Chapter 5: Visiting Home
Ruthie was shaken awake at 10:00 the next morning by Matt.
"Ruthie, wake up."
"What?"
"It's time. Sarah is in labor. We are heading to the hospital."
Ruthie shook Jayden awake. The girls dressed in record time and three minutes later they were on the road to the hospital.
The babies were all born between 1:00 and 1:04 that afternoon. Nathan John was born at 1:00 P.M. weighing six pounds three ounces and measuring 17 ½ inches long. Jennifer Leann was next. Born at 1:02 P.M. weighing six pounds even and Measuring 17 inches long. And finally at 1:04 P.M. Alexa Jacqueline was born. She was the smallest weighing five pounds nine ounces and measuring 16 ½ inches long. Matt, Sarah and Ruthie could not have been happier. It had been a great last two days. Ruthie thought it couldn't get any better.
The rest of the summer went off without a hitch. Ruthie loved looking after her new nephew and nieces, spending time with her best friend and she couldn't wait to start Juliard. As promised she wrote to her parents every chance she got and they wrote back sending pictures of Sam, David and Happy and Savannah. She missed her family terribly. The first week in July she asked if she could go to Glenoak and visit for the rest of the summer. Matt and Sarah agreed to split the airfare with her. She made a phone call to her mom.
"Mom, it's me."
"Hey sweetie."
"Is my room available for me?"
"Of course."
"Good, cause mom, I'm coming home for a visit. I miss you all so much."
"Oh Ruthie, it'll be so good to see you."
"Don't tell dad. I want it to be a surprise for him. Do you think you can get Kevin and Lucy to pick me up without him finding out?"
"It'll go a lot better than when we tried to get Mary home for his birthday. We'll get him out of the house."
"Good. I will call you at Lucy and Kevin's house at 2:30 tomorrow afternoon with all the info. Be there."
"You got it sweetheart."
Annie hung up the phone.
"Who was that?" Eric asked.
"Um... That was Ruthie. She just wanted to tell me that she misses everyone and to let everyone know that Sarah and the kids are doing good."
"That is good. Is she excited about Juliard?"
"Ecstatic. She was so happy to find out she had gotten in. Well, I am gonna go tell the twins to take a shower . It's their bedtime."
The following day Annie told Eric,
"Well I am gonna go to the market with Lucy. I will be back later."
She walked through the newly erected gate that Kevin had put up and went up to the door and knocked.
"Hey mom." She said.
"Ruthie is coming home. She wants it to be a surprise for dad and she is supposed to call me here at 2:30 with all the info."
"She's coming home? What about Juliard?"
"She's still going. She's coming home for the rest of the summer cause she misses us. She wants you and Kevin to pick her up so dad doesn't get suspicious."
Just than the phone rang. Annie answered it.
"Ruthie?"
"Hi mom. I got all the info for you. My plane is supposed to get into Glenoak Airport at 3:30 P.M. tomorrow. My flight number is 1378, gate 12"
"Ok. How are you honey?"
"I am fine. Listen I have to go finish packing. But I will see you at about 4:00 tomorrow."
"Ok honey. Love you." "Love you too."
With that they hung up.
"Ruthie's plane comes in at 3:30 tomorrow afternoon at gate 12."
"Got ya." said Lucy writing it down.
"Do you have to go to the market at all?"
"Actually, yes. Why?"
"I told your father we were going to the market so I suppose we should go so he doesn't get suspicious."
"Yeah, I have to get Savannah some diapers and formula."
"Good. I might as well pick up a few things myself."
Lucy grabbed the keys to her new Ford Focus Kevin had gotten her for her birthday and they went to the supermarket. The next day Annie sent Eric on a bunch of errands so she could get Ruthie's room ready. She sent the twins with him as she had not told them so they wouldn't tell Eric. They had a dentist appointment anyway. Annie had ordered a cake that said "Welcome Home Ruthie." At 3:00 Annie saw Lucy and Kevin load Savannah into the car and head to the airport to pick up Ruthie. It would be at least 45 minutes to an hour before they were home but she couldn't wait to see her daughter. The daughter she hadn't seen since November and it was now July. Yes granted it was only till September but it would be great to have her home. Just than Eric and the twins came through the door.
"There, all your errands are done."
"Thank you for doing all these errands for me while I cleaned the house. I appreciate it."
"So what is up? Are we getting company?"
"Actually yes. I forgot to tell you, The Colonel and Ruth are coming. Kevin and Lucy just left to get them."
"Well, why didn't you tell me? I could have gone and gotten them."
"They asked me not to."
"Oh."
half an hour later Annie heard Lucy, Kevin, Savannah and Ruthie pull into the driveway.
"Lucy and Kevin are here with our guests. Now don't get too emotional."
"Why would I get..."
He stopped as he saw Ruthie standing in the open doorway. He walked over to her and gave her the biggest Eric Camden bear hug he had ever given.
