A/N: WOW! Thank you so much for reading my story. I am happy you guys are enjoying it! Keep the reviews coming! Also, a few people have wonder if this is a Marthie…it WILL be.

A little more than two hours later Ruthie reached her final destination: Martin's apartment. She sat nervously in the cab as it idled outside the complex.

"Are you going in or not, Kid," the cab driver asked.

"Can you drive around the block, just one more time?"

"Whatever you want."

"You know, you'll feel a lot better when you tell him you love him," the cab driver said as he looped around the blocked.

"Am I that transparent? How did you know," Ruthie inquired.

"You have that look in your eye. The dazed, excited, but scared scared to death look."

"He is getting married. Because he got another girl pregnant," Ruthie said while looking down at her hands.

"That's a tough situation. But listen to me, you'll feel much better once you tell him you love him."

"What if he rejects me?"

"Then at least you will know where he stands. And you recover."

"Hmm. All I can do is try. Thanks."

"No problem," the driver responded.

"I'll see ya!" Ruthie jumped out of the cab and started up the path to the door of Martin's place. She raised her hand to knock on the door and she felt her heart pound and her knees begin to shake. You can do this, Ruthie. She knocked. And he answered promptly.

"Ruthie? Come in," Martin waved her into the apartment.

"Don't say anything. We need to talk," Ruthie blurted out. They went into the living room, which was cramped and obviously decorated with the help of Sandy. "I am so sorry for the way I turned you away last night. I was caught off guard and I wasn't ready for you to be…there," she paused and took a deep breath, "I know about you and Sandy and the engagement. She told­ me—"

Martin cut her off, "I want to make things right with you."

"Martin. Is that all you want?"

Martin looked away.

"Martin, what is it?"

"Ruthie, I am in so far over my head," Martin said in a quivering tone, "I don't have anyone to talk to about my feelings, except for Sandy, and no offense to her, but I cannot talk to her about my problems with our relationship."

"So…you are in a commited relationship…with Sandy?"

"Yes," Martin answered quickly.

"Do you want to be in a commited relationship with Sandy?"

"Yes. I think so. I mean, I am only eighteen, Ruth…I don't know what, or who, I want," He said as he hung his head low.

"It's okay if you are not ready, Martin," She told him as she put her hand on his thigh. She found it ironic that she was here, in his apartment, counseling him. She assumed she would be the troubled one in the conversation, and he would be the one to be so sure of himself.

"What do I do?" He looked up at her with the same eyes his baby had looked at her with just hours ago. Her heart melted. Shit, she thought.

"Tell me what you want to do, Martin."

"I do not want to get married to Sandy. Yet." The phone rang and Martin answered it quickly, "Hello...yeah, it's me. Is everything okay babe?" He listened to Sandy talk, "Okay, drive safely tomorrow then."

"What's up? Is everything okay with her and Aaron?"

"Yeah, apparently its storming like crazy down there and it's headed up this way, so she going to stay the night at Lucy and Kevin's place and then drive up tomorrow."

"Oh. Shoot, I should get going so I don't get caught in it."

"Or, you could stay the night here, at my place. If your parents approve. We could catch up," Martin said, raising his eyebrows.

"Hmm. Yeah. That would probably be best," Ruthie agreed.