That One Night

Chapter 3

"Oh, my God! How could this happen to you? Babe, who was it?" Martin asked.

Ruthie had just taken half an hour to describe to Martin exactly what was wrong with her, why something was wrong with her, and what had happened, minute by minute.

"I don't know. I don't even know who did this to me. It sucks because I can't tell him, can't yell at him, and I can't curse him for doing this to me. I just want to make it all go away and I can't. I just can't." Ruthie now had tears rolling down her cheeks.

Martin, now holding her head in his arms, was crying right along with her.

"Ruth, how are you going to tell your parents? Do you want me to tell them? God, I can't even imagine how you're feeling right now."

Ruthie suddenly became nervous as she realized something.

"You're not going to dump me already, are you?"

Martin was completely surprised by this.

"No, baby, the last thing I could do is leave you right now. I told you earlier, that whatever you go through, I'll be right by your side no matter what. Ruth, I love you and nothing is going to change that, okay? I love you."

Ruthie settled back in his arms.

"I love you too. Please, just don't tell anybody about any of this, okay? I just can't take it right now. I'm freaking out beyond belief, I don't know anything about this and I'm nervous. I just, I don't even want to think about it."

Martin kissed her hair and sat in her bed, cuddling her. They sat like this for a while until Martin noticed the clock on the wall; it read 7:30. Guess I missed dinner, he thought.

"Wait a minute," Martin said. "Weren't you starving yourself?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Ruthie, that's dangerous! Even more so with this now added to it all. Why? If you suspected this, why weren't you eating?"

"I was hoping that it was just me eating too much. Then I went into denial and it went to hell from there. That's why I'm here. I'm sorry; I really didn't mean to scare you. I scared myself more than you."

"Did you really pass out? Or was that just to get your mother off your case?"

"I really did, do you really think that in my condition I would want to come to the hospital? I'm just glad Dr. Brooks didn't tell them. I want them to find out from me, eventually."

Which may be never.

Martin got up and grabbed his coat.

"Look, I have to go, but I'll be back tomorrow, okay? Please, just be careful and don't cry. It kills me watching you cry."

Ruthie briefly smiled.

"Okay, I love you."

"Love you too, babe."

Ruthie felt a shiver going up her spine hearing Martin talk to her like that. Suddenly, she felt sick again.

"Martin..."

Ruthie couldn't finish and ran to the toilet. Martin rushed to her side and held her hair back. Once she finished throwing up, Ruthie began bawling.

"I hate this! I hate this! I hate it all! Make it all go away, Martin! Please!"

"I can't, Ruth. I just can't." Martin spoke softly, rubbing Ruthie's back.

Martin walked through the front door of the Camden residence and heard everyone talking in the kitchen. He threw his keys on the table and slowly walked towards the kitchen. As he passed a mirror, he noticed how awful he looked. He quickly dashed to the bathroom, to wash away the stains of tears, although he knew there would be many more to come.