~Chapter nineteen~
Even though
Meg and Sarah helped out a lot in the kitchen preparing for the next day it was
a pretty laid back day this Christmas Eve. Ben and Meg had already decided to
go to the Buckaroo again in the evening and were trying to get Sarah and Jude
to come along. “You should go out and enjoy yourself while you’re young” the
girl’s grandma said. She had taken alike to both Ben and Jude at once and when
Hank had told her and Joan about his meeting with Ben. “That young man will
make a very good husband for Meg” she had said “I too was blinded by Tim, but
knowing what we know now I’m very happy for Meg she didn’t go thru with that
wedding” “You’re such a wise woman Sophie” Hank said to his mother-in-law and
she laughed “I see something in Ben that I once saw in you Hank, a young man
who knows what he wants”
After the dishes were done from their dinner
Ben and Meg, Sarah and Jude went to the Buckaroo. It was pretty crowded for
Christmas Eve, a lot of Meg’s old friends from school were there and she talked
to as many as she could. Some of them wanted to know if she had seen Tim since
she got back, a lot of them wanted to know about California. She felt like she
was the only one ever been out of the state. “I just need to get to the
bathroom” she told Ben when he asked her to dance “I’ll be here waiting” he
said and sat down. Jake was playing this evening too and the crowd loved him.
At the moment he had taken a break. Just as Meg walked out of the bathroom she
met him “Hi, you’re playing great tonight too” she said with a smiled and Jake
just grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the office. He didn’t say
anything but pushed her against the door and kissed her, Meg put her hands
against his chest to push him away but the kiss was familiar and she gave into
it. With not too much resistance left Jake pulled away “I’m sorry Meg” he said
breathless “I didn’t mean to do that” he turned around and pulled his hands
thru his hair before he looked at Meg again “I know it doesn’t make it right, I
just had to take the chance” Meg still stood with her back against the door
“Jake…” She started but didn’t know how to go on, was she going to drag up the
past. Jake stood closer now he rubbed her arms up and down “I know I’ve got no
rights doing this, I know you’re with Ben and he seems to be a great guy, I
just had to grab the chance” Meg moved away towards the desk in the room “Ben
is the greatest” she said still with her back to him “I love him more than I’ve
ever loved anyone” she turned around “Jake, maybe I can say I regret not
breaking up with Tim all those years ago, but both you and I know we’re totally
different people today. I mean you’re the big country star” she smiled “There
is someone special out there for you too” she filled in “Have you maybe already
met her?” Meg teased when she saw something glints in his eyes. “Well… it’s
early days yet” he admitted “But I’ve been seeing this girl that was in my
latest video”. Meg walked over and gave him a hug “I hope it turns out well”
she then left the office to go back to Ben.
There was
still some life left in the fireplace when they got back to the house. Ben and
Meg sat down on the floor with a cup of hot chocolate. Meg snuggled closer to
Ben and just enjoyed the moment. The house was so quiet and everyone else had
gone to bed, even Sarah and Jude had gone straight to their rooms. Meg moved so
she sat in front of Ben, he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck “I
love you Meg” he whispered and Meg took his hands and softly kissed them “I
love you too Ben” she hadn’t told him about the run in with Jake, she felt that
it wasn’t necessary. Ben looked into the fire for a while “It’s magic, don’t
you think” he said more like a statement than a question and Meg turned her
head “Everything I share with you is magic” she said and kissed him. Ben
slipped down among the pillows they had put there to sit comfortable and pulled
Meg with him, he knew it couldn’t lead to anything this night, but just being
close and kissing was almost as good. He rolled her over so he was on top. As
they broke the kiss Ben looked Meg deep in her eyes “Marry me Meg” he said and
they both sat up. Meg was a bit in shock “I know this is a spur of the moment,
I don’t even have the ring with me” Ben said “You have a ring?” Meg said
astonished “Yes I’ve got it back in Sunset Beach, I didn’t plan on asking you
just yet, but…” he took a deep breath “Meg, I love you with all of my heart and
I want to share the rest of my life with you” Meg took his face in her hands “I
love you too Ben, heart and soul and I too want to be with you for the rest of
my life” she pulled him close for a kiss “I’d love to marry you” Ben kissed her
again and sighed “It feels strange not to have the ring for you” Meg smiled “I
don’t need a ring Ben, I’ve got you and that’s all that matters” “You’re one of
a kind Meg Cummings” Ben kissed her again and then reluctantly pulled away “I
guess we better get to bed now, I don’t know if I can keep away from you
otherwise” he stood up and offered his hand to Meg to help her up. Hand in hand
they walked up the stairs where they shared another kiss before they parted.
