Martin
The next couple of weeks went by as Ruthie and I spoke on the phone and emailed each other. I went to New York a couple of times when it coincided with a case and she came down to Glen Oak to look at houses.
We of course kept it a secret from her family that we were dating...we just let them assume that we had decided to start being friends again and they left it at that.
Of course there were some moments when Annie would like at us as though she was trying to figure something out.
She would stop over at my house when she knew Ruthie was in town and stay for dinner, looking at the both of us with a speculative gleam in her eye.
Ruthie never told me what transpired between the two of them and while T-bone was every bit cold to me he wasn't as obnoxious as he once was. One Friday afternoon I was back in New York as I rang the door to Ruthie's apartment.
Ruthie opened the door looking stressed she looked at me in surprise before launching herself in my arms "Hello to you too" I said smiling as I gave her a hug and then bent to gently kiss her on the lips.
When we pulled apart she said "What are you doing here? I thought you had to go to court?"
"We settled out of court and today is Zakyra's dance recital, we didn't want to miss it"
"We?" Ruthie asked as she stepped back to look me in the eyes and Aaron stepped forward and said "Surprise!"
"Aaron, what a lovely surprise" Ruthie exclaimed as she let go of me and gave him a hug. He then gave her a bouquet of flowers as she smiled and graciously took it from him.
"Zakyra's in her bedroom" she said to him as Aaron nodded and went off to find her.
"Thanks for coming...even though you didn't have to"
I nodded as we stepped into the foyer and said "we're dating and your daughter has a dance recital tonight...I wanted to"
"You are perfect" she said beaming as I nodded and replied "I've been told" I replied as she shot me a look as we walked inside to the living room.
"How has the past week been for you?" I asked her as she rolled her eyes "It has been hectic. I don;t know how I am going to finish everything here before we move"
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Take Zakyra next weekend so I can finish up my last clothing line before the move"
"Sure, Aaron and I are going fishing on Saturday but she can stay with Sandy during that time...if you don't mind?"
"No that would be wonderful" she replied as she walked towards the hall way mirror to brush her shiny hair.
"You know" she began as she straightened her white eyelet dress and slipped on a pair of white heels "you don't have to keep doing this"
"Doing what?"
"Showing up, bringing flowers, we'll be in Glen Oak soon enough"
"Ruthie, we are dating...I know I don't have to...I want to" I replied as she smiled slightly and I pulled her towards me.
"you aren't having second doubts about us are you?" I softly asked in her ear.
She leaned her head on my shoulder and softly said "No...I just don't want to rely on you...it's a bad habit of mine...I do want to date you but...it's going to take some time to get use to having someone else"
I nodded my head in understanding even though my head was spinning with this new information. I thought that T-bone and her were together all these years! Did they not rely on one another?
I couldn't help it as I then said "You relied on T-bone"
Ruthie shook her head and replied "Theodore and I helped each other but I have never relied on him"
"Really? That's not the impression I got from T-bone" I replied stepping back from her.
"Are you going to keep calling him T-bone?"
"That is his name"
"No Theodore is his name"
"Are we going to discuss T-bone all day? If so I'm leaving" Ruthie smiled up at me and said "well what else should we talk about?"
"Well I don't really want to talk" I replied as she glanced at me a confused expression on her adorable face before I bent down to kiss her.
"Mummy?" we pulled apart to see Zakyra and Aaron walk back into the room. "Aaron said we are going out for pizza after my recital. Is that true?"
Ruthie shot me a look before turning to Zakyra "Sure honey for now let's get ready to leave"
As Zakyra and Ruthie walked down the hall , Aaron sat down on the couch and tuned the TV on.
"Aaron" I began as he looked at me, his hazel eyes lighting up "Ruthie said I could"
"when?"
"last weekend. She said I was free to do whatever I wanted" I raised an eyebrow as he amended "within reason"
"I see"
"hey dad?"
"yes?"
"are you and Ruthie going to get married?"
"what makes you think that?"
"well we have been visiting them a lot...and you do kiss her. Plus mommy said that it may happen"
"well your mother is right...it may happen but not for a while"
"oh"
"do you like Ruthie?"
"yes I do...she's fun and Kyra is fun too..."
"well I'm glad you like them both" I replied as I took a seat next to Aaron on the couch.
Ruthie POV
"Mummy when we move to Glen Oak are we going to live with Mr. Martin?"
"No honey, we are getting our own house. Why would you think that?"
"Cause you two are always kissing and Aaron says his mom and step dad do that too...and she said that you two will get married. Then I'll have a daddy and a brother...but I also want a sister"
"One thing at a time sweetie" I replied laughing slightly as I then asked "Do you even like Mr. Martin?"
"yes...when you get married can I call him Daddy? I don't have a daddy"
"Honey...we are not getting married anytime soon"
"Oh" she replied as her little face became sad and she went to get her dance bag. The next thing I knew she had burst into tears as she sat down on the floor.
"Zakyra honey...what is the matter?" I asked a bit perplexed. She wasn't overtired and she usually didn't cry like this.
She also had never seemed to care that she didn't have a father figure in her life...I guess with T-bone always around us she felt normal...but Martin was in a different category.
I had noticed that he did a lot of things that T-bone would never do...such as actually sitting at her tea parties...and watching movies with her...talking her out for "princess" days as he loved to call it... Had I made a mistake by allowing him to get that close to Zakyra?
"I want a daddy...I want you to be happy and what happens if you die like my mommy? If I have a daddy then he will take care of me...we don't have anyone"
"we have my family and we have Theodore. If something was to happen to me, you would have people to take care of you"
"I don't want T-bone" she began as I mentally made a note to speak to Martin about calling T-bone his real name. "I want Mr. Martin to be my daddy, and I want you to be happy"
"Honey I am happy..and do you know why?" I asked as I sat down next to her pulled her into my lap. She laid her head on my chest as I kissed the top of her head and softly said "because I have you"
"but Aunt Mary says..." leave it to Mary to stick her nose into something that wasn't her concern.
"one day I will get married.."
"To Mr. Martin?" she interrupted, the hope shining in her eyes. "hopefully" another voice interjected as we turned to see Martin standing by the doorway.
He smiled and said "sorry to interrupt but we should probably head out now"
I nodded as Zakyra got off my lap, gabbing her bag and taking Martin's hand as they walked ahead of me.
We walked downstairs to Martin's BMW X5 where he opened the doors and helped both kids get into their car seats.
That was another great thing about Martin. He had bought a car seat without me asking him to for Zakyra.
Theodore never wanted to buy one since he felt that it wasn't his responsibility for Zakyra. In fact he never really agreed with Tera's decision for giving me sole custody.
I held back a smile as Aaron ands Zakyra started a mini-fight about what to watch as Martin climbed into the driver's side and pulled his seatbelt on.
"I wish you would let me help make some of the garage fee prices" I finally said as he pulled out of the garage.
"Why should you do that?"
"because you pay to keep your car here"
"it's cheaper than renting a car"
"but you shouldn't have to pay"
"Ruthie...I have to pay the fee if I want a car when we come and visit. We can't always use your car and my car is bigger, besides you will be in Glen Oak in another couple of weeks...so stop worrying about it..."
"Is T-bone coming as well?" Martin asked in a low tone as he briefly glanced at me.
I rolled my eyes and replied "I'm not sure...but please for Zakyra's sake call him Theodore. She is starting to call him that as well"
"I don't understand why he decided to change his name and I don't want to call him anything other than T-bone."
"Fine but when Zakyra is present try to remember that his name is Theodore"
"I'll try" Martin replied in response as we pulled into the auditorium's parking lot.