Gloria Joann Madrill

Maria's tears dampened her pillow as she cried herself to sleep that night. The act of putting on a brave front all day always tired her out. Putting a smile on her face every day to cover the pain in her eyes. As she lay there she brushed a small part of her auburn brown hair away from her face while she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes but she thought to herself I have to be strong. A strong mother for Benjy.

In the privacy of her own room in her art studio was her only refuge to let her emotions out and cry. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror she turned the knob on the sink and felt the cool water running on her hands. She threw the cold water on her face to wash away the tears from the night before.

She pulled out her compact and make-up. Pulling out her lipstick she dreaded another day facing a man who doesn't love her, the woman who has replaced her in her life, a nanny she doesn't trust, and a little boy (her own son) she that she doesn't even remember.

Part 2
She didn't know how she got the courage every day to face the man she love and the woman he left her for. Sometimes the memories of the house were too much for her to handle. The house that Ben had bought for her a house that they had shared so much love in. The house that now belonged to Ben and Meg now holds only memories of a forgotten love.

She was up early which wasn't uncommon when she couldn't sleep. She got dressed and put on her black pumps and walked down the hall to check on Benjy. She opened it just a crack to peek in and check if Benjy was still sleeping. Benjy was still sleeping when she looked in but she found someone else wide-awake. She tip toed into Benjy's room and stepped over his red fire truck. She reached down and picked up the precious kitten on the ragged towel that was in an open brown box.

Very quietly she sneaked out of the room as not to wake Benjy up. With Franklin in her arms she made her way down the stairs. The soft fur kept her hands warm. As the cat purred with content. The kitten was so small it had such a small mew. It had been taken from its mother at such a young age. As she approached the kitchen she picked up Franklin's bowl and poured some milk in it. She gently set him down and placed the bowl in front of him. As Franklin started licking up his milk the phone rang. Maria picked up the phone and said "Hello Evens residence" and heard a familiar voice on the line.

Part 3
When Maria picked up the phone the voice was Bette's. Bette said "Hey there Bonita, is my boss there Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome? I have a few questions about my gossip column for tomorrow." She loved it when Bette used nicknames it always put a smile on her face. Bette always had a way of cheering her up. While Bette was talking, Ben was walking down the stairs. "He's right here,” Maria said as she handed Ben the phone.

When he walked to the phone he was fixing the cuffs on his blue long-sleeve shirt. She didn't know how many times in the years that they were married she had seen him walk down those same stairs fixing his cuffs on his shirt. It was something that only a wife would notice after watching her husband for years.
She tried to keep her mind off Ben he didn't love her and she had to try to accept it no matter how painful it was. She grabbed her coat and started heading out the door. She didn't know if she could face Meg this early in the morning. She stopped to write a note to Ben it said:

Dear Ben,
I have an errand to run. Franklin needs more cat food we ran out this morning. Tess is taking care of Benjy. I'll be back soon.
Sincerely,
Maria

She quickly signed it and headed out the door. The note was partly right she needed to run a few errands but she really needed to get out of the house away from Ben and away from Meg. Besides running an errand she was meeting up with Antonio for breakfast. There was something he wanted to talk to her about and she had a gut feeling she knew what it was about.

Part 4
Maria looked at her watch Antonio was ten minutes late. They were supposed to meet at nine for breakfast. She was starting to worry Antonio is never late for anything. She knew that Antonio has been a wreck ever since Gabi left Sunset Beach. When Gabi left Antonio told Ricardo the truth, that he and Gabi had slept together. It was that she could do to keep Ricardo from telling everyone that Antonio broke his vows. Antonio seemed so lost and alone Gabi was his world. Mama never seemed happier to see Gabi walk out of her son’s life she had to wonder why. Antonio and Ricardo were both a wreck and it was Maria’s job to put her family back together. When she was gone for those five years her family fell apart. She was able to put it back together then and when the truth came out about Antonio and Gabi she had to help put her family together once again.

Gregory was charged with Franchesca’s murder and he pleaded guilty. He and Annie got a divorce. Caitlin and Olivia kicked her out of her house. And the prenuptial agreement left her with just about nothing. Gregory was using all of his money to buy the best attorney's. I begged Ben to let Annie move in with us but I was out numbered when Meg refused to let Annie live "in her home." I’m sorry I didn’t realize that Ben bought Meg that house when they got married. Ricardo was hurting when Gabi left him and so was Annie after her divorce from Gregory. They got so close in these past months since Gabi left him. They became good friends and eventually fell in love. Heck Annie’s even pregnant with Ricardo’s baby. I never thought I would see Annie settle down and start a family. Annie and Ricardo are kind of like ‘The Odd Couple’. Annie brings out Ricardo’s wild side and Ricardo seems to bring out the good in her that I always knew was there. Ricardo has finally found someone that mama likes. When Ricardo told mama that he and Annie were going to have a baby she welcomed Annie into our family with open arms.

