Chapter 18: Pro Life (Part 2)

Ruthie nervously took the squealing tea pot of the burner. Pouring the hot water into the china teapot on the tray, she glanced anxiously down the hall. She put the other teapot back on the stove and lifted the tray carefully before walking toward the living room as quickly as she could without spilling something.

"I made some tea." She announced raising the tray up slightly to show it off to the three people sitting in the living room before placing it on the coffee table.

"Good." Eric said looking at his daughter take a seat next to Peter on the couch opposite him. "I'll take a cup."

"Would you like some tea too?" Ruthie asked Peter after serving her father.

Peter looked up. "Uh, no. I don't really like tea that much."

Stacy scoffed from the arm chair. "Yeah. Peter doesn't like tea because it's too dainty. He has a thing about being a 'man.'" She folded her arms glaring at Peter.

Ruthie shot her father a concerned look.

"Wanting to be a part of the decision on whether we wanted our child alive has nothing to do with wanting to be a man!" Peter arose in anger.

Stacy rose up quickly to meet Peter in the eye. "Yes. It does. Men like to control women. It's my body. I should be able to make any decision affecting it that I want."

"Not when it affects the life of my child!" Peter yelled.

Eric rose up quickly to get between them. "Uh, why don't we hold all these thoughts until tomorrow morning? We might be a little calmer after a good night's sleep."

Ruthie nodded furiously in agreement.

"You're each welcome to take one of the guest bedrooms." Eric suggested.

"Fine." Peter and Stacy said still glaring at each other.

"Good morning, mom. Why aren't you at church with Dad and the twins." Ruthie greeted entering the kitchen and pouring herself a glass of orange juice.

"I thought you could use an extra backup here. One Sunday won't hurt." Annie placed a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "Did you sleep okay?"

Ruthie leaned her elbows on the counter. "Uh, yeah. I was worried about Peter. You wouldn't know where he is, would you? I checked his room. He wasn't there."

Annie put some bread in the toaster. "He was up early. We had a little talk and then he went for a walk."

Ruthie nodded. "What'd you talk about?"

Annie shrugged. "High school. Parenthood. You."

Ruthie jerked up. "Me? Why would you talk about me."

Annie took her toasted bread out of the toaster. "He's just been wondering what exactly happened with your relationship. He thinks if he had just been able to keep you, this whole tragedy wouldn't have happened."

Ruthie cocked her head confused. "But Peter and I were more friends than anything."

Annie smiled slyly. "Do honestly believe that? I think Peter was always been in love with you."

Ruthie gaped before throwing her hands up in frustration. "Why is that all my ex-boyfriend can't get over me?"

Annie gave her a questioning look.

"Jane told me a couple months ago that T Bone's still in love with me."

Annie smiled happily. "He is. Is he?"

Ruthie placed her hand on her hip. "Mom." She said whiney.

"What?" Annie shrugged.

Ruthie just rolled her eyes.

"Look who I ran into in the backyard." The Colonel announced as he barged through the back door guiding Peter with a hand on his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me Peter was visiting? I would have come over to borrow a screwdriver sooner."

"Well, we didn't know you cared for Peter so much." Annie commented.

"I'm always eager to catch up with old friends." The Colonel answered. "And I have a feeling Peter is here for more than just a friendly visit."

Ruthie, Annie, and Peter looked at each other uncomfortably.

And that was the end of it. There was no way they could not tell the Colonel the truth and as soon as he knew it, he dragged Peter into Eric's office to have a "talk."

Ruthie and Annie followed after them helplessly closing and opening their mouths until the door was shut in their faces.

"Mom!" Ruthie expelled exasperated.

"What? I can't control the Colonel. No one can control the Colonel." Annie placed her hands on Ruthie's cheeks. "Besides the Colonel could probably help Peter out." She headed back toward the kitchen.

"What does the Colonel know about this?" Ruthie followed throwing her hands up in the air.