"Oh Ruthie it is so good to see you. Your mom said The Colonel and Ruth were coming."
"I told her not to tell you I was coming."
"RUTHIE!!" came two voices from behind Eric.
All of the sudden she was bombarded by Sam and David.
"Hey guys." she said.
"Are you back for good?" Sam asked?
"Yeah, are you coming back to stay?" David asked.
"I am sorry guys. I am just here for the rest of the summer. I have to go back the first week in September so I can go to school."
"Oh." they said.
Ruthie was sorry to disappoint her little brothers.
"Well, Let's get your sister settled." said Annie.
Kevin grabbed Ruthie's suitcase and Lucy grabbed her duffel bag. They walked up the stairs to the attic. Ruthie was surprised to see that it was exactly the same.
"Mom, you didn't change it at all."
"Nope. I held out hope that my little girl would at least come home to visit, But your dad and I have redecorating plans."
"Like what?"
"Well, now that the boys are older we are thinking about moving them to the attic and turning their old room into a guest room. Simon can have his old room back when he comes home to visit and the old nursery can be for the Colonel and Ruth when they come to visit and..."
"And What?"
"Follow us." said Lucy.
Ruthie followed Lucy and Annie out the back door and to the garage. They climbed the stairs and opened the door to the garage apartment. It was now completely empty except for a sofa and a small fridge. It was now painted a light pink.
"From now on when you visit this is where you will stay. We can start moving your stuff in anytime."
"Oh My God, you're giving ME the garage apartment. I thought Simon would be moving into it."
"Lucy and Kevin spent all yesterday afternoon and all last night painting it and moving all of Martin's old stuff out."
Ruthie had tears in her eyes.
"Thanks mom."
"Your welcome sweetheart. Well you must be tired. Why don't you take a nap before dinner and after dinner if you would like we can move your stuff up to the garage apartment."
"Okay."
Ruthie slept for two hours before her mom came to wake her for dinner.
"We are having your favorite."
"TACOS!" Ruthie said sitting up.
"Yup."
Ruthie raced down the stairs and to the kitchen where Lucy, Kevin, Eric and the twins were making up their tacos. Savannah was sitting in her highchair eating cut up hot dogs. Ruthie had to laugh because she had catsup and mustard smeared all over her hands and face. 45 minutes later when everyone was full Annie said,
"Well let's get this little one cleaned up and we can start moving your stuff to the garage apartment if you want to Ruthie."
"I'd like that." Ruthie said.
Lucy went and gave Savannah a bath. Ten minutes later she came back with a clean, pajama clad Savannah.
"I'll take her home and put her to bed. You guys go ahead and start moving." Said Kevin.
It took them almost 2 ½ hours to move everything. Eric took apart her big king sized bed and computer desk and with a minor degree of difficulty, moved them and the computer to Ruthie's new room and put them together. She and Annie and Lucy and the boys moved what was left of her cloths and her pictures and books. Kevin had promised to come and move her book case with Eric the following day. By 9:30 everything was moved in and Ruthie was ready for her stay in Glenoak.
"But Kevin and I have one more surprise for you." said Lucy. Ruthie followed Lucy down the stairs and through the garage and through the gate to the house. Ruthie followed her to the now newly renovated garage. There in one corner sat a huge box and a smaller box and than an even smaller box.
"Kevin and I thought it would add to the apartment. When we lived there we used the one in the living room."
The large box contained a 27 inch TV. The smaller box contained a DVD/VCR and The final box contained a Nintendo game cube. She picked it up.
"I remember Matt saying you where always using his so we got you your own. You can take the game cube and DVD/VCR back to New York with you. Matt bought you a TV for your room there also."
Lucy than led Ruthie into the house where she handed her a plastic Wal-mart bag. Inside of it were three DVDs and a video game.
"We thought we would get you started on your collection. Kevin, Savannah and I got you "Titanic" and "On The Line" Mom got you "Now And Then" And the video game is from Simon. He was here last night and mom and I told him that you were coming so he made a late night run to Super Wal-mart.
"Thanks you guys." Said Ruthie once more with tears in her eyes.
"I love everything. The apartment, the TV... everything. Thank you all."
"Just make sure you visit us lots ok."
"I will." Ruthie hugged her sister. She had never been so surprised in her life. Her first day back was great.
The next day The Camdens, The Kinkirks and Martin and his dad decided to go to the beach. It would be Ruthie's first full day back so they wanted to do something special so they decided to go to the beach and have a cookout. Ruthie decided to invite a couple of friends she hadn't seen in awhile, Katie and Sarah. They had a great time swimming and helping Savannah and the boys build sand sculptures and castles. At 3:00 they headed back to the house to grill out. They would have burgers, chicken, steaks and hot dogs. Of course once again Savannah would have hot dogs. Ruthie was thinking that Savannah was getting sick of hot dogs so she cut up a piece of her chicken breast and gave it to her. She loved it.