Hey all! Sorry to make you wait but now the story coincides with real time. This chapter occurs in late October while all the previous chapters occurred late August/early September. The next chapter is a Thanksgiving chapter so you all will have to wait again. Sorry. I promise the story will pick up by January.

Hope you enjoy this chapter. It's a pivotal one. And I'm sorry in advance if I confuse anyone over trying to explain Ruthie's feelings toward the end of the chapter. I just feel that when Ruthie was 16. She was in love with Martin but only knew how to show that through an immature obsession. Now at 18, she knows how to love but has screwed up for herself. It was hard for me to be concise in explaining it in the story.

One more note and I promise to get to the story. I know some of you really wanted Simon with Cecilia or Deena but I ultimately feel neither one was the right girl for him. So in this chapter, you will get first word of who is fiancé is. She's a completely knew character.

Chapter 5: Mothers and Daughters

"Tell me why I'm doing this again?" Ruthie asked as she sat on her bed Indian style.

"Because Sequoia has one of the best psychology departments in the state. Anyways, it's a big school. The chance of you running into Martin is slim to nil." Felicity responded over the receiver.

Ruthie rolled her eyes. "It's not Martin I'm worried about. It's my Mom. We haven't had one serious conversation since we returned from our trip. And that was two months ago. My Mom just doesn't like it that I broke up with T Bone or the idea that I would go to the same college as Martin."

"I'm sure it will be fine. Maybe if you two talked, she would understand." Felicity said wisely.

"Yeah, maybe." Ruthie replied weakly.

"Look at it this way, at least your Mom isn't teaching your history class." Felicity took back the tone of the teenager she was.

Ruthie laughed a little. "Yeah, you'd think there'd be a law against parents teaching the same classes their kids are in."

"Yeah." It was Felicity's turn to sound depressed.

"Thanks for the advice. I better go find my Mom and drag her into the car." Ruthie sighed. "This is going to be a great day." She continued sarcastically.

"Good luck." Felicity said before hanging up.

'Talky.' The license plate on the car in front of the Camden van read. I can't believe how it's taunting me. Ruthie thought feeling like she was going to slam her head on the steering wheel if her Mom uttered another word about Simon's upcoming nuptials.

It had been like this for the past three hours. Annie went on and on about the plans she was making with Simon's fiancé, Megan while Ruthie just drove. She almost wished now that she had never gotten her learner's permit else maybe her mom would have done the driving and wouldn't have talked so much.

"Oh, did I tell you. Megan found the perfect Maid of Honor's dress so she's going to email a picture of it to you." Annie said.

Ruthie blinked. "Tell me again why I'm Megan's Maid of Honor."

Annie gave her daughter that look. "Because Megan doesn't have any sisters and her mother has passed on. Plus, she knows how close you and Simon were as kids. You should be honored."

Ruthie shrugged. "I am. I just think it's a little strange to ask a girl you hardly know to be your Maid of Honor."

"Well, you must have made a good impression when you met her at graduation." Annie smiled. "Uh, that's the exit coming up. You better get back into the right lane."

Ruthie maneuvered the car into the right lane and soon after that into the exit for the college. Thank God we're here. I don't think I can take anymore. But Ruthie knew she still had a three hour car ride home which would mostly likely consist of Annie telling Ruthie about how much better Crawford is compared to Sequoia.

"Well, that was nice." Annie commented as they walked out of the student center.

"Yeah, the campus is beautiful." Ruthie admired the Palm trees that lined the sidewalk. "And I was really impressed by the psychology department."

Annie seemed irked by the comment. "You know Ruthie, I don't know if you should be tying yourself down to that major at the moment especially since you seemed to just randomly come up with it a few months ago."

Ruthie rolled her eyes but was glad to see her Mom be assertive. "Mom, I know it seemed random. But trust me. I truly believe this is what God wants me to do."

Annie continued walking next to her daughter. "Okay, honey. I'm just saying think about it. Think about your major and think about the college you want to go to. Crawford has a well respected psychology department too."

Ruthie stopped to look her Mom in the eyes. "Mother, please. This is my decision."

Annie didn't seem to buy that. "I know. I just don't think you should decide to go to a college because a certain young man by the name of…"

"Ruthie! Mrs. Camden!" A familiar voice from behind cut Annie off.

They turned around to see Martin rushing up to them. On his heels, was a blue-eyed blonde who looked like she could be a supermodel. Ruthie immediately felt some boil up inside her and felt her eyes glued menacingly on the blonde.

