Daytime Soap Operas
Sunset Beach Fan Fiction

Chapter 14

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

It had been surprisingly easy. Ben was amazed that Tess had taken the news so well. She had understood that she was to move out as soon as possible so that Benjy could start to get used to being with just Ben and Maria. Ben couldn't wait to tell Meg. Maria was happy that Tess was moving out but she was afraid aswell. Tess was her only connection to her missing 5 years. Maria was scared that she would never remember her missing years and she knew she needed to remember them in order to properly bond with Benjy. She loved him with all of her heart but she didn't feel that connection that her own mother had always talked about. Maria kept asking herself how could she love Benjy so much but not feel a motherly instinct towards him. Whenever he had nightmares she held back and let Ben go to Benjy and she would follow. She even seen Meg go to comfort him once but Meg had stopped herself when she saw Maria. Why was Meg ready to comfort Benjy and I couldn't go to him? She knew that Benjy seen Meg as a threat and subconsciously she had encouraged him to be mean toward her by not putting a stop to his bad behaviour. But she had also seen that when Benjy ran into a room, he would sometimes go toward Meg but catch himself and go to Ben or herself. She was afraid of losing Benjy to Meg aswell. She had already lost Ben and Benjy was her last connection to Ben. She knew deep down that Ben loved Meg now but she had seen how children bonded people and ever since Benjy had come to Sunset Beach she secretly had hoped that Ben would come back to her again. She had gained confidence working at the art gallery and no longer relied on Ben so much. She was slowly regaining the strength and self - respect she had before the boating accudent and it felt so good to be home again. But she always came back to the same question - could she survive without Ben? He had been such a big part of her life. She had met him in college, gotten married a few months later and had three happy years of marriage with him. She had helped him set his businesses, travelled with him and had planned to have lots of children with him. She couldn't see herself loving anyone but Ben. She knew time was running out and as much as she didn't want to admit it, she knew the day was coming when Ben would demand a divorce from her. She was certain he would be fair with a divorce settlement and custody arrangements but she didn't care about his money. She only cared about Ben. How could she make him see that?

Meanwhile, Meg and Benjy had gone to the park. Benjy ran toward the swings and asked Meg to push him. Meg pushed him or a few minutes and then he decided to play on the slide. Meg sat on a bench nearby and smiled at him as he came flying down the slide.

"Your son is adorable", a woman with a baby in her arms told Meg.

"Um....thank you but he's not my son. He's my fiance's son". Meg smiled at the woman.

The woman: "Oh, I'm so sorry. The both of you just looked so comfortable, I just assumed you were his mother".

Meg: "Did...did he really seem happy to you?"

The woman: "Yes, he did". The woman was very curious. She had been sure that this nice woman and that sweet boy had been mother and son and now the nice woman seemed to be looking for reassurance that the child felt comfortable with her.

Meg: "I'm sorry to put you on the spot like that but I haven't had an easy time bonding with Benjy, my fiance's son. Sometimes I think he just wants me out of his father's life."

The woman: "Stepfamilies can be hard sometimes. Children aren't sure of their place anymore or step parents don't know how much love to give or when to set rules and boundaries. But things can work out, you now. I was lucky. My stepson and stepdaughter were very welcoming toward me but they were older than Benjy and probably felt more confident that no one would replace them in their father's heart."

Meg was so happy to hear the woman talk like this. She thought she had been the only person in the world to feel so unsure around a child.

Meg: "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much you have helped me. Your baby is beautiful. Whats her name?"

The woman: "Your welcome. Her name is Avril. She's a year old."

Meg: "So, you and your husband went on to have your own child? If you don't mind me asking, how did your stepchildren take the news?"

The woman: "Well, we have three children together. I have another daughter and a son at home. My stepchildren were very happy about all three children but I think that was because my husband and I spent a lot of time with them before each of the babies came."

Meg thought to herself that maybe it was possible that she and Ben could start on their own family soon.

The woman: "Well, I have to get going. Good luck with your family situation. I think everything is going to work out just fine for you."

Meg: "Thank you so much for listening to me. I really appreciate it".

As the woman walked away she silently asked God to watch over the nice woman. Her heart had went out to her and she hoped that everything would work out.

Meg went over to Benjy and as he came down the slide he ran into her arms shouting "Did you see me? Did you see me?"

Meg laughed: "I did see you. How can you so fast on that thing?"

Benjy: "Its easy! Wanna try it?"

Meg smiled: "Thanks, but I think I'll leave the slides to you. Would you like to go see the ducks in the pond?"

Benjy: "Sure. Can we get an ice-cream at the stand over there?"

Meg: "OK. What flavour would you like?"

Benjy: "Strawberry please."

Meg: "Just like your daddy."

Benjy took her hand and Meg couldn't help but smile. For a day that had started off so badly, it had turned out to be pretty wonderful.

Meg didn't see the man that had followed her from the house to the park. He had kept a close eye on the love of his life and his son. Derek had decided to drive by Ben's house hoping to get a glimpse of Benjy or Meg and couldn't believe his luck when both of them had come out of the house together and no one else was with them for once. He had known all along that it would be only a matter of time until Benjy decided to ignore Tess's instructions to be mean to Meg. Derek had watched Meg with Benjy all afternoon and he couldn't take his eyes off them. She was so natural and caring towards him away from Maria and Tess. He knew that he could trust her with his son and it just made him fall in love with her all over again. He desperately wanted to walk over to them and kiss Meg and pick Benjy up to hug him.

"Soon, very soon", Derek promised himself. He smiled when he seen Benjy laughing at the ducks. He couldn't wait to have the two people he loved most in the world back in his arms again. He became aware of his cell phone ringing. He seen Tess's cell phone number come up on the screen and switched his phone off. He wasn't in the mood to talk to her, just to have her nagging at him to hurry up with the plan to break up Ben and Meg. He had called Jake and Jake was catching a plane from Seattle tomorrow which meant that in about two or three days Ben and Meg would be broken up for good.

Tess was very angry. She had remained calm in front of Ben and Maria but inside she was ready to snap. They were trying to take her son from her and she couldn't let that happen. She called Derek but he had his cell phone switched off. Ben had told her she was going to stay at a hotel until she found a new place and he expected her to be out of his home by that evening. She had to talk to Derek and soon.