Annie turned. "You'd be surprised. Now, why don't you go up and see if Stacy is awake."

Ruthie stood there. "Why?"

Annie sighed. "Because she may be scared to come down. I want you to encourage her."

"Mom, I met her last night. She doesn't strike me as one to be scared. And she doesn't even like me. Probably for a reason you've already told me."

"Ruthie, put herself in your shoes. Could you imagine how you would feel after making a decision like that?" Annie gave her that motherly look.

Ruthie lowered her shoulders in defeat. "Fine. I'll go see if she's up."

Ruthie approached the door to the bedroom which used to be hers when she was five. She was about to knock when she heard Stacy's muffled tears. Pausing and biting her lip, she sighed before knocking gently on the door.

There was some rustling and then Stacy announced, "Come in."

Ruthie slowly entered to see Stacy sitting on the bed applying makeup while looking into her compact. Even with the application of makeup, Stacy's puffy eyes told the real story.

"What do you want?" Stacy sneered.

Ruthie lowered her eyebrows. "I was just coming to see if you wanted some breakfast. But I can see you too busy pretending you don't care about that child you were once pregnant with so I'll just leave you to your tears." She was always one to fight fire with fire.

Stacy rolled her eyes. "Well, aren't you a little smart aleck. I was not…" She paused blinking furiously before completely breaking down. "Crying." She finished dropping her head in her hands.

Ruthie gently sat down next to her. "I'm sorry."

Stacy lifted her head and looked at Ruthie between her tears. "No. I'm the one who should be sorry. I've been horrible." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I didn't know what to do. I panicked and the next thing I knew I wasn't pregnant anymore."

Ruthie solemnly nodded. "Do your parents know about it?"

Stacy shook her head. "No. My mom died three years ago and my Dad's in Iraq. I live with my grandparents. It would have killed them."

"You're Dad's in Iraq?" Ruthie confirmed. "My boyfriend's father served in Iraq for a few years."

"You have a boyfriend?" Stacy asked. "Does Peter know?"

Ruthie laughed a little. "Yeah."

Stacy pursed her lips together. "Peter must love that." She paused before continuing. "You know, I grew up always wanting to be a mother. My Mom was head of the children's ministry at our church. She taught me to love kids. I had dozens of dolls all of which I consider my 'children.' Then my mother died, and I lost all interest in being a mother. I didn't want to put my kids through what I went through when I lost my mom. And then, a year later, my Dad was sent off to Iraq. I just didn't care what I did with my life. Why should I care about abstinence when God didn't seem to care about my parents?"

Ruthie placed her hand of Stacy's back rubbing it gently. Stacy looked up at her appreciatively as tears formed in her eyes again. "It's funny, it took me purposely losing my child, to make me realize how much I still want to be a mother. I want to show my kids the love my parents showed me."

Ruthie sighed. "I think, you should tell Peter all of this. He may stop hating you."

Stacy nodded. "You're right. It's time to come clean." She wiped her eyes and stood up. "Now I know why Peter loves you so much."

"It seems to be a curse of mine. Heavens knows why. I'm way too selfish to have my ex-boyfriends in love with me." Ruthie stood up.

Stacy laughed a little. "If you're selfish, than I'm a saint."

When the two reached the living room, they found Peter, the Colonel and Annie all sitting there waiting for them. Peter immediately jumped up. "Hey." He said with a slight smile on his face.

Stacy smiled weakly too. "Hey."

There was a moment of silence until the Colonel cleared his throat.

Peter took the signal. "Um, do you want to talk outside, Stacy?"

Stacy nodded and the two walked out.

Ruthie plopped down on the couch next the Colonel. "I think they might be okay. What did you tell Peter?"

"That he should get all his feelings out in the open to Stacy, then tell his parents, and then get counseling." The Colonel said straightforwardly.

"The same thing Eric told him." Annie informed from the arm chair.

