Sunday evening after closing up Ben asked Meg to come to the office “I need some personal information so I can pay you” Ben said and Meg sat down opposite him at the desk. “And of course I have to ask you if you want to continue working. I know you’re on your vacation, but I’m really in need of a waitress” “And I’ve really loved working here this week so if it was a question I’d really like to work next week too. I’ve got a flight home from LA on Saturday afternoon” Ben looked up from some papers “I will hate to see you go, but I’m very happy you’ll stay on this week” Meg got up to get ready to leave “Can I ask you a favor Meg?” “Sure, you name it” she said “Could you fill in for Mark at the Java Web on Tuesday?” she was surprised “Sure” “Good, someone told him to take a chance on an adventure so he’s asked for an audition with my aunt at the radio station” Meg blushed “I guess I owe you it then” she picked her purse up “Meg, there’s another thing I’d like to ask you” but just as usual he was cut off, this time by the phone “Can we talk tomorrow? I’m quite tired” Ben nodded and concentrated on the phone call. It was -someone who had lost something.
The week rushed by and before she knew it, it was Friday afternoon. Meg had been needed at the Java web again so Ben had given her the evening off since it was her last day in Sunset Beach. Ben had felt a connection between them and he was now pretty sure that she was Dorothy from Kansas. When he checked his mails that afternoon there was a new message from her “S.B I’m sorry we never got around to meet and now I have to go back home, but who knows maybe someday I’ll come back again” Ben felt a sadness and made a rush decision “Dorothy” he started the mail “I’d really like to meet you and show you the spectacular sunset from a bit above. Could you come to 1303 Ocean Drive just before sunset tonight? Don’t be scared that the house looks a bit run down but I’m about to start renovating it.” He sent it and hoped that Meg was getting it. His backup-plan was to ask her out for dinner to say thanks for helping out these weeks, if she said no he’d know she’d gotten the mail.
Even though Meg wasn’t going to work she was at the Deep already at 6 pm. She was restless and confused, was she going to meet S.B or not, and especially since he had told her about the house. Well the sun wasn’t about to set just yet so she had a bit of time to decide. She sat down at the bar and was surprised when she saw Ben there and not Roger “You’re working yourself tonight?” she asked “Well I’m starting up at least, Roger’s coming in later on” he put a glass of wine in front of her “Think this was what you had your first evening here” Meg smiled at him “It sure was, not had any since” she sipped it “So, have you made any dinner plans?” Ben asked “I thought otherwise if I maybe could take you out to say thank you for your hard work” that was when Meg decided “It would be nice, but I’m actually meeting someone that I’ve been trying to track down since I came here” Ben tried his best to look disappointed “Oh, that’s nice for you” inside he was happy, he really liked Meg and hated to see her go. Of course his divorce was far from final but with Meg going back he didn’t know when he could persuade her to come back. Meg finished her wine “I’ll come back later on to say bye to everyone” she told Ben and walked up the stairs.
Ben quickly gathered the picnic basket he had ordered and went to his new house. He wanted to be there before Meg came and he wanted to have set the picnic up on the upstairs balcony too. The house didn’t look much to the world, it was dusty and the wallpaper wasn’t much to show either but still he wanted Meg to see it before she left.
Meg walked down the beach side until she came to the house, it did look nice enough, but it was in need of renovating. She was a bit nervous and still not sure if she was going to go around the house and ring the doorbell. But she was curious so she soon stood in front of the door. She rang the bell and got the biggest surprise in her life when she saw who opened the door.
“You? Ben, what are you doing here?” Meg was confused “Please Meg, let me explain” he took her hand and lead her inside “First sorry for the mess, it’s true the house is mine and I am going to start renovating it” he closed the door behind her “It took me some time, but then I had my suspicions. Remember all those times I’ve tried to talk to you and we’ve been interrupted” Meg thought back to when Annie came into the Java Web and just the last Sunday “I wanted to ask you to be sure” Ben held onto her hands and looked her straight into her eyes “Meg, are you ‘Dorothy from Kansas’?” She was in shock and couldn’t answer but she nodded her head “I’m so happy you are, if you’ve not figured it, I’m the one that’s S.B” “But how?” Meg asked “Well it was the little things, you being from Kansas, the way you love strawberries and how you talked about the sunset. And of course your mails” “But why didn’t you…” Meg started “Oh, Maria of course, that’s why you didn’t want me to come” Ben shook his head “Not at all, I’m all done with her, well not all done we still need the divorce to be final, but she hurt me Meg, that’s why I didn’t want you to come, I couldn’t stand being hurt again” “But why now, you know I’m going home tomorrow” Meg was getting furious “What’s the use of us meeting like Dorothy and S.B when I’m leaving?” “Shh” Ben put a finger to her lips “We can talk later, but I want to show you something first” He took her hand and led her up the stairs, thru a corridor and a big room out onto the balcony. They stepped out just in time to see one of the most spectacular sunsets. It was first after that Meg noticed the big bowl with strawberries in the middle of the table “Do you know you’re incredible” Meg turned around and looked at him. Ben shrugged his shoulders “I guess this is just me being me” he pulled out a chair for her “Sorry that it’s all so simple, the deal just went thru Monday and I’ve not had so much time to fix things. And besides I wasn’t even sure you would show up” “Ben, it’s fantastic” Meg smiled at him “I mean the food looks delicious and the strawberries, well what can I say” she looked out over the ocean “And the view is breathtaking, it can’t be much better”
