I was at the gym when I got the text. “My friend Scott is dropping by around 2. Is that ok?” It was 1:30.
What I thought: You’ve got to f-ing be kidding me! After everything we just went through and you’re pulling this shit?
What I said: “That’s ok, but in the future please give at least 24 hours notice when having people over.”
For context, weeks prior she’d had a couple friends over and that was totally fine because she’d given me several days notice.
Ruby: “Holy shit, not doing much right. I’ll meet him somewhere else. Even if we’re only on my balcony for an hour? Maybe an exception this time?”
Me: “I said that’s ok, but in the future…”
No response.
Me: “ If my boundaries are not acceptable to you we can talk, but 30 minutes notice does not work for me for future reference.”
Ruby: “Yeah. That makes me look like a real shithead. Sorry for OVER STEPPING YOUR BOUNDARIES. May I use the kitchen today?”
In this moment, any compassion or caring I’d felt for her vanished. Clearly, she hadn’t appreciated my many attempts to accommodate her. It was obvious she’d felt entitled this entire time and that when she asked for anything, she wasn’t really asking at all- she was merely informing me how it was gonna be. I saw it clearly now.
Me: “This isn’t working. I will let you out of your lease early (no fees) and pay back any money if necessary. I have been perfectly willing to work with you, but clearly it’s your way or I’m an asshole. I can’t give you everything you need. I think you need your own place. I will put it in writing. Please look for something else.”
The next morning she texted that she was off to a Rover gig for several days, she believed we BOTH (she put both in all caps.) needed to live alone, and that she’d get the heck outta here asap.
I was journaling in the living room as she waltzed by. “Tata!!!” she yelled exuberantly. “See ya” I said, not bothering to look up. “Ha!” she retorted, making her way down the stairs. Minutes later I realized that I’d only heard the garage door open, even as she drove away. Sure enough, she’d failed to close it.
“That bitch!” In less than ten minutes I piled every single thing of hers that’d been lying on the floors and blocking the entryways for a week onto the garage floor. I put her “expensive” artwork on one of the shelves, so as not to damage it, which was more effort than she’d put forth.
Then I messaged her what I’d done and that per the lease agreement she was not to alter shared spaces and she was to keep them and all entryways clean. I explained that unlike her leaving the garage door open, I wasn’t doing any of this to be petty.
Ruby: “Do you think I left the garage door open to be petty? I’m still not feeling well.”
Not well indeed.
To be honest, by this point I was also becoming increasingly panicky- not because Ruby had threatened me (she hadn’t) or because I didn’t think I could take her if push came to shove (I was twenty years younger), but because she truly seemed unstable.
I didn’t know what I was dealing with or what she was capable of. What I did know was that she was spiteful, charismatic, and deceitful- a potentially dangerous combination. After all, she’d easily misled me and I imagined it wouldn’t be difficult for her to get some of the badass biker dudes she claimed to have befriended in AA to do her bidding.
Three days later I was at Rick’s when she texted me she had good news. She’d be moving out on 10/15 with the help of five people who “like her” and asking me to have her funds (including her $1000 security deposit) ready for her to depart that day. Then she thanked me for the opportunity to leave- her exact words.
Exasperatedly, I explained that the money I’d previously referred to was back rent and that I would waive the early termination fee of $2000, but per the lease agreement, I had 60 days to refund her deposit, which I would refund in 30.
She asked how she was supposed to afford a new place then? She proceeded to accuse me of having this all planned out and enjoying it.
Her: “What about Rick being able to repair and clean anything in my room? I’m sorry it has to be like this Heather. It’s a real shame. I’ll be staying until I can move or you can settle up and I can be gone. That’s totally up to you.”
Me: “I’ll tell you what, if you leave the place as clean as it was when you moved in and if there are no damages, I will reimburse your security deposit in full the day you vacate.”
Her: “I’ll just stay until I can afford to get my own place.”
“What a f-ing nightmare!” I screamed. “Maybe I should just give her her money so I can be done with her once and for all. How much is my sanity worth?” Rick calmly replied, “You’re not paying her a dime of that deposit. Then what’s to stop her and her friends from trashing the place? If you needed to take her to small claims court you wouldn’t have a leg to stand on. To hell with that, we’re gonna call her bluff.”
I proceeded to inform Ruby that if she chose to stay, the lease agreement would be strictly enforced from here on out and that noncompliance may result in termination of tenancy and eviction proceedings in accordance with Colorado Law.
Her: “You could have done this so much differently. You are out of your mind for no reason. You said to leave immediately. I certainly will if you refund the prorated amount for the remainder of October. Why are you being so ugly? Just refund my money and I will be gone. You can really brew it up. Geez. It’s like you love it. There will be five helpers to move my stuff out. But I will be staying until you refund my money.”
I never told her to leave- I asked her to please look for something else, but it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s how she was spinning it- that I was evicting her; though our correspondence proves otherwise. And what did she mean by she wasn’t leaving until she got her money? Obviously she was still expecting her deposit- even though she’d shot down my offer. But surely she understood (because I’d already explained this) that I can’t/won’t pay you for vacating early if in fact you’re still there. Also, what sense does it make to move all your shit and then remain on the property? Ruby was the gift that keeps on giving.
October 15th, which was also my birthday, was shaping up to be quite the spectacle. “Wonder if we’re gonna have to call the cops?” Rick wondered.
One thing I knew I could count on was that nothing ever goes as planned where Ruby is concerned…