I’ve never told Ricardo before and I promised Annie I never would but when we were growing up Annie had the biggest crush on Ricardo. She would always just look at him while they were playing with their dolls. I can’t believe I’m finally going to be an aunt! I promised Annie that I would go shopping with her for baby clothes and toys tomorrow. She’s is so excited to tell you the truth I’m a little exited too. If only I could remember giving birth to Benjy Maria thought to herself. How could a mother just forget? There was no way she could be the mother that Benjy needs when she doesn’t even remember him. She took one last look at her watch it Antonio was now 20 minutes late. Just as Maria was about to give up and leave Antonio walked through the door. Maybe she could finally figure out what was going on with that brother of hers.

Part 5
Maria looked up and saw Antonio. When she saw him he was clean-shaven and out of his priest uniform. He looked the happiest she has seen him in a long time. He had the biggest smile on his face. He was so upset yesterday morning. He has even lost a little weight since Gabi left and he stopped eating. He seemed so miserable but something must have changed last night. She wondered what could have happened to change his mood so quickly. Antonio came up and said, "I’m sorry I’m late Maria but you wouldn’t believe what happen!" Maria was astounded her brother sounded just like when they were kids. All anxious and exited. When it suddenly came to her only one thing could make Antonio this happy. "Gee Antonio this wouldn’t have anything to do with Gabi does it?" Maria brought it up suddenly.

Maria always had a way of knowing her brother better than he knew himself. Antonio finally answered "Yes Gabi this has something to do with Gabi." "Well sit down and eat. Tell me all about it" Maria said. "I’m to excited to eat. Gabi called me yesterday," Antonio said. "And she wanted to meet me in this cabin in Big Bear. She told something important. She told me that she was pregnant with my baby," Antonio said. "Wow pregnant Antonio that’s some news. What are you guys going to do?" Maria asked with some concern. "Well I’ve decided to leave the priesthood I want to be a father to this baby and I don’t think I would be able to do Gods work while I’m in love with Gabi," he said. "I have only one thing to tell you Antonio it’s that I’m so happy for both of you," Maria said while hugging him. "She must be really late in the pregnancy," Maria said. "Well it will only be a few months until she’s due," he said with the realization that he was actually going to be a father.
"Where are you guys going to live?" she asked. "Well we decided to rent the cabin up in Big Bear it’s close enough to Sunset Beach that we can visit our friends and family but far enough away so that no one will bother us. People are very accepting of us up there," he said. Maria just thought of a wonderful idea "Antonio how do you think Gabi would feel about going shopping with Annie and me tomorrow for baby things?" Antonio thought of it for a second and said "I think she would really like it Maria. Thank you," "Well I think Gabi could use a day out with the girls," Maria said with a smile. She was truly happy for Antonio he has finally found the happiness he deserves. That’s all she ever wanted for her brothers. Something she hasn’t quite found herself. In the midst of all the excitement Maria forgot about someone she asked Antonio "how do you think mama is going to react to you leaving the church and most importantly how is she going to react to Gabi having your baby?" Antonio said " that’s what I’m worried and if you’ll excuse me Maria I’m going to go talk to her right now."
Part 6

Maria took off her black pumps and was walking on the beach barefooted. The sand was hot but felt good between her toes. It was a sunny day and the cool breeze felt good. It was still early in the morning. She loved the beach. She loved everything about the beach the air smelling like salt water and the warm sunlight shining down on her face. She loved the way the waves crashed against the shore and how the seagulls flew over her head. Even though she had some unhappy memories of the ocean she also had wonderful memories too.
Maria’s mind started to wonder. She was finished running her errands. Talking with Antonio made her feel better. Both her brother’s were happy, Ricardo with Annie and Antonio with Gabi. She wished with all her might that mama would be able to accept Gabi into the family just as she accepted Annie. Maria walked over to the swing set on the beach.

She didn’t know why but whenever she was upset about Ben she would go there. Something always drew her there. When she was there somehow she always felt connected to him. She tried as hard as she could to get it through her head that Ben loves Meg and ONLY Meg. But no matter what she did it couldn’t make the hurt go away. The pain of that fact wouldn’t go away. Maria sat down on the swing and sat her shoes down next to her. As she started swinging she tried to remember how it felt to have Ben’s arms around her. How it felt to have his lips on hers and how her lips had a sweet taste on them after kissing him.
She closed her eyes and swung higher and higher. No matter what though she couldn’t get as high without Ben pushing her. She could remember how Ben would push her on the swings and how she only felt the desire to go higher and touch the sky. She tried hard to remember as the wind blew her hair back. She tried hard to remember how it felt to be loved.

