Okay, I know Ruthie and Betsy's plan makes no sense and is stupid but I was trying to do something humorous that played off Betsy's ditsy personality.
Chapter 16: Close Fit
Eric paused at the entry way of the kitchen. There was his daughter in an apron, covered with flour stirring some sort of mixture in the bowl.
"Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?" Eric came up to the counter.
Ruthie looked up. "Ha. Ha."
"Seriously, Ruthie. It's not like you to be so domestic." Eric comment. "Why?"
"I'm having a picnic with the Brewers tomorrow. I thought it would be nice if I brought some brownies."
Eric dipped his finger in the mixture. "Not bad." He noted. "I notice you waited until your mother was out of the house to do this."
The lines of Ruthie's face dropped. "Yeah. I didn't think she'd wanted to be around while I messed up her kitchen for Martin."
Eric placed his hand on her shoulder. "She'll come around. She eventually grew to love Rose."
Ruthie scoffed. "And look how that ended up."
"Good point." Eric recognized. "Anyways, any special occasion affiliated with this picnic?"
Ruthie went back to stirring. "Tomorrow would have been Martin's mother's fortieth birthday so we are going to her favorite park for a picnic. Betsy's even coming in. They're at the airport right now picking her up."
"Really? I haven't seen her in a while. I wonder if she still wears those socks." Eric sneaked another finger into the chocolate mix.
Ruthie slapped his hand. "I don't know. I haven't seen her since 8th grade. I'm kinda nervous."
Eric stepped to closer to hugged her shoulders. "She loved you back then. I'm sure she'll love you even more now."
Ruthie looked up at her dad. "Who knows? Mom used to love Martin. Now she doesn't."
Eric just sighed and hugged her again.
"Knock. Knock." Ruthie rapped her knuckles on the Brewer's front door as she opened it into the foyer.
"We're in the kitchen!" Martin shouted. "Hey." He said once she entered the room. Getting up from the table, he gave her a peck on the lips before wrapping his arm around her waist. "Ruthie, you remember my Aunt Betsy."
Ruthie smiled at the petite blonde who was standing up to greet her. "Of course. It's great to see you again."
Betsy giggled walking over to Ruthie. "Don't be so formal. I feel like I've never missed a moment in your life. Martin talks about you all the time."
Martin blushed while Ruthie poked him in the side grinning.
"Don't embarrass the boy, Sis." Beau commented walking closer to the group from his place at the sink.
"Oh, please." Betsy scoffed. "I'm family. It's my job to embarrass him in front of his girlfriend."
Ruthie laughed lightly. Betsy looked pretty much the same from the last time she saw her four years ago. Her hair was still bleached blonde cut to her shoulders. Her short black dress was a throwback to the go-go era and her characteristic knee length socks showed off her long slender legs. Betsy may be a little ditsy but Ruthie couldn't help but like her perky personality.
The water ran gently over Ruthie's hands as she scrubbed them with soap. Toweling her hands off, she opened the door to the powder room only to be pushed back in again. "Okay, you do know that this bathroom is only for one, right?"
"Yes, I know that." Betsy rolled her eyes in a way that didn't completely convince Ruthie.
"So you just decided it was time for a gang toity?" Ruthie inquired after Betsy just stood there for a second in silence.
"Oh, no." Betsy finally caught on. "I told Martin and my brother that I needed to make a phone call but I really wanted to talk to you alone."
"Why?" Ruthie was getting slightly annoyed at being stuck in a very small bathroom.
"I'm engaged." Betsy whispered.
"What?!" Ruthie's annoyance quickly changed to enthusiasm. "That's great!"
"Shh!" Betsy placed her finger on her lip motioning Ruthie to be quiet. "I don't want Beau and Martin to know."
Ruthie stood there confused. She was beginning to reconsider the whole psychology thing if it meant trying to understand people like Betsy. "Again, I ask why?"
"Because you know how controlling Martin can be. Well, he got it from his father. They need to be eased into it and you're just the one to help me." Betsy grinned mischievously.
Ruthie just stared at her with an unenthused. "Why am I just the one to help you?"
Betsy didn't even have to think. "Because you're a Camden. You're family's full of drama. You got experience."
Ruthie shrugged. She's got a point. "Fine. My expertise is yours."
