Okay don't hate me or actually, you know what, if you want to hate me go right ahead. You won't be the first person or the last. It's no big deal.
So considering the reviews I knew I would do a final chapter, however I just can't see writing a sequel at this time.
A little over a year later…Christmas at the Camden house was crazy. This is a fact that seemed to escape Martin Brewer when he decided to spend the holidays with his girlfriend's family. It wasn't that it was crazy that was getting to him, but the fact that despite it, or maybe because of it, he had never enjoyed a holiday more. He started imagining bringing his own kids to a crazy Christmas at Grandma's just like this one. That really got him thinking, and then planning.
Even though it was Christmas Eve and they were there to visit her parents, Ruthie couldn't help but be worried that she hadn't seen Martin all day. He had simply promised to be back in time for church. In the year they had been together she had only seen him be so vague on about three occasions. She was the vague schemer and he was the calm voice of reason. Those were their roles and she didn't like changes. She hoped he'd gone to see his dad; she worried he gone to think of a way to break up with her. After all, he did look overwhelmed by the entire family being there at once.
It took him up until the last second before he had to get ready for church to get his plan into action. He'd had to talk to the Reverend, Kevin, and Lucy. And knowing how Ruthie eavesdropped, he had to get them far away from the house to do it. But overall he was scared senseless of his plans for the morning.
Ruthie was convinced it was only 2 a.m. when her nephew started bouncing on her bed screaming something about Christmas and stockings. Despite the fact that she was sure he would have plenty of candy that day, she offered him some to go wake up someone else instead. Knowing she had only bought about ten minutes, she decided to go ahead and get dressed. She was not surprised when someone came running in yelling about it being Christmas only minutes later. She was surprised to see that it was Martin who was so excited about Christmas.
Martin almost fell off the bunk bed when he heard Simon scream. Seems all of the kids had decided Simon was the most likely to take them to see their presents. Actually Lucy would be more willing, but not even the kids were brave enough to try and wake Kevin up. Just as he was rolling over he remembered Ruthie's present and practically jumped out of bed, making one of the younger kids cry and earning a glare from Simon.
She was definitely convinced that he had lost his mind when he threw the smallest present she had ever seen at her. It was basically a post-it wrapped up in shiny paper, not much to get excited about. But he looked pretty excited, at least at first, then he looked like he might throw up. Written on the paper was a riddle about having to earn her present. Oh, it was way too early for this. However, by about the fifth clue she had gotten some pretty nice presents, including those earrings she been wanting forever. The twelfth present was a simple box, wrapped in boring paper. There was not a clue attached. When she opened it to find a snow globe she was unable to stop herself from sighing in disappointment. Not that she expected a ring, but she was hoping for something meaningful.
When she opened the snow globe and slightly glared at it, Martin was almost to the point of tears. He noticed the adults in the Camden family were starting to look their way. Finally Lucy, thank God for Lucy, asked Ruthie if the snow globe played music or lit up. The way her eyes lit up even while she was biting her bottom lip made Martin wonder if Ruthie was unsure what the ring meant. When she turned his way and saw he down on one knee, with her entire family watching, she understood. And then she cried.
Martin was walking towards her, his concern obvious. "Hey, you don't like it? You think it's too soon? It's okay, really. I have another present in my room in case you didn't want it. Actually it's the present I had originally bought. Then we got here and I fell in love with your family again; and with how you are with the little kids. And I knew that I wanted this kind of Christmas every Christmas. I'm sorry, I knew it was too soon."
Somewhere during his ramblings Ruthie began to laugh. Yet, again he was playing the voice of reason, certain his spontaneous idea would never work. She started to speak a few times, but he just kept talking. Finally she leaned over and kissed him, really it was the only way to shut him up. He looked so uncertain and so cute when he pulled back from the kiss. She held up he hand to show him the ring she had put on during his monologue.
Finally after years of not knowing how he felt about love and marriage, Martin Brewer knew one thing for certain. He was in love with Ruthie Camden and she was crazy enough to want to marry him.
That's all there is and there isn't anymore. Good night all.