A Secret Worth Keeping (The Secret)

Carol St. Ann's

A Secret Worth Keeping
(the secret)


Notes:
When the preacher sees Ruby and Liam, Ruby is crying to Liam, because he told her that he and Tommy were leaving, and she doesn't want either of them to go. She has a crush on Liam, and Tommy protects her when her father starts giving out beatings. Abandonment is painful, and she's afraid. She knows she'll never see them again.

See, they've told her they have a plan to run off together, but not that it involves Liam's faking suicide. So, poor Ruby actually believes the terrible news. In her shock and grief, Tommy’s concerned she’ll babble and blather everything: that he's gay, that he and Liam are lovers, that they had this plan to leave - any one of which would cause Poppa to kill him right there and then, maybe all three of them. He couldn't risk her spilling anything, lest the parents figure it out for themselves that Liam faked his own death. Wouldn't be hard to do, given there's no body. This explains why he keeps trying to distract her, or talk over her. Even upset her further. Anything to shut her up.

The pills she slips in her pocket, that Tommy meant to get from her, were sleeping tablets Liam had given her from his parents medicine chest. She was supposed to give them to Tommy so he could drug Momma and Poppa so they wouldn’t wake up when Tommy was leaving. Ruby touched them because the exchange yesterday afternoon was the last time she saw Liam who, don’t forget, she now honestly believes is dead.

Tommy tells her he still plans to leave and talks her into giving him the two pills when she’s going to bed. He promises to come to her room and wake her to say goodbye. She’s broken hearted but holds up well.

Later, that night, he wakes her with his hand across her mouth and a finger to his lips. He has packed some things for her and tells her they need to go. She resists at first, but when he says he's leaving, and it's now or never for her, she throws back her covers, and hops up. They sneak out of the house and down the road, walking in silence past town.

A lone pick up truck is waiting in the clearing. As they approach, the engine starts and the lights come on. Ruby’s fearful, but Tommy tells her it's part of the plan. They get in, Tommy first. The driver is Liam. He and Tommy kiss. Tommy shifts the truck into gear and they drive off with Ruby slightly in shock and dismay.

We hear her as they drive into the night toward their futures: "You two no good bastards. How could you? Do you know what you put me thorough? If I wasn't so doggoned happy, I swear I'd probably kill you!"

Obviously, Liam's body is never found.

Three years pass before Tommy and Ruby return to the farm, though it should be obvious they have kept in touch with Momma. They return for a visit and Liam has plans to tell Momma what they did and what actually happened and hopes like hell to swear her to secrecy.

By now, Tommy and Liam are committed life partners, and financially secure, living in New York, (not clear whether it's the city or upstate). They married last year.

Now that Poppa is dead and buried, Liam feels it’s safe to confess to Momma what they had done, and Ruby's all for it. Momma would understand, especially knowing Liam was abused by his poppa, too. She'd realize both their fathers would have killed them rather than admit their sons were (sissy-boys.)

Besides, Ruby has met and married a big city fella and is preggers with their first child; she wants her momma back in her life.