Chapter 5: Dinnertime
Ruthie was finishing up her homework for English class when she heard her mom calling her from down stairs to come help with dinner. She closed her book and looked at the clock on her nightstand. It read 5:30. She thought to herself, one more hour and they will be here. Two guys that have been a big part of her life, this was going to be so awkward. She stood up, glanced at the mirror, ran her fingers through her hair a bit, and headed down stairs. She walked into the kitchen and smiled at her mom and said, "I'm here to help."
Annie looked over at her daughter and knew that this would be a bit awkward for her and said, "Honey, I know tonight be somewhat difficult for you, but, it'll be just fine, you'll see."
"I know." Ruthie said hoping that was the last comment regarding tonight's dinner she'll have to hear from her mom.
"So, why aren't Sam and David helping out, I thought that they loved helping you in the kitchen." Ruthie asked.
"Well, they are outside in the backyard playing", Annie said. "Why don't you go out there and tell them to come inside."
"I don't mind helping mom", Ruthie said.
"It's okay, go on outside and tell them to come in. You don't have to come back in til dinner time," Annie said.
"Okay…" Ruthie said as she opened the back door. She saw the boys taking turns catching a baseball. She could almost sense that he was there. She almost felt her heart stop as she walked to the edge of the porch and saw him for the first time in over two years. At first, no one knew she was out there. She enjoyed the moment and thought about what she could say. Then she remembered about the boys going in to help with dinner.
"Sam, David, mom wants you to go help out in the kitchen", Ruthie said looking strictly at them and not at him.
Martin looked at Ruthie and he felt his heart ache as it did this morning when he saw her with Peter. He walked towards the porch as the boys dropped their gloves and ran inside.
Ruthie walked to where they dropped their gloves and picked them up. Martin walked over to her.
For the briefest moment, they stood almost as they were the only ones in the entire world. They gazed into each other's eyes desperately wanting the other person to say something first. Martin took a breath and said, "Hi Ruthie."
"Hi." Ruthie said. She couldn't help but feel somewhat resentful for the silence Martin had given Ruthie for the past couple of years. She walked over to the picnic table and placed the gloves on the table.
"How are things with you?" Martin said really not wanting to hear about Peter.
"Good, I guess. How are things with you?" Ruthie said.
"Good." Martin answered and then asked Ruthie to go for a walk.
She didn't see the harm in it and knew that her mom was most likely watching from the window and waved as she headed out towards the sidewalk. This made Martin laugh. "Some things never change," he said with a smile and waved too.
"Yes and some things do change." Ruthie said not really wanting to be rude or mean. She was hurt. She didn't realize how hurt til she had Martin face to face.
"I'm sorry for everything," Martin said.
"Why didn't you call? I mean, Sandy showed up at the wedding, well, the almost wedding of Simon and Rose's and you never once called. I thought that we were friends", Ruthie said almost fighting back a tear.
"I know. It was really hard to hear that Aaron was not my son. In a very small way, I guess I was a little relieved. But, it was hard being ripped from his life after only a few months of getting to be his father. I never had feelings for Sandy, but I truly loved Aaron. I still do. He'll always have a place in my heart. As for Sandy, she made mistakes, but, we all do. I wish nothing but the best for her and Simon." Martin said.
"That still doesn't explain why you didn't call me or come see me." Ruthie said.
"Well, I don't know if it's really the best time to go into all that." Martin said.
"Why?" Ruthie asked.
"Well, we each have different lives now and I don't need to come here to change everything." Martin answered.
"What is it? Please just tell me, it's the least you can do." Ruthie insisted.
"Okay, I'll tell you. You see, I really felt horrible that night that I had to tell you that Sandy was supposedly pregnant with my baby. That was the worse feeling in the world. After that night, I knew that I would never hurt you again. I don't want too. I figured that if I stayed away, there was no way of me hurting you again." Martin said.
"That's the most messed up thing I have ever heard you say" Ruthie said shaking her head.
"Why's that?" Martin asked.
"Because, when you didn't call, didn't write, and basically just ignored me for two years, that hurt more than that night." Ruthie said.
"I'm sorry." Martin said reaching for her hand.
Ruthie turned to Martin and said, "Are you attempting to hold my hand, Mr. Brewer."
Martin smiled. "No. Well, maybe."
Ruthie didn't want to tell Martin that she had a boyfriend, but, felt she needed to for her loyalty to Peter.
"Well, I don't think that now's really a good time for that." Ruthie said.
"Why?" Martin asked already knowing the answer to the question.
"It's Peter. I am sort of dating him." Ruthie said.
"You don't seem too happy about that." Martin said smiling inside.
"I am. He's a great guy. He's really sweet and cares for me a lot." Ruthie said.
"Do you care for him a lot?" Martin asked.
"Yes, what a silly question. Of course, I care for him. I mean, he is my boyfriend." Ruthie said.
