While the Camdens were in Eric's room, a few other people had joined those already waiting for news of Eric. Sergeant Michaels had come as soon as he got off duty, and Mac had joined Martin, T-Bone, Jane, and Margaret. Sandy and her fiancé, Dr. Jonathan Sanders, were there also.
When the Camdens got back out to the waiting room, everyone could tell from their faces that Eric had died. Matt headed towards his wife, Mary and Lucy headed towards their husbands, and Simon walked into Rose's arms. Annie, Sam, and David sat down in a corner, and Annie held the twins in her arms while they all cried.
Ruthie was standing off to the side feeling very alone, when Peter walked up to her. "I'm sorry," he said. Ruthie started sobbing then, no longer able to hold back her tears as she had done since after she and Eric had talked. Peter just stood there, holding her and whispering comforting words to her while gently rubbing her back.
Almost everyone else left shortly after they heard the news, wanting to give the family some privacy. Only Richard, Chandler, The Colonel, Ruth, George, Hank, and Julie remained.
After a few minutes, Annie looked up and saw that all of those who weren't family had left, with the exception of Chandler and Richard, had left. She asked Chandler and Richard, "Did Eric talk to you about doing his funeral?" They both nodded. "Okay then, I guess we should start making some plans.
"Annie, why don't you wait a while before you start planning the funeral. Those plans can wait. Just make whatever arrangements that can't wait now and leave the rest for later. From what Ruthie told me, you've been here since you got the news this morning. You need to go home and get some rest." Chandler said, concerned.
"Chandler's right, Mom. It's not going to do you any good to wear yourself out. You'll make yourself sick." Kevin said walking over to her. "In fact, you should let someone drive you home. You're in no shape to drive."
When Annie started to protest, Matt backed Kevin up. "Mom, Kevin's right. The last thing that we need right now is for you to get in an accident."
Annie sighed dejectedly. "You're right. Chandler, would you mind driving the twins and I home in my van?"
Chandler agreed, and everyone headed for the exit. "Matt, Sarah, and Richard, you can ride in my van. Kevin, why don't you and Lucy take Mary, Carlos, Grandma Ruth, George, and the Colonel in your van?
Simon, that leaves you with Ruthie, and Peter. Is that everyone?" asked Annie.
"Umm, Mom, how are Sarah and I supposed to get home?" asked Matt.
"I'm sorry, Matt. I forgot about the two of you. You can both ride with Simon. Rose, you drove, eight?"
"Yes, I did. Do you need me to take anyone?"
"No, I think we can get everyone. Are you coming to the house or heading back/"
"If you don't mind, and if you have enough room, I'd like to stay at the house, at least for tonight."
That's fine. Between our house, the garage apartment, and Kevin and Lucy's house we should be able to find room for everyone."
When they got home, Ben, Robbie, Roxanne, and Rosina were there. All the others had gone home, except for Martin, who was staying at his dad's house. "Mom, why don't you go lay down? Between Ruthie, Mary, and I we should be able to figure out sleeping arrangements." said Lucy.
Annie agreed and headed upstairs to her room. "Okay, Simon, George, Peter, and Chandler, you can all stay in the garage apartment. Rose and Roxanne, you can stay in the attic with Ruthie. Matt, you and Sarah can stay in your old bedroom. Mary, why don't you and Carlos take our old room? Rabbi, you and Mrs. Glass can take Simon's old bedroom. Ben, you can stay with the twins in their room. Grandma Ruth, Colonel, Uncle Hank and Aunt Julie, you can stay at my house." Just then Lucy realized that Savannah was still at the neighbor's house. "Kevin, I forgot to get Savannah!"
"Calm down, Luce. Mrs. Simmons said that if we got back late tonight she would just watch Savannah until tomorrow. Seeing as it is," Ruthie paused to look at her watch, "almost 2:30 in the morning, I think this classifies as late."
"Thank goodness. I'd hate to wake Savannah or Mrs. Simmons up at this hour. Come on, everyone, let's go to bed."
The next morning, Annie, Matt, Mary, Lucy, Simon, and Ruthie sat down with Chandler and Richard to start making funeral arrangements.
"Chandler and Rabbi Glass, if you don't mind I'd like to say a few words at the funeral." Lucy said.
"I don't mind, Lucy." Richard answered. "How about you, Chandler?"
"It's fine with me as well, Lucy, but are you sure you want to do this?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Could it be towards the beginning of the service, though? I don't think I'll be able to make it through what I want to say if it's towards the end."
"Certainly, Lucy." Richard and Chandler answered.