Part 7
Maria was lost in thought when she reached her home. Or rather Ben and Meg’s home. She slipped on her shoes and was about to hurry in the house. She had taken longer than she expected with her errands. She was about to walk into the house when she heard some yelling or rather two people yelling. It was Ben and Meg. She didn’t mean to be nosey but there was no way into the house without interrupting them so she decided to stay outside of the back door. She could faintly hear Meg. "I can’t stand it any more Ben I can’t stand living in the house with your and Maria’s son! I can’t stand that little boy hating me!" Ben interrupted her "He doesn’t hate you Meg he just needs some time." "Time!" Meg started up again "how much more time does he need he doesn’t like me Ben and he never will!" It’s true that Benjy has had a little trouble getting used to Meg but she didn’t realize how he was affecting Ben and Meg’s relationship.

It sounded serious from what she could hear. "Well Ben I can’t stand that little boy hating me and thinking that I am coming between his mommy and daddy!" Her voice was raising higher and higher. "He doesn’t think that at all Meg! He’ll warm up to you soon enough" Ben said. "He didn’t when I moved back in after his kidnapping! And I can’t take it anymore! I know I’m selfish but I wish that Benjy and in fact Maria never had came back to Sunset Beach!" That really hurt Maria once she said that. They were once really good friends at one time but she knew they never could be again. Not since Meg found out who I really am Maria thought to herself. Not since she found out that I was Ben’s wife returned from the "dead." Meg yelled at Ben "I wish that things could be back to normal Ben I want it to be just you and me. No Benjy, no Tess, and defiantly no Maria! But I know it can’t be like that so I’ve decided to do what you stopped me from doing a long time ago. I’m leaving for good this time Ben." "The house?" Ben said. "No Ben YOU!" Meg replied. "This time don’t come after me and I mean it! I’ll send someone for my belonging’s." And suddenly it grew quite then before Ben could protest she heard the door slam after Meg on her way out the front door.

Maria decided it was safe enough to go in since it looked like the conversation was over. She couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. She knew how it felt to be hurt by the person you love. She walked past him and suddenly he spoke "Benjy is with Tess at the park they will be back in an hour." He said it so nonchalantly as if there was nothing was the matter like nothing had happened. But she knew other wise. She knew that Meg had left and she knew that this time she wasn’t coming back. Ben just stared out into nothing not saying a word. She thought about bringing it up and she thought about the consequences but she never liked keeping secrets from him so she said "Ben I heard your argument with Meg. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to I just didn’t want to disturb…" "Really Maria it’s none of your damn business!" Ben interrupted her. Then he calmed down and added, "I’m sorry Maria, just don’t let it happen again." He was hurt I could plainly see that. She has never seen such pain on his face well not since he found her with Derek. When she thought that he was Ben. She said one thing before she went up the stairs "Ben if you need me you know where to find me. I want to be a good friend to you Ben." But she started walking up the stairs, as Ben didn’t say a word. She didn’t quite know how to make him feel better especially since she didn’t know how to make herself feel better.
Part 8

"Mommy why is daddy so sad?" Benjy’s voice broke the silence in the room. Maria put down her green crayon that she was using to color a tree in Benjy’s coloring book. Benjy was so good a picking things up. So good at picking up emotions that aren’t even said sometimes. That’s what worried her the most about not remembering him. That somehow he’s going to pick up on that. "Why do you say that?" She said trying to figure out how he realized that so fast. "I went to see if daddy would come color with me and he said he was too sad." He said that he was sad that Meg was gone. "But do you know what I’m glad mommy. I’m glad she’s gone! Then maybe now we can be a family." "Benjy you know that’s not a nice thing to say" Maria said trying to do damage control with his dislike of Meg. "Remember Benjy if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all OK Benjy?" "OK mommy if you say so. I’ll try. But only because I love you and daddy," Benjy said with some disappointment in his face.

"Thank You Benjy. You’re a good boy. Come on and give me a big hug." Benjy got up and gave her a hug. Maria couldn’t help but still having this nagging feeling that something wasn’t right. Some weird feeling that something was missing. The mother son connection that didn’t seem to be there. She tried to ignore that feeling for Benjy’s sake. So that he could have the mother he needed. "I think it’s past your bed time young man," She said in a mother like voice. "But mommy, I’m not sleepy!" Benjy said in protest. "I don’t want to hear it Benjy. Now get ready for bed and I’ll read you a story." Benjy sulked his head and walked to the bathroom to go brush his teeth. Now why does putting Benjy to sleep every night have to be a battle? She thought to herself.
After reading Benjy his favorite book. He fell right asleep. "Poor thing he was tired after all," Maria said quietly to herself. She pulled the covers around Benjy, kissed him on his forehead and left the room. She made sure that she turned on the night-light before she left the room. Benjy didn’t like the dark and if he woke up she wanted to make sure that he wouldn’t be scared. She got ready for bed but couldn’t sleep. Maria slipped on her silk, white robe over her pajama’s and headed down stairs to make herself some warm milk. That always seemed to help her get to sleep. Making her way down stairs she noticed that the light was still on down stairs. Surprisingly found Ben sitting on the couch just starring at the wall with a half full drink in his hand.
"Ben are you alright? It’s late maybe you need some sleep," She said worried about him. His eyes were blood shot and he looked horrible. He only stayed up late when he was worried or upset about something. Ben finally looked up and saw her standing there. "Oh Maria, I’m sorry I didn’t hear you," he said. "Do you feel like talking about it?" Maria said while sitting down next to him on the couch. "To tell you the truth no," he said bluntly while he sat his drink on the table. "Well I won’t pressure you to talk about it," She said standing up. When suddenly she felt Ben’s hand grab hers. "Wait Maria," he said loosening his grip on her hand. "Thank you being there for me and for giving me some space." Maria looked into is deep blue eyes and said "No Ben, thank you for always being there for me too." She held on to his hand and never wanting to let go.

