The Color of Water
Who does Ruth finally confide in? And what happened? (Chapter 13)
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Her Aunt Betsy, the youngest of the sisters, was living with Bubeh at that time, working as the bookkeeper of a lingerie store on the East Side. She was beautiful, like all of the sisters, and intuitive, immediately sensing that something was wrong with Ruth. Ruth told her about the pregnancy, and Aunt Betsy located a Jewish doctor who agreed to perform the abortion (without anesthesia). After the procedure Ruth felt very ashamed, and apologized profusely to her aunt.