"I have a request, also." said Annie. "I don't want it to be a funeral where everyone is crying all the time and mourning what they lost, but I'd like it to be a celebration. Rather than dwell on his death, I'd like to dwell on his life, and how he lived it to the fullest."
"I think that's a great request, Annie. I know it's what Eric would want." said Chandler.
After they got done making funeral plans, Lucy stood up and asked to speak to Chandler outside. Once they were out side, Lucy said, "Chandler, Dad talked to you about coming back as an associate pastor at the church, right?" When Chandler nodded she went on. "Well, I agree with the idea one hundred percent, but I'd like to take it a step further. What if, instead of you being the associate pastor, you were a senior pastor with me?"
"You mean that the two of us would be co-pastors? Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, we would be co-pastors. We'd both have an equal share of the ministry. I'm positive that this is what I want. I'm not ready to take on my own ministry, even if I do have an associate pastor."
"If you're sure that it's what you want, then, yes, I'll take the position."
"I'm positive. Thank you so much Chandler!"
At the same time that Lucy was talking to Chandler, Simon was talking to Peter inside the house.
"Peter, the last time I spoke to my dad, he said that he always wanted you and Ruthie to get together. In fact he said he was sure that you would eventually get together. So sure that he wrote you a couple of letters a few days before he died. He said that if he didn't get a chance to talk to you, he wanted me to give you both of these letters." Simon said, pulling the envelope out of his pocket and handing it to Peter.
"What are they about?" asked Peter as he turned the envelope over and started opening it.
"I didn't open them, but I would assume that they're about you and Ruthie, since that's what we were talking about right before he gave me these."
"Why would he write me a letter, considering Ruthie and I hadn't even talked for over a year when he wrote these?"
"I don't know Peter. All I know is that Dad wanted you to read them."
"Okay, thanks Simon." said Peter as he started towards the garage apartment.
Once Peter got to the garage apartment and saw that there was nobody up there, he sat down on the bed and started to read the first letter.
Dear Peter,
If you're reading this letter it means that I didn't get a chance to talk to you before I died. You're probably wondering why on earth I would write you a letter when we haven't seen each other for a couple of years. The answer is Ruthie. Yes, you read that right. Ruthie.
I have always known somehow ever since I first met you and saw you and Ruthie together that you would be the one my daughter married. When you two never really dated, and then you moved away, I thought maybe I was wrong. Maybe you weren't supposed to marry my daughter, but somehow I knew you would still be the one she ended up with. At the writing of this letter, the two of you haven't talked for over a year, but I have a feeling that will change with my death.
Now at this point you're probably wondering, "Why me?" I don't know the answer to that question myself; I just know that it will be you.
Peter, if I had to hand pick someone for Ruthie to marry, I would pick you. You have always been there for her, never once broken her heart like some of the guys she's dated. I know that I would be able to trust you with my daughter.
Ruthie is going to need someone to lean on in the time immediately following my death. She may not show it outwardly, but she's going to be hurting inside. You're the only one that I know who can get her to open up. Take care of my girl, Peter.
Eric
When Peter finished reading the first letter, he just sat there for a few minutes. He couldn't believe that Eric actually wanted Ruthie and him together. Not that he minded; it's just that he never knew Eric liked him so much. He decided to go ahead and read the second letter.
Dear Peter,
I don't know if I got to talk to you before I died or not, but if I didn't, then I told you everything I would have talked to you about in the first letter. I'm sure that you're probably wondering what more I could possibly want to tell you. I want to talk you more about Ruthie.
I'm sure by now you and Ruthie have seen each other again, so the excuse of not seeing each other in other a year is no longer valid. Are you two together yet? I hope so. I don't want you to push Ruthie, just prod her gently. I felt her out about how she feels about you before I wrote this, and I think that she really does like you still. If I had a chance, then I gave her your phone number before I died, and the call that you received about me came from her. You're probably wondering how I knew you're number. I wrote it down when you called Ruthie when she first got her cell phone.
I know that if I had a chance, I asked Ruthie straight out how she felt about you before I died. If I didn't, then I left instructions for Simon to ask her about it. If I did, then I talked to Simon right after I talked to Ruthie, so ask him if you want to know what Ruthie feels about you.
Pay attention now Peter. I don't want you to feel bad about getting back together with Ruthie because of my death. As much as I wish you could have gotten together before my death, I'm happy that you two will finally be together.
Just then Ruthie walked in. Peter quickly shoved the letter under his pillow. Ruthie gave him a weird look. "What are you trying to hide, Peter Petrowski?" she asked.
"I'll tell you in a little bit. First I have to know something. How do you really feel about me?" Tell me the truth." responded Peter.