Part 9
"Do you feel like getting something to eat Anne, it’s already 12:00?" Maria asked. Their shopping excursion had been very tiring and Annie was looking a little pale. Gabi had left them just about an hour ago. She said that she had some things to do. They had been shopping for baby things all morning and she was pretty tired. "Are you sure you don’t want to eat anything? You know you’re eating for two now," she reminded her friend. "You don’t have to remind me Maria. Your mother is already trying to make me eat more. She says that I’m to skinny and I need more weight for the baby." Maria laughed at the thought. Her mother could be stubborn and pushy at times. "She’s only trying to help, Annie. You and the baby, " she said while they walked into a quaint little restaurant.

"I know Maria, but actually the smell of any food has still been making me nauseous. But I’ve been trying to keep some food down for the baby’s sake without much luck." Annie said. "I’m sorry, I forgot you’re still having morning sickness," Maria said with some sympathy in her voice. "Well being pregnant isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be! Not to mention the morning sickness, mood swings, weird cravings, and all this extra weight I’ve been gaining because of this little one." Annie said while motioning towards her stomach. "You wouldn’t believe this Maria but my clothes aren’t fitting me anymore!" "I wonder why." Maria said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "I thought that being pregnant would change my life but at least not my wardrobe!" She said laughing. "Not to mentioned how ugly these maternity clothes are!"

Annie had her hair pulled back in a ponytail and was wearing a yellow dress with an imprint of roses on it. "My feet are killing me too Maria!" "If you wouldn’t be so hard headed your feet wouldn’t hurt so bad! Those high heels aren’t giving you any support. No wonder your feet hurt the arches on your feet can’t possibly be supporting you with all the extra-weight you’ve been gaining." "OK Maria maybe you were right." Annie knew when to admit defeat. "So anyways how’s the father-to-be handling everything?" Maria couldn’t help but wonder. "Ricardo? He couldn’t be happier. He’s always wanted children. To tell you the truth children haven’t always been my cup of tea. I just hope after one baby that this doesn’t mean that our house is going to be like an episode of "Full House" everyday."

"I still can’t believe how much you’ve changed Annie, ever since you’ve gotten together with Ricardo" Maria said with a smile. "Ricardo has been the only man to ever love me. To truly love me for who I am. And he’s the one guy who has always believed in my dreams no matter how crazy they are," Annie said. Maria knew what Annie was talking about. Annie was going back to law school to be a defense attorney. Even if Annie didn’t know it. Ricardo’s love had changed her and even made her a better person. "Maria even though it seems like I always complain about being pregnant. I do love this baby and I wouldn’t trade being a mother for all the liberty corporation stocks in the world!" They both giggled remembering what Annie had to go through to get those stocks to only loose them when she married Gregory.

"Well enough about me Maria. How are things with you and Ben? And how’s Benjy?" "Benjy’s fine. As for Ben and me Ben’s going to need some time to get over Meg," Maria said sadly. She hated seeing Ben so heart broken. "Don’t worry Maria I’m sure Ben will come to his sense’s and realize that he belongs with you. Now that that Kansas hussy Meg is out of his life and back in the cornfields! He’ll come around you just wait and see!" Annie always had a way of bringing hope into her life. "Thanks Annie, I don’t know what I would ever if I didn’t have a friend like you!" "Don’t worry Maria, you’ll never have to find out. I’ll always be here for you. We’re best friends aren’t we?" "The best!" Maria answered with a gentle hug making sure that she didn’t hurt her.
Suddenly Annie screamed out in pain breaking away from the hug. Annie dropped their shopping bags. The stuffed bunny that Annie insisted on buying for the baby fell on the floor. As Maria backed up she said, "What’s wrong!" "I don’t know but I have a cramping pain in my stomach! Please don’t let it be the baby!" Annie said with fear in her voice and grabbing her stomach. "Somebody call 911 and hurry!" Maria said with urgency in her voice.

