I want to thank you all for supporting me over the past nine months. This has been a great experience. I only wish that Ruthie and Martin could have gotten together for real in the series. I hope you all enjoy the final chapter.
Chapter 22: Bring May Flowers
Martin stared blankly at the clean floor. Lucy paced back and forth in front of him. T Bone slouched in a chair across the room. Sandy and Jonathan sat on the couch with Martin.
"What could be taking them so long?" Lucy continued to pace.
"I'm sure the doctor is just explaining everything." Jonathan said.
Sandy shook her head. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't asked her to go to the florists for me…"
"Sandy, it's done. There's no point in blaming anyone." Jonathan squeezed her hand.
She smiled weakly. "Can I get you a drink or something, Martin?" She looked over at the young man who was still pensively staring into nothingness.
He finally looked up. "Uh, no thanks."
"I'll take a soda." T Bone spoke up.
Sandy blinked. "Uh, sure." She rolled her eyes at Jonathan before getting up.
At that moment, Eric and Annie came into the waiting room. Martin jerked up. "How is she?"
Eric put his arm around Annie. "She's has a broken arm and she suffered some head trauma which put her in a coma. The doctor is confident that she should come out of it quickly but then again it's hard to tell."
Lucy breathed out. "That's good news. Right?"
Annie nodded. "I pray that it is."
"May I go see her?" Martin asked eagerly.
Annie stuttered glancing at T Bone who was loitering in the back. "Uh, sure, Martin."
"Thanks." He jetted out of the room.
Martin slowly entered into the dark hospital room. His heart stiffened as he saw Ruthie laying there almost as if dead. He sighed and walked toward the bed taking her cold hand in his. "I love you, Ruthie." He simply stated rubbing his thumbing on the top of her hand.
What Martin didn't notice was Annie standing quietly at the doorway watching the scene in front of her.
The sunlight peaked through the blinds hitting Martin's eyelids. He slowly opened his eyes as he straightened his body out in the chair he fell asleep in.
"I thought you'd never wake up." Ruthie said looking over at him from her hospital bed.
Martin nearly fell over jumping over to the bed. "Ruthie! You're awake."
His actions stirred Annie and Eric who were asleep at the other side of the bed.
"Oh, honey." Annie started crying leaning over to hug her daughter.
"Ow, Mom. My arm." Ruthie complained.
"Oh, sorry, honey." Annie pulled back.
Eric grinned. "How you feeling, kid?" He asked as he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "Do you remember what happened?"
"I feel sick of lying in this bed. And I remember hydroplaning off the road and then nothing. But I can guess what happened." Ruthie seemed back to her old self. "Now what are we gonna do about getting me out of here. I can't miss Sandy's wedding."
Martin, Eric and Annie all just looked at each other and laughed.
Annie gripped Ruthie's uncast arm to help her up the front stoop.
"Mom, I can walk." Ruthie insisted.
"I know, honey. But the doctor told us to keep an eye out of you. You're lucky they let you out a little early because of the wedding." Annie said as they stopped at the front door watching Eric push the door open.
"Welcome home!" a group of family and friends exclaimed as Annie, Eric, Ruthie and Martin entered into the foyer.
"I haven't even been gone 24 hours." Ruthie accepted a hug from Lucy.
"So, we're glad your home." Simon emerged from the crowd to hug his little sister.
"When did you get here?" Ruthie questioned returning the hug.
"Just a little while ago. I'm sorry this happened to you." Simon said pulling away.
Sandy came up and also hugged her. "And I'm really sorry I sent you out alone in that rain."
Ruthie smiled. "It's not your fault. And hey, it certainly is sunny now."
Everyone chuckled.
"If I'm not mistaken I have a wedding to perform in several hours." Eric bellowed.
Soon the crowd dispersed but not before everyone gave Ruthie a hug. That is everyone but T Bone who which Ruthie quickly stuck her hand out to be shook.
"Do mind you if Martin goes upstairs with me for a little bit?" Ruthie asked once everyone was gone.
"That's fine. But could I say something to both of you before you leave?" Annie asked.
Ruthie and Martin nodded.
"I want to say I'm sorry. Especially to you Martin. I've be stupid. You betrayed our trust way back when slept with Sandy and you broke Ruthie's heart and I guess, I just thought you could never change back to that nice young man that once lived with us. I was wrong. You have grown into a responsible and caring father and boyfriend. Last night, showed me how much you love Ruthie. And I can only hope you can forgive me."
Martin smiled. "Of course, Mrs. Camden. You had every right to doubt me. You were once like a second mother to me and I hope you can be again."