"Well, I guess what I meant to say is, do you love him?" Martin asked surprised at his own question.
"That's kind of personal, don't you think." Ruthie said avoiding the question.
"Sorry. I was just..." Martin started and then stopped.
"Just what?" Ruthie said wanting to know.
"Just curious" Martin finished.
Martin and Ruthie continued to walk around the neighborhood talking about the past two years and for a brief time, it felt like old times. Two best friends talking. They realized that it was getting close to dinnertime and started to head back to the house.
"They are going to wonder where we are." Ruthie said.
"I know. I can just see your family's faces now." Martin laughed.
"Yes, that's my family." Ruthie said and then stopped, "Oh no, what about Peter?"
"What about Peter, we didn't do anything wrong. You didn't even hold my hand. We just went for a walk and talked." Martin said.
"It's not that. Peter was probably at my house at 6:00 and I wasn't there and you weren't there. My brothers probably told him that I was off with you somewhere. You see, Peter can get kind of jealous sometimes. Especially when it comes to you." Ruthie said.
"Why would he be jealous of me?" Martin asked.
Ruthie shot Martin a look as if to say, 'you know why'. Then she said, "Hello, you are the guy that I was in love with." Ruthie could not believe that she just said that out loud.
Martin stopped Ruthie and said, "Were you really in love with me?"
Ruthie looked down at the sidewalk and then up at Martin, "Yes, but that was a long time ago."
They walked in silence for about a quarter of a mile and started turning on the street where they both lived. Ruthie could see Peter pacing in front of her house and she said, "Great. He's mad."
Martin looked up ahead and said, "It's okay Ruthie, don't worry. We didn't do anything wrong."
"I know, besides, it was nice getting to talk to you away from everyone else. Now I'm not so nervous." Ruthie said.
"I was so nervous. It was so hard being at the school today not coming to find you." Martin said.
"Really", Ruthie said.
They were about three houses away from the Camden's and the pacing Peter. Peter walked up to them and glared at Martin and then grabbed Ruthie by the hand and pulled her away looking back at Martin.
"Peter, stop it." Ruthie said pulling her hand away from his. "We were just catching up on old times and walking."
"Sure you were." Peter said angrily.
"We were." Martin said.
"Ruthie, I need to have a talk with Martin for a minute, would you mind?" Peter said.
Ruthie shook her head but, walked into the house anyway. Her family stopped what they were doing and looked at her. She looked over at her mom and said, "Peter's going to try and kill Martin."
Sam and David both ran for the window and said, "Really!"
"No, not really. Peter just wants to talk." Ruthie said rolling her eyes.
Annie and Eric shared a look and then Annie said, "Boys, get away from the window."
"But, we want to watch them fight." Sam said.
"There's not going to be a fight." Kevin said as he walked outside.
"Look Martin, you are not to see her ever! Not while you are here, not while you are away! She is over you!" Peter said.
"Peter, we are friends. Ruthie is a big girl; she can decide who her friends are." Martin said.
"Not when it comes to you. I'm her boyfriend, not you." Peter said. He was jealous of the fact that Martin and Ruthie went on a walk. He hated the fact that Martin got to spend time with Ruthie alone. He was so afraid of losing Ruthie to Martin.
Kevin walked up to them and said, "Okay, I think it's best if we go inside and have some dinner."
Martin was relieved to see Kevin and didn't feel like fighting with Peter. He walked on ahead and went inside. Kevin put his hand on Peter's shoulder and asked him to stay outside for a minute so that they could talk.
"Peter, you have to calm down. You are acting like Ruthie and Martin have done something. They went for a simple walk." Kevin said.
"Yes, without me. They were alone. They were gone for almost an hour." Peter said.
"Do you honestly think that Ruthie would do something to hurt you?" Kevin said.
"No. I just don't trust him." Peter said.
"Well, Martin's only here for a few weeks. Besides, didn't you ask Ruthie to prom? When's that?" Kevin asked trying to change the subject.
"It's in 3 weeks. Wait, when is Martin leaving?" Peter asked worried.
"I don't know, I think he's leaving on the 22nd?" Kevin said.
"Are you kidding me, the prom is on the 20th, of course he would be here in town for that." Peter said shaking his head.
"It'll be fine Peter." Kevin said.
"You think so?" Peter said as they headed up the steps into the Camden household.
"Yes." Kevin said.
They both walked in and saw that most of the family was helping bring in the dinner to the dinning room.
Peter walked into the dinning room and saw Ruthie sitting down on one side of the table. He grabbed the seat next to hers and smiled at her as he sat down. She wasn't amused. "Peter, we need to talk later."
"About what?" he whispered.
"Later." She whispered back.
Martin came in and didn't want to cause any more friction between Peter and himself, so he decided not to sit down yet. The family came in and Martin's dad arrived and they all sat down around the table. As they did this, the only seat available for Martin to sit in was the one directly across from Ruthie.
Stay tuned…