Chapter 3: Watch Out New York Here Comes Ruthie
Two weeks later Dr. Aiken saw Ruthie for the first and last time since she had been released from the hospital eight days earlier.
"Well everything seems to have cleared up. The medication really helped. Miss Camden, I pronounce you cured. You may go back to all your normal activities.
" Thank you Dr. Aiken." she said.
She left the office and as soon as she got home she, Annie and Lucy began packing her stuff for her new life in New York. She and Matt would be leaving by the end of the week.
"I can't believe my baby girl is going to New York." Annie said. "This is even harder than when Mary went because everything happened so fast. Now I have had two weeks to think about how much I am gonna miss you."
"I am going to miss you too mom... And dad and You and Kevin and Savannah, Luce. And I am going to miss Sam and David and Happy as well."
"New York is a big city so I want you to be careful sweetheart."
"I promise mom."
"Don't go running off without telling Matt or Sarah where you are going."
"I won't. Oh, mommy I am gonna miss you so much."
"I am going to miss you too. Ruthie."
That Thursday everyone stood at gate 45A at Glenoak Airport saying a tearful good bye to Ruthie and Matt.
"I'll write every other day" Ruthie said to her parents. "I promise."
"We'll miss you Ruthie." said Sam and David.
"I'll miss you too. Now that I am going to be gone I am handing over the care and ownership Of Happy over to you guys just like Simon did to me. Make sure you take good care of her ok."
"We will." They responded.
Matt and Ruthie turned and walked down the jetway to the plane. Ten minutes later the plane taxied down the runway and than took off. After they had been in the air for about 20 minutes Ruthie grabbed her pink backpack and took out the baby name book Matt had given her. Matt looked over at his baby sister.
"Any favorites yet?" He asked.
"I kinda prefer my name but since Jewish faith doesn't allow it unless someone is deceased I like Alexa Jacqueline, BreAnn Rae, Mollie Jade and Jennifer Leann for girls and River Joaquin, Nathan John, Kasin Parker and for some reason I like Adam Ferguson."
"Hmmmm... River Joaquin Camden. Nice Ruthie." He said with strange look on his face.
"Matt I am sorry it was so difficult for you and Sarah to get pregnant."
"Well we were lucky that the first round of in vitro worked." he said.
"Who knows. Maybe you will have more than one." Ruthie said.
It had been a whole month since Ruthie arrived in New York and she was loving every minute of it. Sarah had taken her to the theater to see her favorite musical and Matt ordered her take out practically every night. Sarah was now four months a long. She, Matt and Ruthie were at her monthly doctor's appointment.
"Matt and Sarah," he said. "Remember the discussion we had about multiples?"
"Yes." Sarah said. "Well, guess what? You are having Triplets."
"OH MY GOD! Really?"
"Congratulations you two. Would you like to know the genders?"
"Ruthie?" Matt said looking over at Ruthie.
She shook her head indicating that she wanted to know.
"You have two healthy strong little girls and a big strong healthy boy."
Everyone hugged each other with joy. Before long the appointment was over.
"Matt, can you drop me off at Color Me Mine. I have a project I want to work on."
"Sure. Do you have money to take the cab home?"
"I may be a couple dollars short."
"Well, here this should help." Said Matt handing her a five dollar bill.
"Thanks." She said as they pulled up to the ceramic creations store.
Once inside She choose three ceramic decorative plates. After that she chose her colors. She painted them and when she was finished in black at the bottom of each she wrote, Alexa, Jenny and Nate. She paid for her purchase and the lady said they would be ready to pick up the following day. The next day at noon Ruthie hailed a cab and went to Color Me Mine to pick up the gifts for Matt and Sarah.
"You guys." Said Ruthie " I have something for you."
She handed Sarah the brightly wrapped box. Sarah and Matt sat on the floor.
"Ruthie you didn't have to." Said Sarah.
"It's for the nursery." She replied.
They opened it, reached in and took out the first plate.
"Awww, Ruthie the names you picked out. Look Matt, this one says Jenny."
"It's after Grandma." said Ruthie "Jennifer LeAnn Camden." Matt reached in and took out the second plate.
"Look hun, this one says Alexa."
"Alexa Jacqueline Camden." Said Ruthie telling them the full name.
Sarah reached in and took out the final plate and gasped.
"Honey it says Nate."
"Short for Nathan John. Sarah I knew you had a favorite cousin who died named Nathan so I decided you'd like that. Nathan John Camden."
"Thank you Ruthie, we love the names and we love the plates. You did a great job."
"Thanks"
That night Ruthie sat at her desk And wrote her mom and dad a letter.
Dear Mom and Dad,
I miss you so much but everything is going great. I love my new school. Haven't really made any friends yet but give it time. I am still new. The name of my school is The Central NYC High School for the visual and Preforming arts. I love it so much. Matt said he thought I would. He also said that he enrolled me because I have such promise as a Broadway star and I shouldn't waste it. My teachers think so too. This is my schedule...
