"It's all Martin's fault." Ruthie declared throwing her purse down on the kitchen table.
"What is?" Annie asked. She was in the middle of cooking dinner for the family but stopped immediately at the mention of Martin's name.
"I was suppose to be at the college by 4:30 but I got sidetracked over at Martin's."
"Honey, if you knew you had to be there by 4:30 you should have made it your business to be there on time. It's your responsibility."
"I know but… Martin can go on and on sometimes.." Ruthie said. Her voice was trailing off as if she was daydreaming.
"I am actually surprised to hear you talking about Martin. I didn't expect you to even want to see him after the fall out last summer." Annie said. She picked up a carrot and began to slice it thoughtfully.
"I didn't either. But after I got home from the airport yesterday morning I had the strangest urge to take a walk in the park." Ruthie replied thinking about how she coincidentally ran into Martin at the park yesterday. "And Martin was there with Aaron.."
Annie nodded. She wasn't exactly thrilled. She really did love Martin like a son, but she hated the idea of Martin dating Ruthie. In Annie's eyes Ruthie was still her little girl and Martin was a grown man.
"He and I grabbed some ice cream and got to talking and.. It felt like old times." She admitted leaving out her conversation with Lucy, the red head and all the arguing.
"That's nice." Annie answered emotionless.
"Is something wrong?" Ruthie asked. She knew her mother all too well. She knew that when her mom said 'That's nice" that she really was angry about something.
"No. Why would you ask? Everything is fine." Annie lied.
"Mom I'm not a baby okay? I'm going to be 18 this Saturday.. You can talk to me like an adult. We can have conversations." Ruthie pleaded trying to convince her mom that she was mature enough to handle anything.
"Ruthie just because your turning 18 on Saturday doesn't mean you're an adult."
"Yes it does. Legally I am an adult."
"Legally maybe, but mentally you still act like a child!" Annie said.
"Mom, you may not have noticed but I have changed a lot over the summer. I spent the past 5 months in Scotland. I was independent and I became an adult during those months."
"I am just not comfortable with idea of you dating Martin and I never will be!" Annie shouted slamming down the knife she was using to slice the carrots. "Instead of spending time with your family whom you haven't seen in 5 months, you run over to see Martin!"
Ruthie was furious now. Annie was way out of line. "I told you I ran into him at the park! I didn't even plan it."
Annie rolled her eyes. "Why don't you invite your new boyfriend over for dinner?" She hissed.
"Mom! I can't talk to you when you act like this. Your overreacting. Martin has been my best friend for a long time now. We are JUST friends!"
Annie remained silent and moved on to slicing potatoes.
"I give up!" Ruthie screamed grabbing her purse and walking out of the kitchen. As she was exiting, Eric was entering.
"What's going on?" Eric asked his wife.
"Nothing. I'm slicing potatoes for stew." Annie replied shortly.
"No I mean with the birthday girl." Eric said with a grin.
"We just had a difference of opinion."
"About?"
"Martin."
"Ruthie is dating Martin again?" Eric asked shocked. Eric liked T-bone and felt that T-bone was the right match for Ruthie. He hated how Martin treated Ruthie in the past and he didn't want his youngest daughter to get hurt again.
"No but at this rate she will be. And they never actually dated remember.." Annie corrected her husband.
"You say tomato Ruthie says tomato. "
"She left hours ago and I still can't stop thinking about her? Am I crazy?" Martin asked Mac. Mac was over his apartment and they were eating pizza from 'Pete's Pizza'.
"Dude just tell her how you feel!"
"I did already did remember? And she rejected me." Martin replied with a sigh remembering how badly it felt to be rejected.
"So keep trying. You have to fight for your woman!"
"My woman? What, are we in the 70's?" Martin asked cracking up.
"All jokes aside man, just tell her."
"Okay.. I'll tell her."
"When?"
"Right now?"
"No time like the present." Mac said throwing Martin his keys.
Two hours had past. Ruthie was fast asleep in the garage apartment when she heard a knock at the door. She opened her eyes sleepily. "Mom, if it's you, I don't want to talk. And I don't want any stew" Ruthie said annoyed, her voice was scratchy.
"It's me." Martin said shly. He hadn't expected her to be asleep when he came over. He began to blush realizing that she was only in her underwear and bra. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to…I'll just come back some other time" "I cannot believe this.. I must be dreaming it." Martin thought.
Ruthie blushed too. "No, it's okay." She said wrapping her self in a blanket. "But now really isn't the best time. My mom is losing it."
Martin could feel the sweat forming on his forehead." Why, what's going on?
"She thinks that you and I are dating .. Again. Well I mean.. we didn't really ever date but you know what I mean."
"Oh." Martin replied. His heart was beating, his palms were sweaty.
"Martin are you okay? You look a little pale."
"I don't know if I'm doing the right thing here. I don't know if coming here was the best choice. And it doesn't help that your.. Your half.. Naked. Under that blanket. How about you get dressed and I'll come back and we could talk." Martin said. He was trying extremely hard not to stutter but he couldn't help himself.
Next on SOATRWAHH ; Will Martin finally tell Ruthie how he feels... for the second time? And will Ruthie's 18th go out with a bang?
R&R to find out!