"I'd love that." Annie smiled through slight tears embracing Martin in a hug.
"This is just going to be one of those sappy days, isn't it?" Ruthie rolled her eyes before giving her mom a big hug. "Thanks, Mom. This means the world to me."
Annie patted her daughter on the back before pushing her away. "Now, go upstairs and start getting ready for the wedding."
Ruthie just laughed and followed Martin up the stairs.
Once they reached the upstairs hallway Ruthie grabbed Martin's hand. "So now that we have my parent's blessing, do you want to go make out my room?"
Martin moved closer gripping Ruthie's waste. "As much as I loved to, I don't think your parents will ever be okay with that."
Ruthie pouted. "Please."
Martin grinned leaning down and kissing her. "There are four hours until the wedding and I have things to do." He said pulling away.
Ruthie moved her eyebrows down. "What kind of things?"
"It's a surprise." He kissed her again. "Now go make yourself look beautiful."
Ruthie feigned a gasp. "What I'm not beautiful now?"
"Uh, you could use a little work." He teased.
Ruthie playfully slapped him on the shoulder and then kissed him again. "Okay, go. But I better find out what this surprise is soon."
Martin walked toward the stairs. "You will. Don't worry."
T Bone was slouched over in a chair Eric's office when Jane walked in. She was surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?" She asked.
"I was just talking to Mrs. Camden." T Bone sat up straight. "She pretty much told me I have no hope with Ruthie."
Jane rolled her eyes. "You don't. Face it. She and Martin found each other and no one else as a chance."
T Bone nodded sadly. "Yeah. So why are you here?"
Jane sighed. "I was trying to get a breather before the wedding started. I can't stand being around all these happy people when I'm not happy."
"What's wrong?" T Bone asked concerned.
Jane hesitated a second. "Let's just say I'm in love with a boy who's never been able to see me."
"You mean Martin?"
Jane laughed. "No not Martin."
"Mac?"
"No."
"Then who?"
"You." Jane slowly met her eyes with T Bone's.
"Oh." T Bone said swallowing. "Really?"
Jane smiled. "Yeah."
"Want to go to a wedding with me?" T Bone asked standing up and extending his hand.
"Absolutely." Jane accepted his hand.
"Mind if I cut in." Ruthie tapped on her mother's shoulder.
Annie released herself from Martin's arms. "Of course not, honey. Have fun." She kissed Ruthie on the forehead . "I think he's a keeper." She whispered in her hear before walking away.
Ruthie laughed as Martin took her into his arms to start dancing. "My mother was always one for mood swings."
"I think all the Camden girls are ones for mood swings." Martin grinned down at his girlfriend.
Ruthie smirked. "Ha Ha. Very funny."
Martin just pulled her in closer and they danced silently. Ruthie gazed around the room. "I can't believe where we are." She murmured.
"At Sandy's wedding reception?" Martin pulled back a little to look at her face.
Ruthie shook her head. "No. Here. Dancing together. We are together. After all those years. We finally made it. And look around us. Everybody in my family is happy for once. Lucy and Kevin got over the worst tragedy and career decisions and are now completely content with two beautiful little girls. Simon finally grew up and now has a wife and a job that could lead him to his dreams coming true. My Dad did what I never thought he could do: retire and still be happy. My mom, Matt, Mary, Sam and David, your Dad, Mac, Margaret, Jane, T Bone. They all got their lives in order."
"I doubt they will all be in order for long." Martin said.
Ruthie shrugged. "Yeah, but still it's always nice to see the end of something. And now, I'm completely ready to move on to the next misadventure the Lord sends to me."
"Well, I hope there's not too much misadventure." Martin said slyly.
Ruthie looked up at him with a raise eyebrow. "What?"
Martin smiled. "You know that surprise I was talking about."
"Yeah." Ruthie smiled slightly confused.
Martin stopped dancing and pulled an envelope out of his jacket pocket. "It just happens that I found two round trip tickets to Scotland."
Ruthie snatched the enveloped from his hands. She opened it. "These tickets say we leave in two weeks."
"Yep. Right after Sandy gets back from her honeymoon."
Ruthie's face broke into joy. "You're taking me to Scotland?! And my parents are okay with it?"
Martin laughed. "Believe it or not. They are." He got serious. "I love you Ruthie more than anything in this world."
Tears welled in Ruthie's eyes. "I love you too, Martin." She jumped into his arms. "No matter what the future brings. I will always and forevermore be in love with you."
The End.