"Yeah. Well, I have a way of intimidating people into doing things." The Colonel said. "This way we all know Peter will do it."

Ruthie just laughed through her nose.

The front door could be heard opening and closing and soon Eric, Martin and the Twins walked in the living room.

"Colonel!" The twins exclaimed running over to their grandpa.

"Hey, guys!" The Colonel leaned forward to hug the eight year-olds.

"Did you come to play cowboys?" David asked.

The Colonel smiled. "Well, I didn't but how about I come back later."

The Twins nodded eagerly.

"Boys, why don't you go change out of your church clothes?" Annie suggested.

"Okay." Sam said and he and David headed toward the stairs.

"Well, I should be getting back home. Ruth is probably wondering what's taking me." The Colonel stood up. "Can I get that screwdriver, Annie?"

"Oh, yeah." Annie stood up quickly. "Sure. Come on." They started out the door.

Eric caught Annie's arm. "Oh, I invited Martin to Sunday dinner, if that's okay?"

Annie looked at Martin and then back at her husband. She put on a false smile. "Sure. No problem."

"Good to see you again, Martin." The Colonel shook Martin's hand before following after Annie toward the kitchen.

"I guess I'll go change my clothes." Eric announced patting Martin on the back and then heading up the stairs.

Ruthie patted the empty cushion next to her indicating Martin to sit down.

"Your Dad told me about Peter. That sucks." Martin said as he sat down.

"Yeah. It does but I think he'll be okay." Ruthie informed.

"Good." Martin grabbed Ruthie's hand and started playing with it.

Ruthie looked down biting her lip. "Martin."

"Yes?" He asked still fiddling with her hand.

"I'm trying to be serious, Martin." Ruthie looked him in the eye.

"Oh, right. Serious face." Martin let go of her hand but continued to grin at her.

Ruthie sighed. "I'm sorry."

Martin's grin disappeared. "Sorry for what?"

Ruthie sighed even deeper. "I've been really resentful toward Aaron the past few months. Honestly, I've downright hated him wishing he'd never been born."

Martin sat up straighter. "Oh."

Ruthie grabbed his hands. "But now after seeing Peter grieve; I realize how much you love Aaron. I feel horrible for ever hated him and from now on, I'm going to love him like he is my own."

Martin smiled and put his free hand over Ruthie's hand. "Good. I'm glad."

Ruthie smiled and moved in closer letting Martin put his arm around her. She pulled herself up to give him a kiss before settling back into his arms contentedly.

Sunday dinner went along fine if not a little quiet. The only ones talking were Sam and David. Peter and Stacy seemed to be getting along but still didn't want to talk that much. Martin and Ruthie were still in a mushy daze after their conversation earlier so they were constant playing with each other's hand and glancing at each other while Peter looked on with jealousy. Annie tried all she could to break it up. Now Ruthie was lying on her bed reading a book.

"Hey, Ruthie." Peter knocked on the door frame. "I'm just about to leave. I wanted to say goodbye and thank you."

Ruthie jumped up from her bed. "No problem. That's what friends are for."

Peter nodded. "I see Martin left."

"Yeah. I'm going over to his place later. We're gonna watch a movie."

"I guess things are going well for you two." Peter said solemnly.

Ruthie smiled. "They are."

Peter faked a laugh. "Well, he seems perfect for you."

Ruthie just shrugged.

Peter lowered his shoulders. "I guess sometimes I wish I could have been the one perfect for you."

Ruthie cocked her head and looked at Peter sympathetically. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll find someone who's perfect for you. Maybe even Stacy."

Peter shook his head. "No. Not Stacy. We may be getting along now but we'll never get past all the hurt."

Ruthie moved over and gave Peter a hug. "I'm sorry this happened to you."

Peter returned the hug. "Me too."

Next Time on Far Away: Ruthie's college acceptance letter gets her to a boiling point with Annie (April 5)