Chapter 7

Ruthie sat lost in thought. The house was empty and no one else was home except for Mary. Ruthie was thinking about the kiss between her and Martin. She was happy that she had finally gotten the kiss that she had been waiting for since the day she laid eyes on Martin Brewer, but at the same time, she knew there was no way they could be anything more then friends. After all, he was a teenage father and had an obligation to his son and Sandy. Ruthie's thought process was interrupted when Mary walked in.

"What's wrong?" Mary asked, noticing the confused look on her sister's face.

"Nothing," Ruthie simply said.

"Did you talk to Martin?" Mary asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah," Ruthie told her.

"And... how did it go?" Mary asked Ruthie.

"Well, I don't kiss and tell," Ruthie said, as a huge smile spread across her face.

"You kissed him?" Mary asked excitedly.

"Yeah," Ruthie said.

"Give me all the juicy details," Mary said, acting like a teenager again.

Ruthie rolled her eyes at her sister. "I told him that I loved him, he told me that he loved me back and then we kissed, that's it," Ruthie told her.

"That's it?" Mary asked her sister.

"Yes, nothing else happened," Ruthie told Mary.

"When I walked in were you thinking about Martin?" Mary asked. Ruthie was surprised by her sister's question. She could tell that she was on to her. Ruthie didn't want to talk about the issue of Martin being a teenage father. However, at the same time she knew that the topic was inevitable. Ruthie caved.

"Yes," Ruthie said, letting out a loud sigh.

Mary could tell that the conversation was not headed in a positive direction.

"We're not talking about the kiss are we?" Mary asked.

"I made a huge mistake. I never should have kissed Martin. It's just not right," Ruthie replied. She was getting angry just thinking about how stupid she had acted.

"Oh, I get it. This is about the whole Aaron and Sandy thing right?" Mary asked.

"Yeah. I don't want to be the one responsible for Martin abandoning his son and the mother of his child. I love Martin but it just can't be like this. I wish it could but…it can't," Ruthie said, she was on the verge of tears.

Mary pulled her into a tight hug. "Everything is going to be okay Ruthie. This doesn't mean that you can't have feelings for Martin, it just means…" Mary was cut off by Ruthie.

"That we can just be friends and nothing more," Ruthie guessed.

"Yeah," Mary said, softly.

"I wish we could be more. I wish this whole situation between Martin and Sandy was different," Ruthie said.

"I know, but you can't change that…no matter how much it hurts," Mary told her sister honestly.

"What do you think I should do?" Ruthie asked.

"You need to talk to Martin," Mary told her.

"Again," Ruthie whined.

"Yes again," Mary said.

Mary could tell by the look on Ruthie's face that she was not convinced about the idea. "Believe me, it's for the best…you and I both know that," Mary told Ruthie.

As much a Ruthie hated to admit it she knew that Mary was right. "Yeah, I knew," Ruthie said, surrendering.

Later that day, everyone returned home. Ruthie was patiently waiting for Martin in the kitchen. While everyone scattered, Martin grabbed a banana out of the fruit basket. Ruthie turned in her seat and starred at Martin for a brief moment. She inhaled a deep breath before starting towards him.

"Martin, can I talk to you?" Ruthie asked, placing her hand on his shoulder. She knew that it was now or never. Martin spun around to face her.

"Sure," Martin said.

"Okay…here it goes," Ruthie said, mustering up all of the courage she had.

"First, let me just say that the kiss we shared last night was amazing. It was everything that I had imagined and more… but as wonderful and as much as I wanted the kiss, the more the kiss become the problem," Ruthie said.

"Ruthie, what are you talking about?" Martin asked.

"This can't happen between us…I wish it could, but it can't," Ruthie said.

"But…" Martin started.

"This isn't just about the kiss Martin. This has to do with Aaron and Sandy. You have a responsibility to your son and the mother of your child and I won't be the one responsible for you neglecting that responsibility," Ruthie told him.

"What does this mean?" Martin asked, confused.

Ruthie took a deep breath. "It means that there is no 'us' Martin. I love you but I can't be with you…not like this," Ruthie told him.

"But Ruthie…" Martin started. Ruthie was starting to get angry, as hard as she tried Martin just kept persisting.

"Don't you get it…there is no 'us'," Ruthie said angrily as she started towards the stairs that led to the upstairs.

"Ruthie, wait!" Martin shouted after her.

"What!" Ruthie scowled, facing him.

"Ruthie, there is no Aaron and Sandy…there is nothing going on between me and Sandy," Martin said. Ruthie was in shock.

"What? I mean…" Ruthie stuttered.

"Me and Sandy are not together," Martin told her.

"That's a relief," Ruthie said under her breath.

"What about Aaron?" Ruthie asked.

"Aaron isn't my son Ruthie…Sandy was wrong," Martin told her. Ruthie was relived, it was a dream come true. That was, until she realized who the only other person that Sandy had slept with was.

"You mean that Aaron is Simon's son," Ruthie said in disbelief.

"Yeah," Martin said.

"I love you," Martin said, as he lightly kissed Ruthie on the cheek.

He left Ruthie standing in the middle of the hallway staring into space. Ruthie could not believe it. A few days earlier, Simon had just broken off his wedding with Rose and now he was a father. It was all too overwhelming for Ruthie to take at the moment. This was one piece of information that she wished she never knew.