Part 10
Maria was in the waiting room. She called Ricardo already and was worried to death for her friend. "This baby means everything to her please God don’t let her loose it," Maria prayed. She couldn’t help but feel helpless. Tyus hadn’t informed her on her on Annie or the baby’s condition. Maria paced back and forth; the silence was overwhelming all that she could hear was the sound of her high heels on the cement floor. She looked at the door and suddenly saw Ricardo running through the hospital entrance and to the front desk. "Excuse me did you have an Annie Douglas admitted here." Ricardo said. You could tell that he was out of breath. The nurse looked up and said, "I’m sorry Sir you can’t see her. The doctor is with her. I’m afraid you’ll just have to wait."
"But I’m the baby’s father damn it! And I love her!" Ricardo said with his voice getting louder and impatient. Just by looking at him he was a wreak he sounded just as bad on the phone when Maria had called him at the station. Ricardo was losing his temper, which wasn’t a good sign for the person on the receiving end. "I’m sorry but you’ll have to wait, " the nurse said in a stern voice. Ricardo looked around finally saw Maria. "Please Maria you didn’t say much on the phone. Can you fill me in? What happened?" Ricardo said desperately seeking answers. "We went shopping like we planned. Remember we told you yesterday? Anyways we were eating at a restaurant talking and when she got up she just…" Maria voice was fading with tears. "And she grabbed her stomach and just collapsed in the restaurant. She collapsed before we ordered our food so it couldn’t have been anything she ate. Ricardo I don’t know what happened."

"Did you call mama?" he asked. "Yes I called mama but she was out of town visiting a sick friend. Then I called Bette after I got off the phone with you," Maria said still trying to keep her composure. She had thought about calling Antonio but he and Ricardo still aren’t that close again. And she figured that Ricardo would call him if he wants to. Suddenly Bette stormed through the door like a hurricane. Just as Ricardo had done a second ago asking the same question. "Excuse me nurse, my niece was admitted here. Her name is Annie Douglas…" "I’m sorry miss. Like I told the gentleman before you. The doctor is with her and you’ll have to wait." The overweight nurse said before Bette could even finish her sentence. "Bette!" Maria called her over. "Oh Bonita, how’s my niece is the baby alright?" "We don’t know yet." Maria said.

Bette turned to Ricardo and gave him a hug. "And how are you holding up Chief?" "I’m just scared. I don’t know what I would do if I lost her or the baby. I just wish I knew if she was OK." "We all hope that she's OK but all we can do is wait and pray," Maria said putting her arm around him. Maria didn’t know where to turn where to go when she saw Ben walk through the hospital entrance. Ben didn’t even have to say a word he just wrapped his arms around her as she cried. "I just heard about Annie I wish I could help Maria. I wish I could help you…" Ben said. "Shhh just being here helps me," Maria said putting one finger on his lips. "I just need you here with me. Now more than ever."

Maria turned around to see Tyus walking into the room. Ricardo spoke first, "Tyus please tell me. Is Annie all right? Is Annie and our baby all right?"

Part 11
"Please Tyus tell me Annie and the baby are alright!" Maria couldn’t stand it any longer. Tyus paused for a second and suddenly said, "It’s too soon to tell anything." "What do you mean Tyus?" Ricardo voice was beginning to crack with fear. "What I mean is that we have to do a few more test’s before I can say anything. Annie and the baby are in stable condition right now but we’re not out of the woods yet. But from what I can tell the Annie and the baby are going to be fine. It was a lucky thing Maria got her here when she did or Annie might have lost the baby."

Everyone had seemed to be relieved. "Tyus what brought on the cramping," Ricardo asked. "It could have been anything from too much stress to a poor diet. From now on you have to make sure she takes better care of herself." Tyus said. "Don’t worry we will. Can we see her now?" "Yes, but I want only a few at a time in the room. And I don’t want you upsetting her. And we’re going to keep her here a couple of days just to make sure everything is all right." Everyone agreed. Ricardo and Bette first went into the room and Maria followed. Annie was very incoherent when she woke up. When she finally realized what happened. She woke up in a panic just about screaming out. "Oh my God, Ricardo the baby…" "Don’t worry the baby’s fine Ruby,’" Ricardo was calming her down. Ruby was Ricardo’s nickname for Annie. Ricardo said he would always call her that because she was the most precious gem in his life. It was really sweet.

"Don’t worry, you and the baby are fine. I would never let anything happen to either of you," Ricardo said while he kissed Annie on the forehead. She could see Annie holding on to his hand as it was for dear life. "How are you feeling Poopsie?" Bette asked. "I’ve felt better, Aunt Bette." "We’re glad you’re all right you gave us quite a scare. The good doctor says you have to take better care of yourself." Maria thought she would add in. "Don’t worry Maria, I would never let anything happen to this baby," Annie said. Maria turned to Annie and Ricardo and said, "Maybe you two need some alone time. How about Bette and I come back later and give Ricardo a break?" "That would be great. Thanks Maria," Ricardo said.

