Daytime Soap Operas
Sunset Beach Fan Fiction

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The TV show Sunset Beach belongs to Aaron Spelling and NBC. This fanfic is purely for the fans entertainment.

Evans house:

Sara and Meg were talking in the living - room about Meg's living arrangements with Ben and his family.

Sara: "How can you stand to live here Meg, having Maria and Benjy resenting you more and more each day"?

Meg: "Sara, things are going to get better. Eventually, Benjy will accept me in Ben's life, he will feel comfortable with Tess and Maria moving out and then Ben and Maria can get a divorce so Ben and I can get married".

Outwardly, Meg appeared calm and in control but inside she felt lost, frightened and confused.

Sara: "How can you be so sure its going to be that easy Meg? There are plenty of kids in the world who will just not accept their step - parents no matter what they do".

Meg: "And there are plenty of kids in the world who do accept their step-parents with no problem. OK, Benjy and I don't exactly see eye - to - eye right now but we have gotten closer since we got Franklin even though he hated me for having to give back the first kitten. But the whole point is that Benjy and I keep working together for Ben's sake and hopefully, one day, Benjy will love me because he wants to and not because he has to".

Sara: "But what about you Meg? You don't just have to accept Benjy into your life that easily, especially since he has been so rude to you in the past".

Meg: "I know but hes just a scared little boy. He never knew his father while growing up. He may be only five but a child can still see other children having fathers while they don't and it had to have hurt him a lot".

Sara: "It still doesn't mean he should be horrible to you. Plenty of people have had it rough and still manage to have respect for other people".

Meg: "Sara, please just give us some time to work things out. I'm trying my best so everyone will be happy".

Sara: "Fine, but please Meg, take care of yourself. Your my sister and I love you. Ever since we found out that Dana was Maria we have had so many fights and each time there is more and more distance between us".

Meg: "I know and I'm sorry for over-reacting so many times. Its just..."

Sara: "What Meg?

Meg: "Well, I kind of feel as though no one is on my side right now. Mom is trying to keep the peace between me and Dad and she's trying not to get involved, Dad thinks I'm nuts for sticking around here for so long, most of my friends think the same as Dad or they pity me. And everyone else in town thinks I'm a tramp for sleeping with a married man while his wife and son live in the same house".

Sara: "Meg, thats not true. The people who really matter know the real story".

Meg: "Yeah, I know. But... its just hard sometimes to walk down the street and people look at me and turn away either because they pity me or they think I'm trash".

Sara: "Hey, do you remember what Nana used to say"?

Meg smiled: "Don't talk with your mouth full"?

Sara smiled: "No! Always keep your head held high no matter what!"

Meg: "She had a lot of dignity didn't she? I wish she were still alive. Maybe she would be able to help me find a way out of this mess".

Sara: "I wish she were still here aswell but Meg, you can help yourself. Just stand up to Ben and say enough is enough! Tell him you want a life of your own with him, a family of your own, not just waiting around for his next long-lost relative to show up".

Meg: "Sara, Ben and I do have a life of our own. We go out, we work together, we live together".

Sara: "In the house he bought for Maria"!!!

The second the word were out of her mouth Sara regretted them. Meg's eyes clouded with tears but she wouldn't cry.

Meg: "Sara, I think its time you left. I have a lot of work to do for tomorrows meeting".

Sara: "Meg, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you".

Meg: "I know you didn't. Its true, Ben did buy this house for Maria but I have been living here for almost a year and a half and I love this house. Its my house, Sara, mine and Ben's. And we will grow old together here and raise our family here once we are married".

Sara: But what about between now and then? You'll be miserable but put up with it because of your love for Ben, Maria will keep trying to get her husband back and Ben will just let all this happen because he has everything he wants right under his roof".

Meg: "Whats that supposed to mean"?

Sara: "Now that Maria is alive, Ben doesn't have to feel guilty anymore, he has the child he always wnated and he has you. None of you are complainign about the situation so he'll just let it go on until either you or Maria have a nervous breakdown".

