As Mark was doing his radio debut at SB-Radio Ben had to cut the work in the house short. He dropped Meg of at her place and went back to Surf Central to shower and change. Just before he was to leave he looked at the pile of mail by the telephone and recognized the official envelope from his lawyer’s. He opened it and found his signed copy of the divorce. He smiled Maria had gone along with his wishes, she had gotten a small amount of money and the house was now in her name. He hadn’t expected to feel this free as he did. Of course he had loved Maria, but he now knew she wasn’t his soul mate. But Meg was, he’s own sweet Meg who had agreed to come live with him in his ocean side house, life was good to him he realized and happened to glance at the clock, he was running late so he put the envelope back in his pile of post and went to the Deep.
Stepping out of the shower Meg felt a little light headed and she realized she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. She dressed quickly and went downstairs to get something to eat as she still hadn’t been shopping for groceries herself. As no one was to be seen she sat down at the ‘bar’ and looked thru one of Elaine’s menus “Where have you been all day” startled she turned around and it was Gaby who had asked the question “I’ve not seen you around here” she teased and Meg smiled “I’ve been with Ben at his house” she confessed “Oh yeah” Gaby said and raised an eyebrow at her “Yeah” Meg grinned “And guess what?” she asked Gaby excited “What?” Gaby answered “He asked me to move it with him when the house is done” Gaby smiled at her “And?” “What?” Meg asked “What did you say to him, will you move in with him?” Meg didn’t get a chance to answer “Will I lose my lodger almost before she’s moved in?” it was Elaine who popped up behind the counter. “No” Meg shook her head “At least not in quite a while” “So does that mean it’s official? Will you move in with Ben when the house is done?” Gaby asked excitedly “Well it’s not really official, but if things proceed as I want them too yes I will” Meg grinned. Elaine softly said “That’s why Ben was here to buy breakfast he had stayed over at yours?” she asked and Meg nodded “Is it ok with you, I mean I don’t want to do things you don’t agree with” Elaine smiled “I’ve never been anyone to stand in the way of young and true love and I won’t start now, so what can I get you?” she nodded towards the menu Meg had in her hands. “I’m starving, I’m thinking about the chili” Meg said “Sure, give me 10 minutes, anything to drink?” “Just water” Meg ordered and went to sit at a table so she and Gaby could catch up on what had happened in Sunset Beach the weeks Meg had been gone.
Later in the evening as Meg was walking towards the Deep her cell phone rang “Meg” she answered shortly “Hi Meg, it’s Ben here” he sounded somewhat stressed “I was just wondering, it’s a bit busier here tonight than expected, maybe you can work a bit. That is if you don’t have any other plans” Meg laughed “Not at all, I’m actually on my way over, I’ll be there in 5-10 minutes” she said “You’re a lifesaver Meg Cummings” Ben said before they hung up. Ben hadn’t been kidding, the club was crowded. Meg went to the locker room to find a spare shirt and then she quickly changed. At the bar she got busy at once. After a while there were time for a breather and Meg poured herself a glass of water “I don’t know what I’d do without you” Ben said and softly stroke her cheek. Meg took his hand and smiled “Hopefully you don’t have to find out” Ben cursed himself, if they hadn’t been in the club, behind the bar he’d kiss her at once. “Hrm, sorry to disturb” a woman with an English accent said from the other side of the bar and Ben and Meg both turned their heads. Ben smiled at the woman “You never disturb Olivia” he said “Can I get you anything?” Olivia put her head on the side and looked at Meg “A glass of white wine and an introduction please” she smiled. Ben had to open a new bottle and while he did he looked at first Olivia and then Meg “This is Olivia, my aunt” he said “And this is Meg Cummings, my newest waitress” Ben introduced “Not only by the looks of you two” Olivia said, of course she knew the full story about Maria. “How long have you been in town Meg” Olivia asked curiously “This time only since yesterday, but I was here for two weeks two weeks ago” Ben put the wine in front of Olivia “And I never met you, I guess this town is bigger than we want to think it is” she said and looked at Ben. “So, how’s Mark doing tonight?” Ben asked “I’ve not had time to get upstairs and listen” Olivia smiled at him “He’s a natural¸ I’m thinking of hiring him. Part time to start with, I don’t want to put you in any situation” she loved her nephew dearly. It had been heartbreaking all those years ago to go ‘home’ for her sister and brother-in-law’s funeral and to meet with Ben who she hadn’t seen in years. Although she saw a lot of his father in him he really reminded her of her own father, the genes had gone thru to him. She had gotten lost in her thoughts so she hadn’t noticed when Meg had left the bar to go take orders and gather glasses. Ben was busy with some new customers so Olivia took her wine and sat down in the end of the bar. Gregory was at a business dinner that evening, but tomorrow she would have her whole family at home, both Sean and Caitlin would come home for lunch and she got an idea. As soon as Ben was free she called him over “What do you say about coming for lunch tomorrow? Caitlin and Sean are coming home and I’m cooking myself” Ben smiled “That would be lovely” “And of course I want you to bring Meg” she smiled and actually Ben blushed. Olivia and Gregory was the closest thing he had to parents these days. Ben had had all the intention of introducing Meg to them, but maybe not just yet. “I have to ask her” Ben said “Just let me know in the morning so I’ll set the table right” Olivia had finished her wine and was ready to go home “I’ll see you at one” she said before she left.