"What? Are you crazy? My dad just died and you're asking how I feel about you! How heartless can you be? I thought you were different Peter, I really did. But you're not. You're just the same as all the other guys I've dated. The only difference is that I actually loved you, Peter!"
"Ruthie, settle down please. I'm not trying to be cruel and heartless, I'm…wait a minute, did you just say you loved me?" When Ruthie nodded, Peter continued, this time a little more gently. "Ruthie, your dad left me a couple of letters. In the first one he told me everything that he wanted to tell me before I died. Ruthie, he wanted us to end up together. Here, I'll show you."
Peter pulled the letters out from under the pillow and handed the first one to Ruthie. She read the first one, and then turned to Peter, held out her hand, and said, "Now the second one."
"No. I haven't had a chance to finish reading the second one yet, so I'm not giving it to you. We can read it together if you want." When Ruthie nodded, he handed the second letter to her and showed her where he had stopped reading. When Ruthie had gotten to the same place as Peter, she shared the letter with him.
I won't be there when she goes out on her first date with you, or, if it works out when you ask her to marry you. I won't be there on her wedding day. It's going to be those days that she's going to need you the most.
You probably think that I'm trying to push you two together and that you have to date her and eventually marry her. That's not the case, Peter. I you really don't love her or she doesn't love you, then I don't want the two of you to date. Don't feel obligated because I had some weird Idea that you and Ruthie would get married one day.
If you do love her, then ask Ruthie how she feels about you. If she loves you, like I think she does, show her this letter and the one before it if it was given to you.
Take care of my daughter, Peter. She means the world to me.
Eric
By the time Peter and Ruthie were finished reading the letter, tears were streaming down Ruthie's face, and Peter's eyes were suspiciously wet. "Wow," said Ruthie, "I never knew he felt that way about us."
"I didn't either. I f you don't want to go out with me, that's fine. I understand completely."
"Peter, why would I not want to go out with you? I told you that I loved you."
"Okay then, Ruthie Camden, will you go out on a date with me?"
"I have to know something first. How do you really feel about me? Are you doing this just because Dad wanted us together?"
"No. I have loved you from the day I saw you. I wanted to ask you out so bad, but you seemed content with just being friends. Then Martin came along, and I knew there was no chance of getting you to go out with me after that. When my mom and I moved away, I was secretly glad, because it meant that I wouldn't have to see you chase after Martin anymore. Then, of course, once you got your cell phone your dad gave me your number, but you were dating other guys then and I could tell you were still in love with Martin, so I decided to give up any hope of us being together."
"Pater, I never really loved Martin. I just wanted what I couldn't have. I didn't realize it until I talked with Dad right before he died, but I think I've always loved you. I thought I loved Martin, but I didn't, and all he ever did was break my heart. I thought I loved T-Bone, but I realized that I only went out with him to make Martin jealous. So in answer to your question, yes, Peter Petrowski, I will go out on a date with you. Can we wait until the funeral is over to go out? I don't think I'd feel right going out before the funeral."
"Of course. I wouldn't dream of going out before the funeral. Anyways, you still have to break the news to your family about us dating."
"I think that after what happened in the hospital they've figured it out."
Just then Simon walked in. He looked at Ruthie and peter suspiciously. "What are you two doing up here?"
"Well, we weren't doing what you think we were. We were just talking and reading the letters that Dad rote to Peter." Ruthie said indignantly
"Really? What did he say in them?"
"If I recall correctly, they were addressed to Peter and not to you."
"Well, they weren't addressed to you either, but you just said that you read them."
"They were about me, though."
"You're my little sister, so therefore I have a right to know what was in the letters if they were about you, especially if they're about your relationship with a guy."
Peter stepped in before an all-out sibling war started. "I'll tell everyone in your family what was in them tonight at the family meeting. Nothing in them is a secret. Besides, would your dad really want you fighting over some stupid letters that he wrote?"
Ruthie and Simon looked sheepish. "No, I guess he wouldn't. I'm sorry Ruthie. It was stupid of me to insist on knowing what was in those letters."
"That's okay Simon. I know that you're just worried about me. I'm sorry for fighting with you about you reading them. Peter's right, there's nothing in there that's a secret. Would you like to read them now?"
"No thanks. I'll just wait until the meeting tonight to hear what was in them. You'd better not stay up here alone too long or someone might get suspicious." Simon called back over his shoulder as he headed down the stairs.
"Simon's right, you know. You should probably leave before someone gets suspicious. I don't want your family to think we're doing anything wrong." Ruthie agreed, and left.