Meg threw herself on the bed, she grinned from ear to ear, she was getting
married to Ben, she felt like screaming it out to the world, but for now she’d
keep it to herself. Ben undressed and slipped into bed, he was surprised with
himself for being so impulsive and damned himself at the same time for not
packing the ring, although he had thought he’d ask her at a romantic meal or a
nice picnic when it was just the two of them, the only right of all that had
been that it had actually been just the two of them.
The next
morning Meg was woken up by someone knocking on the door, it was Ben with a
fresh cup of coffee “Good morning my love” he smiled as Meg sat up in bed and
got the cup handed to her “Good morning to you too and Merry Christmas” Ben
bent forward to kiss her “Merry Christmas” Meg was the one that broke the
silence “So, shall we tell everyone or shall we wait?” she put her head on the
side as she looked at Ben who shrugged his shoulders “It’s all up to you, I
mean I didn’t give you the ring…” he felt a little bad about that, but now he
could at least have Meg try it and maybe get it readjusted if needed. “That’s
that…” Meg said “But again I’d love to shout it from the rooftop” Ben laughed
at her happiness “Then let’s tell them all tonight” Robert and Susan wasn’t
coming until later on in the day as they were going to her parents for lunch.
“But only if you’re really sure about it” Ben added. “I’d hate to wait until
we’re back in Sunset Beach and then call home and tell them, so yes Ben, I’m
sure about it. Besides grandma deserves to hear it from us both” she just loved
her grandma.
When Ben
and Meg told everyone about their news it was all happy faces. “But you have to
wait with the wedding until after the twins are born” Susan said “I don’t want
to look like this in your wedding pictures” and Meg smiled “Of course we will
wait” she said and Ben took her hand “But not too long” he looked at her with a
smile “No, but I don’t want to rush it either, I only plan on doing this once…
I mean for doing it once for real” Joan had taken out an old photo album that
she first showed to her mother “Do you remember this?” it was taken in the
garden of Sophie’s house and it was Meg, Sarah, Robert, their cousins and a few
other kids. The girls had managed to dress the guys up to play wedding “I do,
what a job the girls did, picking flowers and getting the boys all dressed up”
she said and pointed “Who’s that?” she asked about the guy standing next to Meg(who
as the oldest girl was the bride) and it got Meg curious to look too “Yeah mom,
who’s that, it’s not Tim for sure” and Joan looked a bit closer “I can’t say
for sure” she carefully took the photo out of the corners and read on the back
“Oh, it’s Jake. It was the first summer Owen’s were here, about 5 years before
they moved here” She handed the photo to Hank to pass around and in a teasing
mood he looked at Meg “This looks like another match made in heaven” although
from the little he’d gotten to know Ben, there could be no one better for his
little girl, Jake was touring with his music and he wanted a man that was close
to home for Meg. When the photo reached Ben Meg tried to get it from him, she
didn’t want him to see it, she had on a flowery summer dress and on special
permission she had gotten to borrow her grandmother’s old veil for the photo
and of course the veil was way too big and long for the young Meg “You look
lovely” Ben said affectionately. Meg looked at her grandmother “Do you still
have the veil?” she couldn’t for the life of her even think of why she had
bought a new for her no-wedding to Tim “Yes I have” Sophie smiled at her “I
even have the dress, but I think that’s very out of fashion” she looked over at
Susan “Although the little tiara I gave to Susan for hers and Robert’s wedding”
Meg smiled “Something old, something borrowed” she said quietly to herself.
The next
morning was busy; of course Susan and Robert had come for breakfast, then after
lunch Ben and Meg were leaving to get back to Sunset Beach in time for the
boxing-day party. Sarah and Jude weren’t to come for another two days and Meg
was happy about it, hopefully she’d get the house ready in time. Sarah was
dropping them off at the airport as she had some friends to meet in town “Now,
if you change your mind please text or call and let me know and I’ll come down
and pick you up” Meg said as she hugged her sister tightly “You don’t have to
worry Meg, we’ll take the shuffle, it’s all planned and paid for, besides I bet
you’ll be busy with the house and work anyways” Meg rolled her eyes “That’s
true, but you know me, I need an excuse to take a break or I’ll just go on”
Sarah laughed “That’s true, you’re like one of those Duracell-bunnies, you just
go on and on and on….” She said until Meg playfully hit her on the arm “I still
love you though” Sarah said and hugged her sister again “I think we’d better go
thru security now Meg” Ben said and Meg hugged her sister again “I’ll see you
in two days then sis” she said as they parted “You try and stop me from sunny
California, I’m just happy to get away from this snow” Sarah reassured.
___________________________________________________________________________
All connections to
Sunset Beach and real life characters are purely for your pleasure.
©tinadolphin@comhem.se
2012-
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