"What are you two doing here?" Martin asked breathless from trying to catch up with them.

Annie looked at her daughter expectantly but she was still staring at the blonde, who now looked uncomfortable under Ruthie's gaze. "We came so Ruthie could check out the school. She's thinking of transferring here."

Martin's face lit up with this information. "Really! That's great." He look at the brunette smiling.

Ruthie was finally ready to break her silence. "Hi. I'm Ruthie. And you are?" She stuck out her hand for the blonde to shake.

The girl looked at Martin hesitantly before taking Ruthie's hand. "Vanessa. I'm…"

She didn't finish her sentence before Ruthie started up again, "Did you know he has a two year old son? Yeah, and ever since he was born, Martin's been a little fickle, shall I say?" Ruthie's voice reached a new level of snottiness.

"Ruthie." Annie touched her daughters hand to get her to stop.

But she wouldn't. "First he slept with Sandy and then he started dating Meredith until she found out about Sandy and then he tried to marry Sandy but screwed that up by being interested in Jane and then he dated me and Jane at the same time."

Vanessa was taken aback and Martin looked appalled. He quickly grabbed Ruthie's arm and dragged her across the grass behind a nearby building leaving Annie to try and apologize to Vanessa.

"Let go of me!" Ruthie declared pulling her arm from Martin's hand.

"What do you think you're doing!?" Martin exclaimed.

Ruthie shrugged. "I'm just letting your new girlfriend know what kind of guy you are."

Martin shook his head in disbelief. "You have no right to be jealous. You're the one who turned me down."

"Well, you're the one who two-timed me."

"I'm sorry. I said I was sorry. I messed up and I've tried to make amends."

"Amends. What amends? All you did was shortly say you were sorry and that you decided you rather be with me than Jane because you found me more physically attractive." Ruthie protested.

"You know how much I put myself out there when I said that. It's not easy telling a girl who I claimed to be like a sister for years, that you have romantic feelings for her." Martin shot back obviously hurt that Ruthie found nothing of worth in words he had practiced for a week.

"Maybe you put yourself out there like I put myself out there when I thought you broke up with Meredith because you wanted to be with me only to find out you got Sandy pregnant." Ruthie felt tears welling up in her eyes as past feelings came back full force.

Martin looked like he was going to join Ruthie and her tears. "You know what? Forget it. Obviously, you will never forgive me for all the stupid, idiotic things I've done in the past. Things I hate myself for. But if you ever do decide to forgive me, don't be surprised if I'm not around." And with that Martin walked off.

Ruthie felt the tears coming down her cheeks. She felt the words forming in the back of her head but they were coming too late. "I forgive you, Martin." She whispered.

It took her a few minutes to gain her composure again. When she finally did, she wiped her eyes and headed back to find her Mom waiting on a bench. Vanessa was nowhere in sight.

Annie jumped up from the bench. "Are you okay, honey?"

"I'm fine." Ruthie said but her blotchy face said otherwise. "I just want to go home."

Annie put her arms around her daughter and started walking toward the parking lot. "Okay. Would you rather I drive?"

"Yeah." Ruthie nodded looking down at the ground.

The car drive home was distinctively quieter than the drive there. Ruthie remained silent staring down at her fidgeting hands. Annie tried to bring up some light topics but could tell they didn't help lift Ruthie's spirits at all.

When they finally arrived home, it was dark and the Camden house was aglow with light as Annie drove into the driveway.

They got out of the car. It seemed as soon as Ruthie stepped on terra firma, the reality of the situation hit her. And it didn't help to be reminded that Martin's father lived across the street. She wouldn't be able to avoid him. Two years ago, she had been heartbroken because the only way her heart knew how to love was to obsess. After she got over the obsession, she hardened her heart. Now she was the reason for her own broken heart, just as she learned how to be in love.

Annie noticed Ruthie gasped and put her arm on the van to support herself. Annie rushed over to Ruthie. "What's wrong?"

Ruthie looked up at her Mom's concerned face. Her mom loved her so much despite how much she disagreed with Ruthie's decisions. An overwhelming feeling of need for her mother's love came into her heart. Collapsing into Annie's arm, Ruthie started bawling like a baby. Annie just held her daughter tightly. Tears forming in her own eyes.

Next on Far Away: A family reunion at the Camden house this Thanksgiving proves to be just as exciting as ever when Mary and Carlos bring along an unexpected guest. (November 17)