Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

The hang up and The Bump

Ruthie sat outside of Dairy Shack waiting with Freddie for Martin to show up. Freddie had given her a ride their but instead of just dropping her off he insisted on waiting with her until Martin showed up. After awhile Freddie began to bored with a sigh he asked Ruthie to hand him a bag that sat by her feet. He pulled out a book and began to read, Ruthie took a peek at what he was reading to find that the title was The Birth Partner.

"What are you reading?" she asked eyeing her crazy friend.

"The most comprehensive guide to supporting a laboring woman available, This work is designed to be used before and during delivery, including quick reference guides for the on the spot coaching. It's by Penny Simkin." he said reading the biography off the back of his book.

"Freddie have you lost it?" Ruthie asked as Martin pulled up with a roll of her eyes she got out and walked over to Martin's Hummer.

"What's wrong?" Martin asked.

"Nothing, just my crazy friend is reading a book about being my birthing coach or something like that. He's lost it! Everyone has. Yeah I'm having a baby and that's suppose to be joyous but come on I'm seventeen must my friends be this enthusiastic. They've lost it! Lost it!" Ruthie said.

"I haven't." Martin said getting out, "Trust me I'm still pretty shocked."

"You and me both." Ruthie said, "Look Martin we need to talk."

"That's why I'm here," he said, "to talk."

"Well you didn't pick a very private place." Ruthie said, "Can we go somewhere else, please?"

"Sure, Where?"

"I don't care. Anywhere." Ruthie said walking around to the other side of the Hummer and getting in the passengers seat.

"I'm getting so nervous, Eric." Annie said as she pulled the rump roast out of the oven with a worried sigh.

"You and me both." Eric said, "Maybe we should try the boy's again?"

"I already have been and still no luck." Annie said.

"Do you think she told Matt what's wrong; I mean they've always had a ton of secrets." Eric said causing Annie to reach for the phone and quickly dial her eldest son's number.

"Hey you've reached Matt and Sarah Camden please leave a message after the beep." the answering machine said after several rings.

"Hey Matt this is mom please call me…" Annie began when the phone quickly picked up.

"Hey Mom." Matt said.

"Matt has Ruthie called you lately?" Annie asked.

"No, why?" Matt asked but his mother had already hung up.

"So?" Eric asked.

"Nope, she hasn't called him." Annie said and began to tap her fingernails on the counter.

"What about Sarah?"

"Good idea." Annie said and hit redial.

"Why did you hang up on me?" Matt asked.

"Sorry." Annie said, "Can I talk to Sarah."

"Sure." Matt said handing the phone to his wife.

"Hello." Sarah said in her soft voice.

"Hey Sarah its Annie, I was wondering if Ruthie called?" Annie asked crossing her fingers.

"Sorry no." Sarah said causing Annie to hang up once more.

"Mary?" Eric suggested.

"Mary?" Annie asked when the phone picked up.

"Nope it's Carlos, Mom." Carlos said in his sexy Porto Rican accent.

"Damn." Annie said and hung up on him.

"You just did it again." Eric said, "You hung up on him."

"I'm crazy." Annie said and hit redial.

"Mom?" Carlos asked answering, "Did we get disconnected?"

"No, I was wondering if Mary was their?" Annie said referring to her daughter who had just recently gotten back together with her husband.

"No she's interviewing for a new teaching job." Carlos said and once again Annie hung up.

"Annie you did it again." Eric said eyeing his nutty wife.

"Crazy!" Annie said and hit redial once again, "I'm sorry."

"It's ok." Carlos said even though he was a little worried about his mother-in-law she wasn't acting herself.

"Can you have Mary call me when she gets back?"

"Sure Mom." he said.

"Thanks. Love you. Bye." Annie said, hung up, and began to tap her nails again, "What about the Colonel or Ruth?"

"I already called they haven't heard from her." Eric said.

"I've got it!" Annie said and threw up her hands, "Simon!"

Simon was sitting at his laptop biting his lip and trying to will his mind into coming up with an award winning screenplay idea but so far nothing. The phone rang and he was happy for the excuse to take a break from his work. He ran over to the phone to find the phone charger empty. He began to run around his apartment looking through his dirty clothes hamper and under the bed. It ended up being a good thing because the answering machine picked up.

"Simon its mom, Please call me back I'm really worried about Ruthie and I was wondering if you've talked to her lately. Call me bye." he heard his mom say and he knew that if she'd called him she'd called the others too meaning he needed to find the phone and call Ruthie and warn her now. He hit the phone finder button and followed the beep after about ten minutes he found the phone in the refrigerator, he couldn't figure out how it got their though but that's where it was. He quickly dialed Ruthie's cell.

"Wow this feels nice." he said to himself, "I should keep the phone in the fridge always it cools off your face."

Ruthie sat beside Martin they were parked in the Glen Oak public park parking lot, when her cell began to ring without looking she turned it off and turned to Martin. They looked at each other for all of one second before he was pulling her across the seat and into his arms.

"Oh god." Martin said as he trailed kisses along her face, "this is madness."

"Yeah, but wonderful madness," Ruthie said sliding over more until she was sitting in Martin's lap. She quickly began to unbutton his shirt and slip her hands inside to touch the span of his chest. She slipped her arms around him and pulled him even closer if that was possible. They were sitting in an awkward position but it didn't seem to matter as long as they were in each others arms.

Martin pushed Ruthie forward a bit still kissing his way down her neck. He pulled off her sweatshirt effortless, if she hadn't been so caught up in the moment she would have commented on how much better he'd gotten on undressing her, she hadn't had to do it herself this time. When Martin pulled away from her mouth she let out a protest but allowed him to help her out of the tee she'd been wearing under her sweatshirt. Martin let out a little gasp when he saw that she now had a little but still visible bump. It seemed as if time stop for a moment and they were both unable to move.

Martin's eyes seemed glued to her abdomen and the place that was carrying his child. Had been carrying his child for four months now. His child. Her child. Their child. He lifted up his hand but pulled it back before touching her stomach. Ruthie looked down and pulled his hand to her abdomen and let him feel where their child was.

"Was that?" Martin asked when he felt something move.

"Yeah a kick." Ruthie said, "It's been happening a lot."

"A kick." Martin said dumbfounded.

"Yeah." Ruthie said grabbing her tee and pulling it back on. She slid from Martin's lap and over to the passenger's seat, "Can you take me home."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing I just need to go home." Ruthie said, "I think it's time."

"Time for what?" Martin asked.

"Time to tell my parents." Ruthie said and turned to look out the window as Martin pulled out of the parking lot.

"Are you sure you're ready?" Martin asked after awhile.

"Yeah, I'm positive." Ruthie said tears began to slip down her cheeks she turned more towards the window so he couldn't see them. It was time. Finally time to let down the most important people in her life. It was time to break their hearts and her heart. She wiped away a tear with her finger as they pulled up in her driveway.