After closing the club Ben walked Meg home “Do you want to come in?” Meg asked as they stood outside her door “Do you want me to?” Ben asked back and Meg opened the door “Who are we trying to kid here” Meg said “I know everything is happening so fast, but I don’t want to be apart from you” she walked around the counter and took out a bottle of water from the fridge “Do you want some?” she asked as she took out two glasses from the cupboard “Sure” Ben couldn’t resist following her and put his arms around her “But I want a kiss more” he said and bent his head. Softly he kissed her lips and Meg moaned and put her arms around Ben’s neck. A while later they laid in bed after making love, Ben was playing with a strand of Meg’s hair “My aunt invited us both to lunch tomorrow” Ben blurted, he hadn’t know how to put it to Meg “Are you serious?” Meg looked worried “Yes, but there’s nothing for you to worry about. My cousins will be there too and so will Gregory” Meg sat straight up in bed “Ben, I can’t… I mean…” she didn’t know what to say. Ben sat up and kissed her on the shoulder “Don’t worry Meg, they’ll love you just as much as I do” Meg turned her head towards him “I do Meg, I’m sorry if I once again rush things, but I truly love you” Meg got out of bed and just pulled the nearest shirt on. It was Ben’s and is smelled just like him she twirled around “Meg, I will not say I’m sorry because I’m not. I love you and I want the whole world to know, but if you want to I can wait with the announcement” Meg wrinkled her nose “Well, Elaine and Gaby knows. I didn’t exactly tell them” Ben rested back on the pillow “You can’t hide anything from Elaine, I learnt that a long time ago” he patted on the bed beside him “Come back to bed Meg” he said.
Meg slept restlessly that night, not because she was sharing the bed with Ben, but she had dreams about how Ben’s family would judge her. From what she had heard this was the riches family in Sunset Beach and she didn’t know what clothes to have on which lead to a part of the dream of her showing up naked. Around 6am Meg gave up on getting any kind of proper sleep and got out of bed. Happy about having been able to get some groceries in yesterday afternoon she did a thing her mother always did to calm herself down, she started to bake. When Ben woke up a little more than an hour later it was to the smell of new baked muffins. A little groggy he sat up in bed and rested his chin on a knee. He looked around as Meg had taken out all her dresses and hung them ‘everywhere’. “What are you doing?” he asked and pulled a hand thru his hair “Meg?” she quickly looked at him and just answered “Baking” Ben got out of bed and walked over to Meg. “Please look at me” he turned her around “It’s just past 7am and you’re baking? On a Sunday” he could find any answers in her eyes “Why Meg?” “I couldn’t sleep simply” she shrugged her shoulders. “Meg, there must be more to it, you were tossing and turning in your sleep all night” Meg who just had taken out another plate from the oven turned around “You are right Ben, there is something else” when she had put it down he took her hand and lead her over and sat down on a chair with Meg on his lap. “Now please tell me what’s wrong” Ben ran his hand up and down her back “What’s wrong, I’ll tell you what’s wrong. You are” Ben looked puzzled at her “I am?” “Yes, and your aunt and all of her rich family” Meg got up and walked around from one dress to another “I don’t have anything to wear and I dreamt I showed up at their place naked” Ben followed her “Meg, please calm down” he held her tight “You’ll do fine and you got lots of stuff to wear, if I know Caitlin and Sean right and I think I do they’ll both show up in jeans or something simple, it’s just the family” “It’s just family??” Meg raised her voice “We’ve barley started to know each other and just like this your aunt invite me to come along to a Sunday lunch, Ben….” She took a deep breath “Ben, I don’t know if I can go” Ben pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head “Meg, you don’t have to go if you don’t want to” Meg got lose from his embrace “What will they say then, she’s shy, she’s not good enough for you” Once again Ben pulled her close and this time he kissed her to shut her up. As usual Meg got all week in her knees from Ben’s kisses.
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All connections to Sunset Beach and real life characters are purely for your pleasure.
©tinadolphin@comhem.se 2012-
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