Starting over chapter 13

Chapter thirteen
Together Ben and Meg left his office and went down to mingle with the crowd. Ben had made plans with Casey Mitchum for him to be outside and come in when he spotted Derek and Sarah. The first people Ben introduced Meg to was Gabriella Martinez and Ricardo Torres “We’ve actually met briefly” Meg said when she shook hands with Ricardo “Sarah and I was over at the police station with some business papers” Ricardo smiled “I remember and I’m looking forward to the hotel opening, it was a place where we went for Sunday dinners when I grew up” “Wow, I didn’t know that, you have to tell me more about it” Meg said “Sure thing, just give me a call at the station when you got time” he suggested. Another man came up to the little crowd “Father Antonio” Meg said when she recognized the priest that had married her sister and brother-in-law. “Please just Antonio when I’m civil” he smiled and shook her hand. He kissed Gabi’s cheek and patted Ricardo’s back “How’s things bro?” he grinned and Meg looked from Antonio to Ricardo and back to look for similarities “A priest and a policeman, your mother must be proud” she said. “I’m not so sure about that” Antonio joked “Why not?” Meg asked “Well I’m a priest with all my vows and the police job isn’t exactly the safest there is” “And your mother is like every other mother is, longing for grandchildren” Meg added and he nodded his answer. Meg turned back to Gabi “And you are too working at the police station” “Yes” Gabi answered “And before you hear it by rumors I’m engaged to Ricardo” she put an arm around him. “Seems there’s more to the story” Meg said curiously “There is, but I don’t want to talk about that now” “That’s ok” Meg said “So, where do you come from originally” Gabi was speaking with a bit of an accent “Just down the border to Mexico” “That explains your accent then” Ben put his arm around Meg “There are a few more people I want you to meet” Meg smiled at the Torres’ brothers and Gabi “Nice meeting you all, let’s talk more later” Ben led her over to a table where an older couple were sitting and there were two young guys and a young woman too “Gregory, Olivia nice to see you all here” Ben said “Cait” he bent down and kissed her cheek as he shook hands with the man next to her “Great seeing you two in town, you too Sean. Uni on a break?” “Sure is” Sean said “And I couldn’t be happier than to come home for my niece’s Christening” “You’re having your baby Christened here?” Ben looked at the younger couple “Yes, Trey was so we wanted Tiffany to be Christened too” The woman said. Ben turned to Meg “This is Gregory and Olivia Richards, Gregory and I are business partners” Meg shook their hands “And this is the lovely Caitlin Deschanel their daughter and her husband Cole” Ben then ruffled Sean’s hair “And the little guy is Sean” Meg smiled at them all “It’s so nice to meet you all, I’m Meg Cummings” “Oh, you’re the one opening the hotel with your sister” Olivia said in her British accent. “Yes I am” Meg smiled “I hope you all will come for the grand opening” she said “I’m sure we will” Gregory said and looked at her daughter “Depending on how long you are staying” Caitlin put a protecting hand on her husband’s arm “Well with Cole’s broken leg we might stay a bit longer” “I’m sorry to hear” Ben looked at Cole “What happened” Cole sighed “Well, I was in a hurry to get downstairs for an extra bottle for Tiffany and I tripped on the last steps of the stairs” Caitlin smiled “And I told him she could wait a few minutes, there were no hurry” Cole looked affectionately at his wife “You know I hate hearing her cry” Caitlin looked at Meg “Do you have any children?” Meg shook her head “No” “Well maybe one day and you will also know that a few minute’s wait won’t hurt” she laughed and kissed her husband on the forehead “At least the bump’s gone down” Ben saw Casey coming down the stairs and he went over to the microphone “Showtime everyone” he said and everyone stood up and looked at the door and went all quiet. A few moments later Derek and Sarah came inside and everyone cheered and called out “Surprise” Ben took Meg’s hand and went thru the crowd towards their siblings “I hope you don’t mind, this party is my wedding present” Ben said. “Actually I don’t mind at all, I didn’t really know if I wanted a big wedding or just as we had with the immediately family” Sarah kissed Ben’s cheek and hugged her sister. Everyone wanted to congratulate the newly weds so Ben took Meg over to the bar “Do you want anything to drink?” “Yes a glass of wine would be nice” she looked him in the eyes, he had the most amazing blue eyes “What?” Ben asked “Nothing, I just love the colour of your eyes” Ben couldn’t resist but bent down and kissed Meg not minding who saw it, he didn’t want to sneak around with his love. “Whoa, whoa, whoa” someone said “Don’t tell me the Prince of Darkness has fallen as well as his twin?” Ben broke apart because he recognized the voice and with a smile he turned to the woman “Bette” he bent forward and kissed her cheek “May I introduce Meg Cummings” “Meg, this is Bette ‘Queen of the Night’ Kazen something” he laughed “I’ll never learn to pronounce that last name of yours. I don’t know why husband number seven had to have such a strange name” Bette smiled “Well took me a while and now we’re divorced” she looked at Meg “But you can call me Bette, muffin” “Nice to meet you Bette” Meg said. “So you’re a journalist?” she asked “Think it’s more gossip” Ben filled in. “And I’ve got stuff to write for a week now, so many rumors why your twin married in a hurry and who is his young wife?” “I guess you have to ask them yourself before you write anything Bette” Ben suggested. “Oh, I will” Bette said “And when is it your turn?” Ben shook his head “Bette, Bette, what makes you think such a thing?” “What makes me think? But hello” Bette said in her own special way “With such a lovely lady as muffin here you must at least have thought the thought” “But Meg and I have just met” Ben answered “It didn’t stop your brother tough” “Well Derek’s business is his own” Ben said “and in this case Sarah’s too” Meg filled in. “Oh, do you know this lovely Sarah?” Bette asked “Well you can say that. She’s my little sister” “Your sister?” “Wow, this gets better and better” Bette put a few words down in her notebook “Now I better go see the happy couple a bit” She stepped away but turned around “But I’ll be back, I want to be the first to know when it happens” “When what happens?” Meg asked “When Prince of Darkness pops the question of course” Ben laughed “You’re incurable Bette” Ben turned towards Meg “So, now we’re engaged, or as good as” he smiled “Well, it’s not very unpleasant even though it’s a bit sudden” Meg smiled back and sipped her wine.
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