Hey all! Sorry this is a little late. I had a lot of work yesterday and then a dance at night, it completely slipped my mind.
Chapter 13: Do You Want Me?
Wrapping her jacket closer to her body, Ruthie passed through the gate into Lucy's backyard. That's what sucked about winter in California. One day, it was like spring but the next day it was winter.
"Knock. Knock." She announced entering into the Kinkirk kitchen.
"Hey, Ruthie." Lucy turned from the stove where she was stirring something. "What's up?"
Ruthie took a seat at the counter. "I just brought over some mail that was delivered to our house by mistake."
"Oh, thanks." Lucy turned back to the stove. "You want some cocoa? Savannah and Bess are asleep and Kevin's still at work. I got time to talk."
Ruthie smiled. "Sure."
Lucy poured the contents of the pot into two mugs and set them on the counter before taking a seat across from Ruthie. She stared at her sister for a few seconds. She could tell something was eating on Ruthie's brain. "So, how's school?" Lucy started interrogating.
"Boring. I mean, I'm getting straight A's but it's just so boring. Not challenging at all." Ruthie dropped her shoulders in frustration.
"Well, you'll be in a four year school next year." Lucy tried to comfort. "What about Martin?" She added slyly. "How are things with you two?"
Ruthie blushed slightly. "Um, things are good. I don't know. I guess, it's just hard adjusting into a real relationship. And he being away at school doesn't help."
Lucy could tell there was something Ruthie wasn't saying. Most likely, it had to do with Aaron but Lucy decided it would be best to leave it alone. "Well, I'm sure you two will work it out."
Ruthie nodded looking down into her mug.
"So listen. Kevin and I wanted to go out Friday night and I was hoping you'd be willing to babysit."
"Sure. I don't have any plans with Martin." Ruthie shrugged.
"Well, why don't you invite Martin to come help you. It's fine with me as long as you two keep it clean." Lucy teased.
"Okay. I'll ask him." Ruthie smiled.
"Hello?" Ruthie picked up her cell phone from her nightstand not caring to look at who it was.
"Hey." Martin's voice came through the receiver. "I got your message. What's up?"
"Well, I was just going to tell you that I'm babysitting for Lucy and Kevin Friday night."
"Oh. That's too bad. I was going to drive down and see you."
Ruthie brightened at that. "Well, you can still come down. Lucy said it was alright if you came and helped out."
Martin's voice picked up. "I'll be there at seven."
"Great. See you then. I love you." Ruthie blushed a little. No matter how many times she said that she always blushed.
Martin chuckled. "I love you too."
Ruthie giggled at Savannah as she attempted to eat the pieces of cut up hot dog with her hands. Declaring her independence, Savannah had decided to put the ketchup on herself and in the process of doing that, she gave herself enough for five other people. Now her lips looked like she put too much lipstick on.
"Messy." The little girl declared pushing another piece of hot dog in her mouth and then sticking her hand in her hair.
"No. No. Savannah!" Ruthie grabbed at the girl's hand. "Now, I'll half to shampoo your hair."
Savannah grinned. "Goodie. Shampoo smells pretty."
"Yeah. It smells just great." Ruthie rolled her eyes in frustration before picking Savannah up from the high chair.
"She didn't pull the ketchup thing again. Did she?" Lucy said coming into the kitchen, her heels clicking with her.
"Never give her ketchup." Kevin followed Lucy in looking very handsome in his suit. "She has some sort of inclination to make a mess with it."
Ruthie smirked. "You couldn't have told me that before?"
"I'm sorry. We should have." Lucy apologized gather stuff into her purse. "Well, you can go wash Savannah's hair and we will be leaving. I just fed Bess so she should be okay until we get back. If not, you can give her some formula.
"And Savannah needs to be in bed by eight o' clock." Kevin added adjusting his tie. "And just because she's in bed doesn't mean you and Martin can make out."
"Kevin!" the teen exclaimed her cheeks burning red.
Lucy slapped him in the arm.
"Hey, I'm just saying." Kevin defended. "Two college students in love. You're gonna be all over each other. Actually, maybe we should have a talk, Ruthie. Just the two of us."
"No!" Lucy and Ruthie exclaimed at the same time.
"No!" Savannah followed clapping her hands together thinking it was a game.
"I think you've given me the sex talk enough. I'm gonna go give Savannah her shampoo." And with that Ruthie walked out of the room annoyed at Kevin's insistence to always but into her love life.
Lucy turned and gave Kevin the look.
"What?" Kevin shrugged.
Lucy just rolled her eyes and started pushing him out the door. "Let's go."
The doll smiled its everlasting smile. It must suck being a doll. Forced to just smile while your owner completely controlled your every move.
"Look at my dolly." Savannah held up a doll who's once shiny hair was mangled into an unattractive Mohawk and it's clothing was uneven. The arm was in the neck hole and the skirt was on backwards.
Ruthie bit her lip in an attempt not to laugh. "She's very pretty."
Just then, the doorbell rang and Ruthie jumped up eagerly. "C'mon Savannah. Don't you want to go meet Martin at the door."
"Marin coming?" Savannah slowly picked herself up. She had yet to conquer the t in Martin's name. "Me like Marin."
"I like Martin too." Ruthie grabbed Savannah's hand and guided her toward the front door.
The doorbell rang impatiently once again right before Ruthie pulled open the door. "I'm coming. I'm coming." She grinned as the door moved to reveal Martin's handsome face.
"Hey. Took you long enough." He smiled bending down to give her a kiss.
"Marin!" Savannah jumped in the middle of them before contact was made.