Maria was walking through the entrance of the hospital it was about 8:00pm and Benjy was with Tess and Ben was finishing up some work at The Deep. She looked into the shopping bag full of things she bought. She walked into the room to find Annie sitting up in the bed flipping channels on the TV. "So where is Ricardo?" Maria asked. "Well I insisted that he go to the cafeteria and get something to eat." "Oh. So are how are you feeling?" "Don’t worry Maria, I’m feeling much better. Aunt Bette came back earlier this afternoon with these flower’s." Maria turned to see Annie point to a bunch of assorted flowers in a beautiful vase.

"You know Maria you didn’t have to come back today. Your probably busy with Benjy…" Maria interrupted her "I wanted to come and see how your doing. I also brought some surprises." She said while pulled out the bag she had behind her back. "Ooo what did you bring!" Annie said with excitement. "We have some magazines Cosmopolitan your favorite and some others. Some more reading material a book of baby names in case you get bored. Before I forget I also have something for the baby. Even though my niece or nephew is not going to be born for a few more months. I brought the bunny we bought this morning just as you requested." Maria said while setting down the magazine and the book on the small table by the window and handing Annie the stuffed white bunny.

"Thank you Maria, but you wouldn’t happen to have any ice cream in there do you? This little one has been craving it eversince I got here." Annie said, while trying to look into the bag. Maria smiled while pulling out her last surprise. A carton of hogindotz cookie dough ice cream and two spoons. "Oh Maria you know me to well!" Annie said, laughing. "Gimme!" Maria handed her the carton and a spoon. "Mmm!" Annie said with delight of the first bite of ice cream. "Tyus said it was OK as long as you make your diet more than just ice cream Annie." "Yes mother," Annie replied sarcastically.

"Now that the lecture is over give me some the ice cream." Maria said pulling out the second spoon. "Do you remember when we were in high school and would always talk about boys over a carton of cookie dough ice cream?" "How could I forget. We had those sleepovers and talk about all our problems." Annie said while dishing out another spoon full of ice cream. "You know Maria, I was thinking something. I talked to Ricardo and he agreed." "What is it?" "Well if this baby needs godparents doesn’t it? And I can’t think of a better person Maria. I figured you and Ben. Because I know you guys will be back together before this little one is born. And even if you’re not. You can still be the godmother." "Me?" Maria said in disbelief. "I know it’s asking a big favor but you’re my closest friend…" "Annie of course I will!" Maria said with the biggest smile on her face.
Part 12

Maria turned in her bed. She couldn’t quite get comfortable. She had slept in the same bed with Ben for five years and still couldn’t get used to sleeping alone. She rolled over on her side and slowly started to drift off to sleep. Taking deeper breaths and hearing her eyelashes beat against her pillow. Suddenly the darkness came and she couldn’t seem to forget about all her problems with Ben. A wave of emotion fell over her. She was yelling at Ben getting on his boat. "Please Ben, I thought Derek was you! You have to understand!" He turned away from me in disgust. "Please Ben!"

Not knowing what else to do she jumped on the boat as it pulled away. The wind was picking up, a storm. Her white dress didn’t feel like much in the cold wind. "Ben, please listen to me! Please forgive me I thought he was you!" She screamed at him at the top of her lungs. But he wouldn’t listen and a gush of wind hit her. Maria lost her balance and fell into the freezing cold water. The water was reaching over her head. The waves are pulling her down. As she cried out for help she swallowed more water. It was getting harder and harder to breathe under the rushing water.

"Ben! Ben! Help me!" She screamed out in panic. She hears a splash some place far from her. "Maria! Maria!" She barely heard Ben call out her name with the sound of the water drowning out his voice. "Grab my hand!" Ben kept on repeating over and over. She felt through the water and couldn’t find it. She finally was able to hold on to his hand when the water pulled them apart. She lost the strong grip of his hand. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. She was swallowing more and more water every scream. It was too dark to see Ben in the water. She yelled until she couldn’t yell anymore. "Ben! Ben! Ben!" She repeated the same word after a while over and over in the ice cold water.

"Ben! Ben!" Maria screamed out in her dream. Ben came running in the room to see what was going on. To find Maria screaming out in her bed, those same blood-curtailing screams he had heard that night Maria almost drowned. She was gripping the bed sheets as if her life depended on it. She had drops of sweat on her forehead and face. "Maria, Maria wake up! It’s only a dream. Maria sat herself up from her bed immediately just about throwing off her covers. These haunting dreams that she couldn’t get rid of were still there. Ben instinctively held her as she cried. The moonlight had shown through the window. She held on to Ben, she didn’t want to loose him this time like she had in the water.

Wiping away her sweat she asked Ben "Did I wake-up Benjy and Tess?" "No Benjy can sleep through just about anything. And Tess is left for a walk, I gave her the night off considering she took care of Benjy while you were with Annie and I was at working at The Deep. Are you OK Maria?" "Yes, I’m fine. I just… I just don’t want to be alone tonight Ben. Can you stay here with me just for tonight?" She knew that it was too much to ask but she didn’t want to feel alone again. "Sure," Ben said and didn’t even think twice about it. He moved himself to the right side of the bed and laid down.