Betsy clapped her hands and squealed as quietly as possible. "You're the best." She leaned over grasping Ruthie in a hug. Ruthie just rolled her eyes.
It was a beautiful February day. It was chilly but not too chilly. The park was crowded with parents and their playing children. The Brewers and Ruthie headed toward a uncrowded area near the man-made lake.
"What are you two whispering about back there?" Beau asked turning his head to see Betsy and Ruthie close together murmuring to each other.
Betsy straightened her back. "Nothing. Just girl stuff."
"You know, Ruthie. I don't think Felicity would like it you found a new best friend."
Ruthie scoffed. "Please, Betsy's not…" She paused when she saw Betsy's sweet yet annoying eyes stare at her. "I mean, Felicity's not the jealous type" Betsy squealed a little and squeezed her "new best friend" around the shoulders.
Martin sent a grin to Ruthie to show her knew she had no desire to be best friends with the perky Betsy.
Beau stretched out the blanket on the grass. Martin set the picnic basket on the ground and sat down to start unpacking it. Ruthie hurried over to help him. As they all settled down, their eyes all fell on the birthday cake that lay in the middle of the blanket. 'Happy Birthday' it read. Ruthie reached for Martin's hand and squeezed. He smiled and put his other hand on top of hers.
With tears in his eyes, Beau announced, "Let's pray."
The fried chicken was eaten. The lemonade was drunk. The cake was cut into. Tears were shed. Laughs were shared. And Ruthie absorbed it all in. She loved it. She loved that she felt like she was really part of this family. But then Betsy gave her the signal and suddenly, Ruthie wished that she didn't feel an obligation to this family.
Betsy pretended to choke on a piece of cake.
"Are you alright?" Martin asked. He poured a glass of lemonade and handed it to her.
Letting down on the choking, Betsy accepted the paper cup. "I'm fine." She drank. "I just tend to choke randomly."
"Since when?" Beau asked in disbelief.
Betsy ignored his comment. "It's just I feel a little guilty and when I feel guilty I choke."
"No. You don't." Beau said completely confused over his sister's strange actions.
Betsy just continued to ignore him. "This is a day of celebrating and I feel guilty that I almost held something back from you that we should be celebrating."
"That's something to feel guilty about?" Martin shot her the 'are you crazy' look.
That was Ruthie's cue to be exactly like Ruthie. "Oh for pity's sakes. She's trying to tell you she's engage." It was no problem to sound like she was annoyed since she really was.
"You're engaged?!" Martin and Beau exclaimed.
"Yes." Betsy replied meekly expecting the outrage to come out any minute from her brother and nephew.
"That's great." Martin said.
"I'm so happy for you. I can't believe my little sister's getting married." Beau added.
Betsy blinked. "Wait. You aren't mad."
"Why would we be mad." The older brother asked.
"Because I'm your little sister. You're supposed to be stubborn and protective when it comes to me getting married."
Beau scoffed. "Please. You're twenty-eight years old and have lived in New York by yourself for the past four years. You're certainly old enough to make your own decisions. Besides your fiancé Brad called me before he proposed to ask for permission."
"You knew?!" Betsy left her mouth open in surprise.
Beau nodded. Ruthie dropped her head into her hands not believe she just spent all that time being pulled into a stupid plan that was completely unnecessary. Martin let out a chuckle. Then Beau started to laugh. Betsy soon joined in. Ruthie lifted her head up. Martin poked her in the side until she started to laugh to.
It was late in the evening before Ruthie got home. She came in the door smiling thinking about the great day she had had. "Hey, Mom." She greeted her mother in the kitchen.
"Hi honey. Did you have a nice day?" She asked stiffly.
"Very nice. Betsy's engaged."
"Well, nice for her." Annie sounded unenthusiastic has she concentrated on washing some dishes.
Ruthie looked down at the floor disappointedly. "Yeah. I think I'll go upstairs and get some work done."
"Okay." Annie replied not even looking up.
Ruthie walked toward the stairs pausing to look at her mom scrub away. Why is it that Mr. Brewer can accept Betsy marrying a guy he's never met but my own Mom can't accept me dating a guy she knows and once loved? I want to fit in with my family just has much as I fit in with the Brewers.
Next Week on Far Away: A person from Ruthie's past comes to her after a tragedy.