Martin's eyes sparkled at Ruthie before putting his attention to the little blonde girl jumping up and down in front of him. "Hey, Savannah. Has Ruthie been taking good care of you?" He bent down to the girl's level.
"I guess." She mumbled.
Martin shot a teasing glance at his girlfriend, who rolled her eyes.
Perking up, Savannah grabbed Martin's hand. "Come see my dolly."
Martin let Savannah guide him into the living room looking back to flash Ruthie a grin. She smiled back. Just wait until Savannah has to go to bed.
The next hour passed slowly. Ruthie sat on the couch listening to the soft breathing of Bess coming through the baby monitor. Tapping her fingers on the side table, she impatiently looked at the clock. 7:58. In two minutes, she could take Savannah to bed and be all alone with Martin.
"Boo!" Martin exclaimed popping out of the fort he had made for Savannah out of blankets and dining room chairs.
Savannah first screamed and then started giggling. Martin crawled quickly out of the fort and grabbed her swinging her in the air causing her to giggle even more.
Ruthie couldn't help but laugh a little. He's gonna be a great father someday. She thought. She stopped breathing for a second when she remembered he was a father already. It just didn't feel right.
Martin twirled Savannah once more before resting her on his hip.
"More." The wide eyes of Savannah implored Martin.
Ruthie immediately shot up. "Not tonight, honey. It's time for you to go to bed."
"No!" the little girl screamed.
"Savannah. Ruthie said it's time to go to bed so you're going." Martin addressed sternly.
Savannah just hung her head in acceptance.
Ruthie took the girl from Martin's arms. "Why does she listen to you and not me?"
Martin shrugged grinning. "I don't know. Maybe you're just too sweet."
Ruthie smirked. "Sweet? Me? Yeah, right. I'm going to put her to bed." She starts for the door.
"Hey. I'll help." Martin followed after.
Ruthie turned. "Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I love children. I think I have one."
Ruthie tried to hold in her annoyance with his answer. "Right."
Ruthie folded her arms blowing a stray hair out of her face. Martin sat a good foot away from her going on about how unfair his religion teacher was. Tonight, she didn't want to talk to Martin. That's all they did. There's got to be some more physical contact in a relationship other than just a peck on the lips and a hold of the hand.
"And the Professor said my paper was lacked real research because I used the Bible for a good portion of my references. I mean, come on. The Bible has more foundation in being real than most of the history books we read. Can you believe that?" Martin stretched his arms out for emphasis.
"Mmm." Ruthie let out staring at the glass-blown bowl sitting on the coffee table in front of her. It was one of the souvenirs Lucy had got while visiting Jamestown the past summer.
Martin sat up straighter leaning forward to get a better view of Ruthie's face. "Are you even listening to me?" He asked snapping his fingers in front of her eyes.
Ruthie dropped her gaze on the bowl and turned to face Martin. "Yeah. I'm listening. You're going on about your arrogant religion professor."
Martin looked at her questioningly. "What's your problem?"
Ruthie shrugged. "Nothing. I'm just bored."
"Well, what do you want to do?"
Ruthie decided to go for it. "I think we should make out." She said a little seductively sliding closer to her confused boyfriend.
"What?" Martin's eyes widened as his fingers began fidgeting nervously.
"We're in a great big house all alone. It's what people in a relationship do."
"But we don't have too."
Ruthie moved away from Martin angrily. "Why don't you want to make out with me? You're my boyfriend. You're supposed to be physically attracted to me."
Martin moved closer trying to grabbed her hands but she pulled them away. "I am physically attracted to you but I also love you. I love more than I've ever loved anyone."
"Well, then you should want to make out with me." Ruthie pouted.
"Ruthie, believe me. I do. I just don't think it's the best idea." Martin begged.
A bubble of irrationality came up from Ruthie's insecure heart to her sassy mouth. "Yeah. Right." She stood up. "You made out with Cecilia, and Zoe, and Meredith. Heck. You slept with Sandy on the first date. But with me, the girl you claimed to love so much more than all of them, you don't think making out is the best idea? Whatever, Martin." She stormed out of the room.
Martin sagged back into the couch. Most guys would have run after her but Martin knew that there was no talking sense to Ruthie when she was in the middle of one of her angry moods. There was to be a good thirty minute window before saying one word to her.
(30 minutes later)
Martin approached the doorway to the kitchen. He already knew what he was going to see before he looked. Ruthie would be sitting at the table chugging down her fifth cup of milk. That's what she did when she was angry. Odd, but one of the many things he loved about her.
He leaned into the doorway. There she was sitting at the table. Even though her back was to Martin, he could tell by her posture that she had reached a place past angry. She was probably on the guilty stage right now.
He moved tentatively toward the table quietly taking a seat beside her. She slowly looked up from her glass of milk meeting Martin's eyes. "I'm sorry." She said. Her eyes moistened with each blink. "I don't know why I act that way sometimes."
Martin took her hand. "It's okay. It's understandable. You want to know that I really do love you but that doesn't have to be proven physically. Yes, I would love to make out with you but I can't trust myself to stop there. I already made one mistake with a woman I cared nothing for. How much more easier it would be for me to let it slide with someone I love as much as you."
Ruthie was crying now. Not from guilt but from happiness. "I love you." Then laughing she said, "Is it okay, if I kissed you right now?"
Martin grinned. "Hey, I didn't say we had to stop kissing."
Smiling they bent forward. Their lips meeting contentedly.
Next Week on Far Away: When a girl comes to Ruthie for help, she has find her own help in Sandy.