He pulled off the covers and got himself comfortable. She wasn’t sure if it was appropriate but she put her arms around him. He didn’t pull away, so she moved in closer. She felt his nightshirt and the silk under her hands as he put his arms around her. He wasn’t sure what inside of him told him to comfort Maria. It was the part of himself that he put in the back of his head once he started going out with Meg. Meg was gone and he realized that on some level he loved Maria. And he realized that he was falling back in love with Maria each and every day.

Something about laying here with Maria seemed right. He started to drift off to sleep. He turned on his side towards Maria and closed his eyes. Maria could hear his deep breathing as he laid next to her. The dream seemed to fade away when she just focused on Ben as she fell asleep in his arms.

Part 13
January 3, 2000
Dear Journal,
Months have passed since I’ve last written. The last time I can remember writing in my journal was the day after Ben and I fell asleep in each other’s arms. So much has happened since then, I don’t know where to begin. Gabi and Antonio got married and Gabi gave birth to a beautiful baby girl in late November her name is Faith Juanita Torres. Her middle name Juanita was named after Gabi’s mother. She was 5 pound’s and 3 ounces. I’m an aunt! I can’t believe it. Antonio and Gabi are so excited about the new baby and their eyes are so blood shot I can’t help but laugh when I see them. They look like walking zombies.
Annie’s stomach seems to be getting bigger and bigger everyday. Annie is so excited that she’s going to give birth next month. In Annie’s words "I just want this damn kid out of me!" Poor Annie I feel so bad for her. She’s really worried that she won’t get her figure back after giving birth, that’s Annie for you.
I’ve taken a job as a volunteer at the children’s art center as an art teacher. I love the kid’s there. Some how I still can’t connect with Benjy. And Tess has been acting strange lately. I’m determined to find out what’s the matter with her.

Ben and I seem to get closer every day. We stopped sleeping in separate beds since that day of my nightmare and I haven’t had one since. Our relationship is getting better and better everyday. But we’re moving it slow just taking it one day at a time. We promised Benjy that we’d take him to the park tomorrow so I better get some sleep. I’ll write more soon.
Maria

Maria turned over in her bed the next morning. "Mmmm," she moaned as she rolled on her back. She looked at the clock it was 6:00 in the morning. Ben was still sleeping peacefully next to her. She knew that Ben has been working trying to fix The Liberty Corporation budget. It was too early to get up so she laid herself back on the bed and was dozing off when suddenly she heard a voice, "Mommy! Daddy! Get up!" And before she knew what hit her there was a five-year-old jumping on their bed.

"Mommy! Daddy! Wake up!" Benjy said with each bounce. She turned towards Ben who already had a pillow covering his head trying to block out Benjy’s voice. "Mommy! Daddy! You promised me you guys would take me to the park! Both of you! So WAKE UP!" "OK, OK, we’re both up," they both said simultaneously and extremely tired. "So can we go to the park!" Benjy said in an excited voice. "Benjy we’ll go wherever you want, If you’ll let mommy and daddy get another hour sleep." Ben said in a groggy voice. "OK, I’ll be back in an hour." Benjy said while jumping off the bed and onto the floor.

Maria tightened her white robe as she sat down the warm plates with freshly cooked pancakes on them. She couldn’t get back to sleep because of a certain excited little boy that couldn’t wait to wake up his parents. She set the table for three and called Ben and Benjy down from upstairs. "Wake up you sleepy heads! I made breakfast! Pancakes!" Tess had left early this morning to meet an old friend or so she said. "Come on! Your food is going to get cold!" Amazing she thought to herself, I’m sounding more and more like a mother everyday. They finished up their breakfast and headed to the park.

Part 14
"Mommy! Daddy! Look at me! Watch me slide!" Benjy said from the top of the slide. "OK Benjy we’re watching!" Maria called back. It was a beautiful day not a cloud in the sky. It was typical weather for Sunset Beach in January not a drop of snow. Maria looked around the park. There was a slide, some monkey bars, and two swing sets. The swing set’s caught her eye. "Ben, I have and idea! Why don’t you push me on the swing’s!" Maria said. She felt like a little kid playing in the park. "Race you to the swing set!" Maria called out to Ben as she got a head start running to the swings.

"No far! You got a head start!" He ran after Maria and grabbed her by the waist playfully. "Hey! English now that’s not fair! You can’t hold me back!" Maria said while struggling to break free. They were playing like little kids. She almost broke free when they seemed to both loose their balances. Maria started laughing uncontrollably. And the immediately hit the ground with Ben falling slowly after her. Maria fell on her back and supriseingly Ben caught himself from hitting the grass to hard. Ben was laughing and lying on top of her. She stopped laughing and lifted up her head slightly to see Ben’s face close to hers. His lips just centimeter’s away. She looked into his deep blue eyes and she just leaned in to kiss him…

When heard Benjy say "MOMMY! DADDY! Your not watching me!" Looked at Maria and said "It’s true I’m not looking at him because you’re so beautiful you’re the only thing I want to see." And he leaned in and kissed her with the most passionate kiss she had felt in a long time. Maria kissed him back until she looked up to see a very irritated Benjy standing right next to them. She broke away from the kiss and put her arms around Ben’s shoulders and whispered into his ear. "You know Ben, I think we’re not going to have a moment alone here so I think we have to wait until later." She said with a seductive smile. "OK we’ll finish this later," Maria said. "How about tonight over dinner," Ben suggested. Maria agreed while Ben helped Maria off the ground.