9:00-9:45 A.M.: Advanced Musical Theory: Professor Eric Anderson
10:00-10:45 A.M.: Musical Theater 2: Professor Rachel Williams
11:00-11:45 A.M.: Shakespearian Drama: Professor Georgia Kline
11:45 A.M.-12:45 P.M. : Lunch
1:00-1:45 P.M.: Chorus: Professor Charlie Yates
2:00-2:45 P.M.: Jazz Chorus: Professor Tamyra Justice
3:00-3:30 P.M.: Advanced Musical Theater: Professor Joshua Kaiser
3:30-4:00: Voice Lessons with Professor Charlie Yates
As you can see I have a full course load, but I have no complaints. My professors are great. They wanted me to take Musical Theater 2 so I knew what I was doing in Advanced Musical Theater. Since Sarah is on maternity leave for now she and I go to this great deli almost every day for lunch. It is amazing how much I can learn while living here. It is the greatest city in the world. Well not much else here. Sorry I didn't write sooner but I promise to write as often as possible. I love you all more next time.
Love, Ruthie
Ruthie signed the letter put it in an envelope and addressed it and stuck a stamp on it. She sealed the envelope and put it in the mailbox.
The following day Ruthie was walking through the halls on her way to Musical Theater 2 when she accidently bumped into an older girl.
"Oh my gosh I am so sorry." Ruthie said scrambling to pick up the girl's note filled notebooks before picking up her own.
"That is ok. I am not hurt, you're not hurt so no harm done. Hi I'm Jayden Harris."
"Ruthie Camden." Ruthie said shaking the girl's hand.
"Yeah you're the new transfer."
"Right. I moved here from Glenoak, California. I live with my brother and sister in law."
"All the way from California? You must really miss your family."
"I do."
"Where are you headed?" Jayden asked her.
"M.T. 2." she replied.
"Come on I'll walk with you."
"Great."
The two girls walked through the halls together talking about family and how great the school was. They finally came to a large classroom with several large desks sitting up on a large platform and a large space below for preforming. There was still time before class started so Ruthie said,
"Hey what are you doing after school today? Say around 4:00?"
"Nothing why?" "Why don't you come over. We can talk some more and maybe my brother will let you stay for dinner."
"That would be great. Hey, you have lessons with Professor Yates till four right?" "Yup."
"How bout I swing by early and pick you up. Professor Yates lets older students sit in on lessons. Than after I can drive us both to your house."
"Great. See you than."
Ruthie was so excited. She had finally met a friend. At 3:50 that afternoon Jayden walked into the room to observe her new friend's lesson.
"Okay Ruthie now that you are warmed up I would like to go over your audition piece for this year's performance. What have you chosen?"
"I am going to sing "Climb Every Mountain." she told him.
Professor Yates began to play the intro to the song as Ruthie began to sing. Jayden watched with her Jaw dropped. She couldn't believe this voice was coming out of a freshman. She had a feeling that Ruthie would be the first freshman to ever get the lead. After she was done Professor Yates said
"Ruthie, that was flawless. I never realized how good you were. I hate to say this but I think I found my Maria."
"Really?"
"Yes. I am gonna still hold auditions but for your part it will be just a technicality. I think it is safe to assume that you have the part."
"Oh Professor Yates That is great! Thank you so much, but forgive me for saying this, didn't Maria have short hair? I don't really want to cut off my hair. My family would kill me."
"We'll figure something out. Don't worry. But I am coming in early tomorrow and I am gonna talk to Professor Kaiser and Professor Williams, but you can count on it."
"Thank you Professor Yates."
Jayden and Ruthie sat in her room talking about just about everything. From boyfriends to what they wanted for the future.
"I want to be a minister like my dad and my sister but it's not something I have etched in stone. I may change my mind." Ruthie told Jayden.
"Well my parents have their heart set on me going to Harvard Law." Jayden told Ruthie. "But I think I want to go to Brown and study music."
"You should tell them that." Ruthie told her.
"I know. The question is how do I tell them?"
"Just tell them what you told me. You want to go to Brown and study what you want to study. I am sure they will understand."
"I don't know Ruthie. They have their hearts set on it. I hate to disappoint them."
"Jayden, do you want to spend the rest of your life in a job you never wanted to do in the first place?"
"You're right Ruthie. I love music and that is what I want to study, I may even take creative writing as a minor. I love to write."
The next day Jayden met up with Ruthie right before school.
"Ruthie I did it! I told them I wanted to go to Brown and they supported me. They are gonna get me an application."
"Jayden that's great! What did they say?"
"They said they don't know why I didn't come to them sooner. They said the only reason they wanted Harvard Law is because when I was in middle school I had told them I maybe wanted to be a lawyer. They had no idea that I had changed my mind."
"I am very proud of you Jayden."
"I just hope I get in. I mean I have the grades that they require and I already take college level English and math courses at community college so I don't know why I wouldn't get in. So have you decided anything?"
"Actually yes. After you left last night I thought about it and I called my mom and dad and told them that I was gonna stay here and go to Juliard. That is if I can get in."
"Ruthie Camden, you not get in to Juliard? That is absurd. You are great. You will definitely get in."
Ruthie went home that day with her spirits high. She was so glad to have a friend who believed in her.
"Matt, can we go visit Juliard next week? I really want to go there."
"Of course little sister." Matt told her. "While we are at it we'll go see a movie or a play or something. Make a day of it."
"Great." "I'll make sure that I let the headmaster know that you will not be in school that day."
"Thanks Matt."
"No problem Ruthie."
They scheduled her visit to Juliard for Tuesday. The following Monday Matt sent a letter to school for her to give the headmaster. It read like this...
Dear Headmaster Davidson,
Please excuse Ruthie Camden from classes on Tuesday May 19th. She will be making a campus visit to Juliard School For The Preforming Arts. She will return on Wednesday May 20th. Thanks so much.
Sincerely yours, Dr. Matthew Camden