20 minutes earlier at Sandy's apartment…
Martin smiled down at Aaron and stroked his son's cheek lovingly, laughing at the cooing noises and the tiny, fragrant arms swinging back and forth.
"Did you see that Sandy?" he asked as she walked past him on her way to the kitchen. "He's already practicing his swinging for when he becomes a little leaguer. Aren't you little guy?" Aaron beamed his daddy's bright grin in response.
"Martin, not everyone wants to grow up to be a baseball player like you did." She grumbled as she gathered the baby's bottles covering the kitchen table and dropped them in a sink of hot water.
He quirked a dark eyebrow and turned his head to look at her. "I didn't say he has to be a baseball player, he can be anything he wants. I was just saying…"
Sandy sighed, pushing back a strand of hair out of her eyes. "I know what you were saying. It's just that…I don't want him to end up the same way that we…"
"What? Finish what you were going to say. You don't want him to make the same mistake that we did, right? Whether or not he becomes a baseball player, which," he added when she was about to argue, "again is his choice, that has nothing to do with us sleeping together and your getting pregnant. I would like to think that he would make the right choices for himself." He shook his head, where did she get the idea that being a baseball player automatically makes you sleep with a girl and get her pregnant?
"Aaron needs to be changed," she said, changing the subject.
"Already done. Aren't we Aaron?" Martin scooped up his son and held him close to his chest. "What's this really about Sandy? You've been upset and snippy ever since you found out that Simon and Rose moved up their wedding date. Oh," a dawning of understanding crossed his features.
A hint of pink fused in Sandy's cheeks. "It's nothing like that, you don't know what you're talking about. I'm very happy for them. I am." She nodded as if trying to convince herself. "Besides, you haven't exactly been the happiest camper since you left Glenoak. You've been wonderful to both Aaron and myself, but sometimes I catch you looking out the window like you've lost your puppy, or best friend. Why don't you just call Ruthie and ask her how she is?"
He made a silly face at Aaron before placing him in his bassinet they had in the living room before looking up with a barely concealed hurt expression. "I've tried, many times. I'm just so afraid that she wants nothing to do with me now and I just don't think I could stand hearing her so upset. She's my best friend and I don't like to hurt her, but lately…that's all it seems I've done."
She patted his arm in quiet understanding and nodded towards the door. "Why don't you head on home to the dorms, Aaron and I'll be fine today. I was actually thinking on accepting my father's invitation to have a late lunch at the park."
"Okay, but I'll call you later to see how he's doing," he said as he leaned over and gingerly kissed the now sleeping baby's forehead. He paused by the door and smiled slightly, "Maybe someday soon Simon will come to his senses."
Shaking her head laughing, she waved him out the door. He closed it quietly behind him, pulling his jacket tighter around his broad chest against the sudden chill. Sliding behind the wheel of his SUV he was startled as his cell phone rang piercingly. His heart began to beat heavily against his chest, excitement and nervousness coursing through his veins when his first thought was that of Ruthie calling him.
"Hello? Oh, hi Mac," he said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.
"Aww, so full of sunshine to hear from one your best friends, I'm flattered Martin, really," Mac laughed.
Martin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Sorry man didn't mean to sound like I wasn't happy to hear from you. So, what's up? How's…" he hesitated and cleared his throat, "everyone doing?"
"By everyone you mean Ruthie? Oh, she's doing great. As a matter of fact I ran into her and a cute friend of hers at the Promenade today, and you wouldn't believe how happy she was to see me." Mac smiled to himself, imagining Martin wincing at his words.
"That's great, Mac. Has she…umm, that is how is the rest of the Camden's," he closed his eyes and rested his head on the steering wheel.
"Don't know, haven't seen them in a while, but I'm sure I'll find out soon. Actually, that's one of the reasons I was calling. Do you think if I ask Ruthie to hang out with me that she'll say yes? Seeing as I have no one to hang out with anymore with you being at college I just thought that she and I could be kind of like you guys used to be, good friends."
A deep, tormented growl escaped Martin's mouth before he had a chance to stop it. Surprised by the sound it took him a minute to answer. "I don't know Mac. Ruthie's a big girl; you'll have to ask her yourself. But if you're asking my permission to ask her, that's really none of my business, so go right ahead."
"Hey thanks. Think I'll go over there tonight and see what she's doing. How's Sandy and little Aaron doing? How's life as a father treating you?"
Martin took a deep breath and forced a fake smile onto his face, not that Mac could see it. "Just great. I never knew that I could love the little guy so much and every time he looks at me I find it harder and harder to say good bye when I head back to school. I should let you go though because practice is in about 20 minutes. Talk to you later."
"See ya. Got him right where I want him." Mac smiled in victory and began walking home, whistling.
Martin slammed his hands down on the steering wheel and cursed. His best friend moving in on Ruthie, what the hell was he thinking? Mac knew how Martin felt about her, didn't he? How did he really feel about her anyways? he asked himself honestly. He took his wallet it out of his front pocket and stared at a picture of him and Ruthie goofing around and smiling at each other. He remembered it like it was yesterday. They were heading home from school and decided to stop for some ice cream before going to the Camden's for dinner. That day Ruthie had been wearing one of his favourite green sweaters that made her eyes sparkle and just so happened to compliment his green eyes perfectly. Just as he was ready to take a lick of his ice cream a kid rolling past on his skateboard hit Martin's back, causing him to stumble forward and the ice cream to become apart of his new black t-shirt. Ruthie had grabbed his camera phone and snapped a few pictures, having the hardest time standing up because she was laughing so hard.
"You think that's funny?" he asked, leaping towards her as if he was going to chase her.
She tried so hard to hold back her laughter that she began tearing up. "Yes, actually it's very funny. That is such a good look for you Martin; you should try it more often." Ruthie shrieked and ran around the Promenade, darting in between customers and hot dog vendors.
He chased her for a few moments and pretended to give up, only to have her inch towards him, giving him a chance to wrap his arms around her waist and swing her around. "Gotcha."
They laughed together, heaving as they tried to catch their breaths. Martin and Ruthie stilled as they realized he was still holding her closely, Ruthie's lashes fanning her cheeks as she gazed up at him, brown eyes melding with green. He slowly let her go and was surprised with the bright light from his camera phone capturing the two of them laughing as she raced off again.
"Oh, oh, that's it. This mean's war," he called out to Ruthie as he ran off after her.
Returning his thoughts to the present, he stroked the picture before starting the car and pulling away from the curb with screeching tires. He finally realized that he more then just cared for Ruthie, he loved her. How could he not, he asked himself, when every time she flashed him one of her grins and laughed at one of his silly jokes that his heart would turn over and melt. There was something he needed to do.
Wordy, isn't it? hehe, just wanted to set the stage right for Ruthie and Martin to get together! Once I started writing, I had a hard time stopping, so there's lots more if anyone wants more chapters :)
