, Ruby. I'll never stop loving you, and if it means I have to live forever with an illusion, then that's what do.'

'Beau, illusions die quickly and leave us far worse off than if we had faced reality,' I warned.

'I can't face a reality without you, Ruby. I know that now.'

We heard footsteps on the stairway. I snapped my suitcase closed just as Paul came to the door.

'The car's ready,' he said, looking suspiciously from Beau to me.

'Good. Good-bye, Beau. You must try to come to the bayou soon.'

'Yes, I will.'

'I'll just say good-bye to Gisselle, Paul.'

'Fine,' he said, and took my suitcase.

'I'll go down with you, Paul,' Beau said. As the two of them headed for the stairway, I went to Gisselle's room. She was lying on the bed with a damp washcloth over her forehead.

'I'm leaving now, Gisselle,' I said.

Her eyes fluttered open as if she weren't sure she had heard a real voice. 'What? Is that you, Ruby?'

'Yes. I'm leaving for Cypress Woods tonight.'

'Why?' she asked sitting up, suddenly rejuvenated. 'We'll have a big breakfast tomorrow and maybe the four of us will do something that's fun for a change.'

'I've got to get back to Pearl, and Paul has a lot of business to tend to,' I said.

'Oh, pooh on all that. You just want to run away from all this sadness and ugliness with Bruce,' she accused.

'Yes, that, too,' I admitted.

Her expression softened and then her lips quivered. 'What will become of me?' she cried.

'You have Beau now,' I said. 'You will do just fine.'

'Yes,' she said, pulling her face into a full, gleeful smile. 'I guess I will.'

I turned and hurried away, my heart pounding. How she enjoyed reminding me I had lost Beau again.