"He just sat there, right in front of me, and admitted that he was planning to sleep with my daughter on Saturday night!" Eric exclaimed.
"Are we sure that your lines of communication weren't crossed or something?" Kevin asked, sure that there had to be some sort of mistake. "Did he actually say that he was going to sleep with Ruthie?"
Eric brushed off Kevin's comment and turned to Simon and Matt. "What should we do?"
Matt's face was red and angry. Simon's looked the same. The two brothers looked at each other and turned to their father. "We'll talk to him," Matt said. "We'll straighten him out," Simon agreed.
Kevin shook his head. "You three really need to stop and think this thing through. The last thing you want to do is end up hurting Ruthie."
Matt looked at Kevin with disgust. "Look, you are a Camden man now, Kevin. You should just get used to the idea that we don't 'think things through'. We are hotheaded men who take care of our family. You knew this about us before you married Lucy. Now, either get with the program or go out in the kitchen with the women!"
Kevin pushed back his chair and got to his feet. "I'd rather be out there amongst the sensible, level-headed people anyway. And just so you guys know, you're constantly jumping to conclusions, the wrong conclusions! You rarely ever help your fellow family members. Most times you just end of getting everything wrong and having to apologize for it later! Remember that."
Kevin walked off into the kitchen. Eric, Matt and Simon stared off into space, thinking over Kevin's words. When their eyes rejoined, Simon asked, "We're not believing that are we?"
Eric and Matt shook their heads and continued plotting.
Martin ran from the kitchen to the front door, hands dripping with soap suds, dish towel draped over one shoulder. He heaved the door open and sighed.
"What do you want?" Martin asked.
Sandy stood on Martin's front porch, trying not to smile at how domestic Martin looked. "I wanted to talk with you. Do you have a minute?"
Martin wanted to slam the door in her face, but knew he couldn't be that mean. Instead, he pointed to the steps, not wanting to accept Sandy into his home. He sat down as far away from her as he could.
"I know that you don't want to see me or talk to me. I don't blame you. I told a terrible lie for a terrible reason and it affected you. I'm sorry, but I did think that we should talk," Sandy pointed out.
"So, talk," Martin ordered, not looking in her direction.
"What happened between us was a mutual thing, Martin. I didn't assault you or anything. All this time, you've acted like an innocent here, but you were a willing participant," Sandy said pointedly.
Martin's face soured. He didn't even want to think about it. The thought of the night they had spent together wasn't one of his favorites. "I try not to think about it at all."
"I know that you're with Ruthie now and that the two of you really care about each other. I don't want to come between that, no matter what you think," Sandy explained.
"Then what do you want?" Martin asked.
"Closure I guess. Maybe a little forgiveness?"
"I have no forgiveness for you, Sandy," Martin admitted. "I've tried to be a good Christian and see things from your perspective, but I can't. You lied about a fake pregnancy to try and trap me into a relationship. If you hadn't lied, no one would ever have found out about us being together and the Camden's wouldn't look at me like I'm a sinner!"
"According to their beliefs, you are a sinner, Martin and that's not my fault!" Sandy defended. "I'm sorry that I lied. I was in a really messed up place in my life back then. I've been trying really hard to work through those things and change who I am. Simon's really helped me with that. He's given me a second chance and that's all I'm asking of you."
"Why would I want to do that?" Martin asked, finally allowing himself to look Sandy in the eye.
"Because you care about Ruthie as much as I care about Simon. We're dating two people who are in the same family. Us seeing each other is inevitable. But it doesn't have to be this awkwardness every time we are around each other. If we put this whole mess behind us and offer each other forgiveness, then we can move on and our relationships with Ruthie and Simon will benefit from it," Sandy listed.
Martin shook his head. "My relationship with Ruthie is fine."
Sandy shook her head. "She's insecure."
"You know absolutely nothing about Ruthie Camden!" Martin yelled. "Ruthie has more class in her baby finger than you have in your entire body! And she had nothing to be insecure about."
Sandy got to her unsteady feet. "I wasn't trying to insult Ruthie. I think she's a great person and I would love to be even a small portion of the girl she is. I just meant that her insecurity has to do with you and I and our past. I saw the look she had in her eye when you and I spoke the other day. Ruthie feels inadequate because she hasn't been you and I have. I don't want her to feel that way. You and I not speaking or looking at each other doesn't help Ruthie's self-confidence. Just something for you to think about."
Martin watched Sandy walk away, absorbing her last words. He knew that Ruthie was feeling insecure. How could she not? Martin was slamming on the brakes every time things started to heat up, but he had gone full speed with Sandy. Maybe it was time for Martin to take things to the next level with Ruthie; to show her how he really felt…