Ruby’s invitation came on Saturday evening while June was at Eli’s.
The amateur revue was holding its open audition afternoon on Sunday. They had gone before, watching local people try to persuade three patient judges that a song needed a chair, a hat and sometimes a second song. You could sit in the back for almost nothing. Afterwards you could choose which night of the eventual show to attend.
No discussing anything, Ruby wrote. Just the afternoon. I miss you.
June sat with the phone in her lap. Eli was choosing something for them to watch. He looked over, saw her face and stopped scrolling.
“Ruby?”
“She wants to go to the auditions.”
“Do you want to?”
“Yes.”
“Then go.”
She waited for him to say something else. He didn’t. June sent Ruby a yes.
On Sunday, Ruby met her at the hall wearing an old red scarf June hadn’t seen in months. There was a queue of performers waiting by the side entrance, some cheerful, some silent. A man was guarding a violin case from a child who wanted to know what was in it.
Ruby bought two tickets before June had found her money.
“You got the last one,” she said. “Years ago.”
“I remember.”
“Then we’re even.”
They sat in the back, beside a radiator that wasn’t warm. Ruby tucked part of the scarf around June’s bare wrist. June left it there.
The first singer was good enough to make the judges stop writing. June hadn’t expected to be moved so soon. The woman sang with her eyes fixed on the empty balcony, as if she were showing somebody who wasn’t there that she could do it.
Ruby listened without making a face or a remark. When it ended, she clapped hard. June clapped with her.
The second act involved two friends who disagreed about who should hold a suitcase. It became obvious almost immediately that the suitcase would come open. June watched it for four minutes waiting for that to happen.
When it finally did, it was empty.
Ruby turned to June with enormous eyes. June pressed the end of the scarf against her mouth.
“It’s their hopes,” Ruby whispered.
June shook with silent laughter. One of the friends looked sadly into the case for a very long time.
After an hour, they went out for a cup of tea from the folding table in the corridor. Ruby recognized a woman she had once performed with and spoke to her for a minute. June watched the audition queue. A boy was balancing a hat on his forearm. His mother looked resigned to the hat’s future.
Ruby came back with an extra biscuit she had been given.
“For you. I said you were here to support me.”
June looked at her.
“I’m joking. She had three. She likes you better already.”
June took it. They stood in the corridor eating biscuits and choosing their favourites. Ruby wanted the suitcase act to succeed just enough that she could see whether anything ever went into it. June wanted the first singer to get a proper night with people listening.
“We’ll go on her night,” Ruby said. “If she gets in.”
June nodded. For a second the future was as simple as a ticket they would buy together.
The final half-hour included a man doing impressions so obscure that he had to announce the person every time. Ruby didn’t laugh until the man finished and apologized to the chairman he had apparently been impersonating.
Then the three judges conferred while the audience waited. Ruby leaned toward June.
“Do you remember when I did that open mic and the host couldn’t say my surname?”
“Bell?”
“He called me Ruby Belle of the Ball. Twice. I think he lost his place and decided it was material.”
June laughed. Ruby smiled at her, then looked toward the little stage.
“I’m trying to think how to answer questions at Nina’s thing. Without making it all miserable.”
June’s laughter stopped.
June turned back toward the judges. “Not today, Ruby.”
For a minute Ruby was quiet. Then she began, softly, using June’s brisk public voice.
“As her friend, I can tell you she didn’t make up how much it hurt. She was trying to tell the story without hurting someone else. That’s very Ruby.”
June turned to her. “What are you doing?”
Ruby’s smile disappeared. “It’s what people might ask you. If you were there.”
June took the scarf from her wrist and put it on Ruby’s lap. The judges began to announce which performers would come back for another session. The first singer stood near the stage, her hands held together.
“June,” Ruby whispered.
June got up. She had to pass two people to get to the aisle. One moved her bag; the other stood. June thanked them both because there was no graceful way to leave without speaking.
Ruby followed her into the corridor.
“Don’t go. I won’t do it again.”
June could hear applause through the doors. She didn’t know if it was for the singer.
“I wanted this afternoon,” she said.
“So did I.”
“Then why couldn’t you let us have it?”
Ruby looked at the scarf in her hand. “It came into my head.”
June shook her head and went outside.
The audition queue had gone. There was an empty paper cup caught against the step. She walked past it into the sun and kept walking until the hall was out of sight.
Later, she looked up the rehearsal dates for the revue. The singer’s name was on the list. June was glad for her. She didn’t buy a ticket yet.