Meg: "Sara, thats not true and you know it".

Sara: "OK, maybe not but still Meg how long are you two going to have to be engaged? Its been so long already, you have tried to get married three times and God knows when you two will be able to try again".

Sara stopped when she seen Meg's eyes filling with tears.

Sara: "OK, OK. I'm going. But Meg, please think about everything I've said".

When Meg seen Sara to the door, she leaned against the back of the door and said sofly to herself, "Sara, you are saying nothing that I haven't thought about. But I can't keep being afraid that Ben will leave me for Maria and I can't keep resenting their past together. I have to be strong for Ben's sake. If I push him, he'll end up resenting me and I couldn't stand it it he rejected me. Go knows, I have had enough rejection to last me a lifetime".

Meg thought back to the time when Tim had cheated on her with Connie, her best friend. Then when she came to Sunset Beach, SB had rejected her and then Ben had rejected her until he told her he loved her in the cave but then he had called her Maria and her happiness and confidence had been destroyed. When Dana had turned out to be Maria, Ben was thrilled to see her and he had looked at her suspiciously when Maria fell down the stairs. It was only when Maria had said it was an accident that Ben had looked at her normally again. Meg was determined that she and Ben would have a happy life together and one day he would share with her, the things he had shared with Maria - sailing, memories of his childhood and maybe she would even get to meet more of his family. But she knew all of these plans would have to be put on hol, at least for now.

Meg walked toward the coffee table. She bent down and picked up her briefcase from beside the coffee table. She sat down on the couch and began going through some papers for the Liberty Corperation. She knew she had been neglecting her wok there recently and she was determined that it wouldn't continue. Even though her life wasn't great right now, she knew she was lucky to have a good job, family and friends who may think she was crazy but still loved her, a nice home and a good fiance who loved her. "One day, we'll get married Ben. I know we'll still have problems and fights but we'll work them out together like a normal married couple", Meg thought to herself. Maria was begining to paint more and more each day and looking up old friends and going out to museums and restauraunts and spending lots of time with Benjy. Meg thought it was great that Maria was becoming more independent and she hoped it would continue.

Maria opened the hall - door and walked into the house.

Maria: "Hi Meg. What are you doing"?

Meg: "Hi. I'm just going through some papers for the Liberty Corporation".

Maria: "Meg, can I talk to you for a minute?

Meg: "Sure, whats up?

Maria: "Well, you know I have been painting a lot recently and I really enjoy it and I have loved spending so much time with Benjy but I think its time I get back to work. I used to paint and sell my art to galleries like you know. I also used to teach part-time at a school but they have another teacher there now. I was talking to a gallery owner that I used to do business with today and he wanted to show my paintings at a showing in a few weeks time. Of course I accepted. And then he told me about an art class he is setting up for children, all ages and with different talents. Its just to encourage children to have an appreciation for art from a young age. I used to teach art at the youth center and Casey taught swimming there. Robert, the man who owns the art gallery, is hiring other art teachers and asking for volunteers but he asked me to head up the project, organising the classes and teaching some of the children. I'd love to do it but I'm just getting to know Benjy and I didn't think I would be working outside the home. I thought I could paint here at home",

Meg winced at those words and thought, "but its my home",

"and", Maria continued, "go to the art gallery only when I needed to. Do you think I would be selfish if I left Benjy now?"

Meg: "Maria, you love Benjy so much and your a talented artist. There is no reason why you can't be a good mother and work at the gallery, both as an artist and as a teacher. But if you feel that spending time with Benjy is more important right now, you have to follow your heart. Whatever you decide to do, do it because you want to not because you feel you have to".

Maria: "Thank you Meg. Your such a good friend. Robert understands that I can only work part-time and he said that will be fine. Maybe Benjy would like to join one of the classes! I think I'll go upstairs and call Robert now".