Chapter Nineteen
The Truth and The Tears
Martin quickly jumped out of the front seat and opened the door for Ruthie. She sat their in still for a few moments looking straight ahead and then turned to Martin. He took one look at her and wrapped his arms around her.
"It's going to be ok." he said rubbing up and down her back soothingly.
"No it's not." Ruthie said, "It's not going to be ok. Don't you get it, they'll never look at me the same. Their never going to treat me the same. I'm going to lose one of the most important things that I didn't even know was important until now."
"What?" Martin asked pulling away from her and wiping her tear streaked cheeks with the back of his finger.
"Their respect." Ruthie said letting the tears stream freely now.
"Ruthie and Martin are outside." Annie said looking out the window.
"I know what's going on now!" Eric said with smug look, "Their dating."
"She's crying." Annie said, "Eric I'm really worried now."
"Maybe their breaking up?" Eric said walking over.
"Nope his comforting her." Annie remarked, "Quick there coming look like your doing something."
"What should I be doing?"
"I don't know." Annie said as the back door opened up. Eric quickly pulled Annie into a passionate kiss.
"What are you doing?" Annie said smacking him away with a kitchen towel.
"You told me to be doing something." Eric whispered as Ruthie and Martin entered the kitchen.
"I have something to tell you." Ruthie said taking a deep breath and stepping forward.
"No we have something to tell you." Martin said coming to stand beside her.
"Mom…Dad…"Ruthie began.
"What is it Ruthie?" Annie asked coming towards her youngest daughter.
"Um…." Ruthie began and took a deep breath and tried to muster up some courage.
"Whatever it is you can tell us." Eric said.
"Do you want me to tell them?" Martin asked her.
"No…I will." Ruthie said, "Mom…Dad….I'm…going to…."
"Going to what?" Annie asked.
"Going to…have a baby." Ruthie said causing tears to slip down her cheek. Martin reached over and took her hand in his.
"What?" Annie and Eric asked unison.
"I'm pregnant." Ruthie said biting her lip and trying to keep from turning and running away, "I'm sorry; I know I've let you down."
"Pregnant?" Annie said and turned to Eric.
"Mom? Dad? I'm sorry, so sorry." Ruthie said now really crying, she turned and headed up the stairs and into her bedroom before she broke completely down. Ruthie closed the door and sat down on her bed. She turned over onto the bed and laid her head down on her pillow and cried the tears slipping out on the pillow.
She heard the door squeak open but she didn't move she kept her face turned away from who ever it was. She felt the bed indent as someone sat down beside her on the bed.
"Ruthie?" She heard Martin say, he pushed the hair out of her face and kissed the back of her head, "Sh sh sh, it's going to be ok."
"No it's not!" Ruthie yelled turning over to face him, "It's not!"
"Yes it is."
"No it's not." Ruthie repeated, "They hate me I know they do."
"No they don't." Martin said and tried to pull her into his arms only to be pushed away.
"I want to be alone." Ruthie said, "Just go."
"I'm not leaving you this way."
"GET OUT!?" Ruthie Screamed.
"YOU WANT TO SCREAM, I'LL SCREAM! I'M NOT LEAVING!" Martin screamed back.
"YES YOU ARE!"
"NO I'M NOT!" Martin repeated pulling her into his arms and kissing her. Ruthie began to push him away but soon she melted like butter and Martin began to push her down onto her bed.
"I wasn't expecting this." Annie said taking deep breaths, "I don't understand how this could happen?"
"I know." Eric said, "She's are…"
"…Baby girl!" Annie said beginning to cry. Eric quickly pulled her into his arms to soothe her.
"That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger."
"Stop!" Annie said pushing him away, "Are baby's pregnant Eric. She's a baby having a baby. Don't you get it?"
"I get it."
"No, I don't think you do." Annie said, "I can hear it in your voice you're trying to look at this as Reverend Eric Camden not as her father."
"I am not."
"Yes you are. Eric this isn't a little thing this is a huge thing. Maybe even the biggest thing we've ever had to deal with. And I'm not sure were capable of handling this alone." Annie said, "I think we need some help from a physiatrist or Reverend Hamilton or even old Mcguffy."
"We can handle this," Eric said, "but if it'll make you feel better we can call one of them."
"Do you hear yourself Eric?" Annie said throwing her arms up into the air, "Your acting like it's nothing; our seventeen year old daughter is pregnant."
"I'm acting like it's nothing so I don't scream!" Eric said, "One of us has to stay calm."
"Oh my god." Annie said, "I can't believe this. It's a dream it's not real. I'm going to wake up and it's all going to be a joke."
"I'm afraid it's not a joke," Eric said taking his wife by the shoulders and giving her a hug, "and sadly we're not going to wake up."
"We have to stop." Ruthie said finally getting her wits about her she pushed Martin off.
"Why do we have to stop?"
"What do you mean why?" Ruthie asked eyeing him.
"Well you're already…" Martin began but was cut of by a slap across the face, "Get out."
"Fine." Martin said grabbing his coat he left her alone. Ruthie sat in silence. She'd never slapped anyone in her entire life but Martin had made her feel cheap. He'd made her feel like she was a whore.
"Why?" She screamed, "Why is this happening to me?"
Ruthie sat and waited for her answer but it didn't come because the truth was that there was no reason why, it had just happened. She was pregnant and at the moment all alone.