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"Ruth, I'm back. Where are you? We're hungry." Martin called as he let himself and Mac into the apartment later that evening after their meeting.
"Where is she?" Mac questioned, looking around the living room and wandering into the kitchen and dining room.
"Well I don't think she's hiding under the table, Mac." Martin joked, as he headed down the hall towards their bedrooms.
"Ruthie you in here?" He called as he opened her bedroom door to find her curled up on her bed sleeping.
He shook his head at the sight in front of him. She must have fallen asleep while listening to the radio because he could hear it playing softly in the background. She also had a photo album out next to her that she must have been looking at. He moved closer to see who was in it.
He was a little taken aback to see that almost all the photos were of Ruthie and he. Looking closer he could see that she had been adding more to it. There were even a few lying out on the bed next to her hand from this summer that she hadn't put in yet.
He smiled as he slid the album away from her and towards him as he sank to sit on the edge of her bed. As he flipped through the pages memories flashed through his mind. It wasn't that he had forgotten all the time spent with Ruthie, it was simply that the pictures just made the memories more tangible.
He heard her sigh as she moved a little in her sleep and he could hear Mac's heavy footsteps as he walked down the hall so he closed the album and shook her shoulder lightly. When she didn't really move he trailed his hand down her side, which he knew would tickle her.
"Stop." She said simply, not giving any other indication that she was awake.
"Well, well, well. Who's the grumpy one now?" Martin bragged, as he kept himself from laughing at her unhappy face.
"I'm not grumpy." She responded, as she opened her eyes to meet his warm brown ones that were at the moment dancing with laughter.
"Fine you're not grumpy. Are you ready to go? Mac said he's going to eat his arm if we don't get to a place soon." Martin relayed, as Mac came to stand in the doorway.
"I did say that, didn't I?" He inquired, shaking his head at his own stupidity, "Well I probably meant it so we should really go now."
"Okay. Okay. Just let me go splash water on my face and I'll be ready." Ruthie said, crawling out of her bed and leaving the two boys to wait for her.
"Ready." She said a minute later as she walked past Mac and headed out the front door.
"She's definitely in charge here." Mac complained, looking at Martin for some denial or assurance that he was possibly wrong.
"Definitely." Martin agreed, his answer not what Mac had been hoping for but at least truthful.