Martin looked nervously around the Camden kitchen. Sympathetic looks shot at him from every angle. He didn't know what to do next.
Despondently, he asked "Should I go after her?"
Before anyone could answer him, they were startled by the sound of breaking glass.
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Ruthie ran frantically to her room and slammed her door.
This could NOT be happening. Sandy was NOT having Martin's baby! He COULDN'T be! HE COULDN'T BE!
Anger tore through her heart. She looked around for something to throw - something heavy - something she wished she could throw at Martin's pathetic face. She settled on a crystal globe paperweight. Yes, it had been a present from Simon - but given the circumstances she thought that he'd understand. Without anymore forethought she wound up and threw it hard at her cheval mirror. The mirror shattered into a million pieces.
Regret hit her immediately. She dropped to the floor sobbing. With tears pouring from her eyes, she tried to begin picking up the jagged pieces. Completely distraught, she hardly noticed the shards of glass piercing her olive skin.
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It was a sea of Camdens racing up the stairs...Eric, Annie, Lucy, Kevin, Savannah, David, Sam and Martin. There was a single second of silence and disbelief when they flung open the door to Ruthie's room. They saw Ruthie sobbing on the floor with blood trickling from her hands still trying to clean up the mess.
Annie screamed, "Ruthie, STOP!" - trying frantically to stop her daughter from touching the ragged glass.
Her mother's scream startled her and she looked up - completely oblivious to the crowd that had formed in her room.
Blood trickled from her hands in so many different places. It was impossible to tell how much glass was embedded in her skin.
"Oh my God, Eric,...her hands!" Annie observed. "Call an ambulance!"
Eric turned to oblige his wife.
Martin stood breathless and motionless up against the wall. He stared at Ruthie in total disbelief.
Kevin walked past everyone. He took one look at Ruthie's hands and announced with authority, "Stop Dad. I don't think that's necessary. They're just superficial cuts on her hand. We need to get her to the hospital - but we can drive her ourselves."
Shaken, Eric took Kevin at his word. Kevin picked up Ruthie and carried her down the stairs. Eric held open the door for Kevin and they both helped her into the car. The rest of the Camden clan followed. Annie grabbed towels and then jumped into the back seat of the car with her daughter. She carefully placed Ruthie's battered hands onto the soft cotton. It was a mere minute before the pure white had turned crimson red.
"Hurry up!" Annie demanded.
Kevin was trying to back the car out but was still dealing with the hysterics of his wife and crying daughter, the twins banter and Martin's silence.
Calmly, he reassured Lucy, "We'll call you as soon as we get there. She's going to be FINE."
The car screeched out of the driveway.
Lucy turned around with one hand over her mouth and the other holding Savannah. Tears trickled down her cheeks.
The twin's questions brought her out of her own shock.
"Is Ruthie going to be okay?" Sam asked.
Lucy sighed and hesitantly replied "Sure. You heard Kevin. She's going to be fine."
"But, what about all that blood?" David asked.
Lucy took a deep breath and explained, "She just has a deep cut. The doctor will have to give her a few stitches...that's all."
"How did the mirror break?" Sam asked curiously.
Lucy gave Martin a look of exasperation.
Martin uneasily replied, "It was an accident."
David gave him a disbelieving look and said "I don't think so Martin."
Martin had no idea where his intuitiveness came from - but he knew that David was right. This was no accident.
Lucy said softly, "Come on, you two, you need to get back to bed. You can see that Ruthie is fine in the morning."
She led the boys into the house. She noticed that Martin was still standing in the yard.
"Martin, come on in for a while. We can talk." she gently offered.
Martin just shook his head and crossed the street.