Ben and Meg spent most of the evening there on the balcony talking about everything, when it got a bit chilly Ben took Meg on a tour of the house “This” he said as they walked off the balcony “I’m planning on using as master bedroom” Meg smiled “With this view and the sunset just outside it can’t be better really, how many rooms is there in the house?” she asked “Well this and three more here upstairs” he took her out thru the corridor and showed her the other rooms “Then downstairs there’s the big living room and a smaller one that I thought I’d use as a home office and of course the kitchen” “Show me” Meg said and started to walk down the stairs “Now, this is a room that really needs a makeover” Ben said as he stopped outside the kitchen door “Come on Ben, let me see it” Meg pushed passed him “Don’t say I didn’t warn you” Ben was just a step behind and bumped into Meg as she had stopped the second she stepped into the kitchen, it was true it needed renovating “Ben, what a kitchen this is I can really see the potential” she turned around “Do you have any plans drawn up?” Meg was excited “Not really. I got some architect’s plans that the previous owner had made up, but I doubt I’ll stick to them” they walked back into the living room where he showed her the plans. Meg took out a pen from her purse and with Ben’s permission started to move things around “Sorry, I got a bit excited there” Meg said “It’s your house not mine” Ben stood beside her “But you know what, I agree on most of the things, you got a great eye for design Meg” Meg blushed “It’s true, have you studied design in college?” “I majored in Economics, but I took interior design one term” “It shows on these” Ben pointed to the plans.
Meg got a glance of Ben’s wrist watch “Is that the time?” she said “I need to go. It’s been lovely Ben. Not only tonight but working at the Deep and the Java web, it was just what I needed” “Meg, it doesn’t have to end here” Ben said “Yes Ben, remember I’m going back to Kansas tomorrow” Ben took her hand “Meg, I mean it” he looked her deep in the eyes and bent forward to kiss her “Ben, please don’t” Meg said, but the attraction was too big and she gave in for the kiss. As they walked back to the Deep they didn’t talk much, Ben reached for her hand, how could he let her go he had just started to get to know her but he knew this was the real thing, nothing at all like what he had had with Maria. Meg’s head was filled with questions; Ben’s kiss had been breathtaking, would she ever get over that. Her life was still back in Kansas although she had a lot of new friends in Sunset Beach who she hated to leave. She also let herself toy with the ideas of renovating the house with Ben and live there for the rest of their lives. Those three rooms upstairs would be great as guestrooms at first and when they had children they’d redecorate them. ‘Children, snap out of it Meg’ the thought to herself. The walk to the Deep wasn’t long enough to wonder further.
Everyone was there; Gabi, Paula, Michael and Vanessa, Casey and Rae and a few others Meg had gotten to know the short time she’d been in town “Meg, you have to come back soon” Gabi said “I totally agree” Vanessa filled in “Two weeks are too short” Meg hugged them both “I feel the same, but I need to face things at home and besides, I have to get back to work on Monday” “Wouldn’t have been much of a honey moon if you had gone thru with the wedding would it?” Gabi stated “Sure wouldn’t” Meg agreed “I’m happy I did find out before the wedding” she looked around for Ben she hadn’t had time to talk to him at all since they arrived back at the Deep. As the others got up to dance Meg went up to the office to see if Ben was there “Ben, are you here?” she called but got no answer so she walked inside. Just as she was about to turn around and leave again when Ben came out of the shower, stark naked about to wrap the towel around his hips “I’m… I’m so so sorry” Meg stuttered “I knocked and called but you didn’t answer. I will leave at once” she was on her way to the door “Meg” Ben said calmly and as she turned around he was about to put his watch on “You don’t have to leave” he wasn’t the slightest embarrassed. “I think I better” Meg had the hand on the door “Will you wait for me downstairs at least?” Ben asked and Meg nodded.
Meg was sitting at the bar as Ben came down stairs, he walked over and stood beside her “Would you like to dance?” she hesitated a bit “I told Mark to put on one of my favorite songs” it started to play and Meg noticed it was a slow song, you couldn’t make a fool of yourself dancing slowly. She put her hand in Ben’s “Yes, I’d love to dance with you”
Feels like we've been here before
Feels like I've known you all of my life
It's all that it seems
Watching the waves kiss the shore
Seeing your smile light up the night
We'll find our dreams
Beyond the Sunset
All that love means
Beyond the Sunset
(beyond the, beyond the sun)
This is our time
You're all I'm thinking of
You are the one love time can't erase
Oh, girl
And when you are mine
I live each day for your love
And we'll live forever in this magic place
You and me, baby
We'll find our dreams
Beyond the Sunset
(beyond the, beyond the sun)
All that love means
Beyond the Sunset
(beyond the, beyond the sun)
Just you and me
Beyond the Sunset
(beyond the, beyond the sun)
A brave new world
Beyond the Sunset
(beyond the, beyond the sun)
Beyond the Sunset
(beyond the, beyond the sun)
All that love means
Beyond the Sunset
(beyond the, beyond the sun)
___________________________________________________________________________
All connections to Sunset Beach and real life characters are purely for your pleasure.
©tinadolphin@comhem.se 2012-
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