Chapter 13: Bright Idea

'knock knock knock' Martin rolled over in his bed groaning in pain. 'Knock knock knock' Coughing he pushed the blanket's off of him, and sat up.
"Come in." He's voice was soar, and he winced in pain.
He's bedroom door opened and Annie peeked inside. "Good-morning ... " When she saw Martin she walked over to his bed where he was sitting. "Honey are you feeling OK?" She placed the back of her hand over his forehead. "Your burning up. Let me go get the thermometer. Lay down."
Martin nodded, and started coughing again. He laied back down but sat back up when he herd someone walk in.

It was Ruthie. "You to?" Her voice sounded just as bad as his.
As bad as Martin felt he couldn't help but smile."Yeah. Your -" He started coughing again. Ruthie smiled at him sympathetically. "Your mom went to get a thermometer." Scooting over he motioned for her to sit, so she did. She leaned her head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer.
Ruthie smiled to herself. "So remind me, who's bright idea was it to walk home lastnight?"
Martin let out a soft chocked laugh. "I'm pretty sure you can take the credit for that one."

She smiled."Right ... well you agreed to it ... so your as much to blame as I am." They both laughed , and started coughing.Right then Annie came walking back into the room looking at the thermometer she held in her hand. Ruthie and Martin quickly pulled apart.
"OK I got it, sorry it took me so long, I couldn't remember where-"She stopped talking when she looked up and saw her daughter sitting on the bed next to Martin, looking just as sick. "Oh honey, are you sick to?"
 "Yeah." She started coughing again.

Annie walked over to where martin was sitting."Open up." He opened his mouth and let her place the thermometer inside. A few seconds later it beeped, and she took it back out. "100.4" Wiping the thermometer off ,she placed it in Ruthie's mouth. And after a few seconds she removed it. "100.2. Well I think you two should stay home from church today."
Both Ruthie and Martin nodded in agreement. "OK, ... do you need anything before we leave? Are you hungry?" They both shook their head's. "OK. I'll call and check up on you in a little while OK?"

Ruthie smiled slightly at her mother. "OK." She watched as her mom started to walk out, but then suddenly turned back.
"Oh I almost forgot. We might be home a little late. Your father has some work he has to do, at the church, and Kevin has to go to work also. Lucy and I were going to go shopping, and we had some errand's to run, I was going to ask if you two could watch the boy's, but seeing as how your sick, we'll just take them with us. So you two will be home alone for pretty much the whole day, are you going to be OK?"

Ruthie wanted to scream, she was so happy, but as bad as her throat was hurting her, she thought better of it. She smiled at her mom reassuringly."Yeah mom we'll be fine. I'm sure we'll find something to do to pass the time." Martin chocked on his laughter from beside her.

Annie gave them both a funny look, but before she could ask any question's, she saw the time flash across the clock, next to Martin's bed."OK well, I better get going, or we're going to be late for church."
Ruthie smiled as sweetly as she could. "Ok bye mom."
Martin gave a small wave. "Bye."
Annie watched them both for a second, before smiling back. "Bye." She walked quickly out of the room. "Oh and remember, NO blanket's! It's bad for your fever!." She shouted behind her as she walked down the stairs.

Once he saw that Annie was gone Martin couldn't help but start laughing, which also caused him to start coughing again."I can't believe you said that.!"
Ruthie looked at him and started to blush, but laughed along with him."What! It was true." They continued laughing, until their throat's began to hurt even worse. Clearing his throat Martin yawned. "Tired still?"

He pulled her back over to him, wrapping his arm loosly around her waist."Yeah. You?" He leaned his head on her shoulder.
Ruthie smiled at him. "A little."
Martin laid back down on the bed, and turned onto his side."Come here" She laid down next to him, so that they were facing eachother. He wrapped his arm around her, and kissed her softly. She laid her head against his chest. They both closed their eye's and drifted off to sleep.

Downstairs

Annie stepped off the last step, still thinking about what Ruthie had said. 'What did she mean by that? I wonder if maybe ... No they couldn't be ... well they are very close. ... And it wouldn't be a BAD thing if they were ... right? ...'

Her thoughts were cut off, by Lucy's voice. "Mom we're going to be late. Where are Ruthie and Martin?"
Annie looked at her daughter blankly for a few seconds, before recovering from the thoughts that had been running through her head. "They are going to stay home today. Their sick, they both have fever's and soar throat's."

"Oh, OK." 'Well that'll teach them to be out in the rain all night.' She laughed to herself. Besids Kevin, she was the only one who knew what had happened the night before. 'But then again ... maybe it'll help them figure thing's out.'
"Luce? ... Lucy!"
She looked at her mom who was standing in front of her with her hand's on her hip's."Sorry mom, what were you saying?"
"I was asking you, if you thought anything was going on with the two of them.?"

She looked at her mom like she was making a joke.And let out a small laugh. "Your kidding right? ... " After seeing no sign of humor in her mother's eye's, she decided to answer as best as she could. "Mom have you seen them together?" Looking at her daughter, Annie didn't know what to say. "Their just so ... I don't know, ... right. He love's her alot, you can tell. ... Your really surprised?"

Annies eye's had become wide, she didn't know what to say. "Well ... I guess I just never thought about it. I mean it's Ruthie and Martin ... I never thought about the two of them ... dating."
Lucy smiled at her mother sympathetically. "Well mom ... I think you should start. ... And soon." Smiling again she turned and walked out of the house.

Annie stood thinking for a little while longer before she remembered they were going to be late for church. Quickly getting her purse, and glancing back up the stairs, she walked out of the house shutting the door behind her.