She brushed the grass off her clothes as they each held one of Benjy’s hands. They walked over to the swings Maria sat down on the swing next to Benjy. Benjy was pushing himself on the swing. Ben started pushing her higher and higher on the swing set as she felt the wind blow across her face. While she was swinging thoughts rolled through her head. She was finally happy she had Ben back, she had a son, and she had her life back. But she had a gut feeling that the happiness would not last. She tried to shrug the feeling off but she just couldn’t.

Part 15
"I’m just not sure what to wear!" Maria said in a panic. "Maria we’ve gone through your wardrobe twice!" Annie said from her seat in the corner of Maria and Ben’s room. "I know Annie, I’m sorry it’s just that Ben and I are going out on a date tonight our first date since…well since in a long time. And I’m very nervous." Maria said while throwing another possible outfit on the bed. "So what do you think of this dress?" Maria pulled a short sky blue dress from her closet. "Well what kind of look are you going for Maria? Do you want an "I’m going to church" modest look? Or an "I want to get lucky take me now!" look?" Annie asked, with a smile.

"I’m not sure what kind of look I’m going for! I feel like a teenager going on a first date," Maria said giving a nervous look to her friend. "I don’t even remember how if feels to go out on a date." Annie laughed, "Consider yourself lucky Maria I don’t even remember how it feels to fit into that kind of dress!" "How about one of these dresses?" Maria said and pulled out two more dresses. "Well which one is easier to get out of?" "Annie!" Maria said astonished at what her friend was suggesting. "I was just wondering." Annie said with a big grin.

"No! No! No! None of these dresses look right!" Maria said with disgust throwing them on the bed.
"Here let me pick one," Annie said while trying to get up from her chair. "Ooh! Maria a little help here!" Annie called out from her chair. Maria ran over to help her pregnant friend get up from her chair. "You know what Maria? It’s getting harder and harder to get up from a chair once you hit your eighth month! Ugh! My back is killing me!" Annie declared walking over to Maria’s closet. "Damn it why can’t men have babies instead of us!" "Because we can take the pain. Men would kill themselves after the first cramp!" Maria said, laughing. "You are so right Maria," her friend said in agreement.

"I think this is the perfect dress! I found it in the back of your closet," Annie said and pulled out a beautiful olive green, sleeve-less, velvet, long dress, with a slit on the side going up to just above her knee. It was low cut so it showed her back and on the front it went down a little bit but not enough to show too much cleavage. "Do you really think this is the right dress?" Maria asked still unsure. "It’s perfect Maria! Green is totally your color and with this green choker it would make it look fabulous! It’s conservative without looking trashy!" "Well, I don’t know…"

"Knock, knock can I come in?" Maria turned her head to hear Gabi’s voice at the door of the bedroom. "Sure come on in Gabi!" "I’m sorry I’m late Maria, I had to drop Faith off at Carmen’s house. Carmen was thrilled to spend the afternoon with her grand daughter." "So how is my niece today?" Maria asked. "She’s fine, her mother now that’s another story." Gabi replied and yawning. "So how are you, Gabi?" Maria asked with concern. "I’m Ok I’m just extremely tired." Faith just keeps on crying and crying. "Well that’s how it is with a new baby. You probably went through the same thing with Benjy. Oh Maria, I’m sorry I forgot that you can’t remember…" "It’s Ok Gabi," Maria interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. "You don’t need to apologize Gabi, I wish I could remember those missing five years."

Trying to change the subject Annie yelled from across the room, "Gabi what do you think about this dress?" Annie held up the green dress that she liked. "I think that would be perfect Maria!" Gabi said in agreement. "Well I don’t know. Are you sure?" Maria said still unconfident. "I’m sure Ben would like anything you wear Maria." "Thanks Gabi, I don’t know what I would do without you guys!" "OK, I guess I’ll wear that dress tonight." Maria said finally convinced that it would work for tonight.

Gabi went over to help Maria get ready. "What about my shoes?" "I like these ones," Gabi pulled out a pair of black velvet three-inch heels with a strap on the top "I agree." Annie said and Gabi handed the shoes to Maria. "What about my hair and my make-up!" Maria said in a panic. "Don’t worry Maria I’ve got that covered," Gabi said while holding up a curling iron and a make-up case. Just leave it all to us Maria, and you’ll look fantastic tonight!" Annie said with a smile.

Part 16
"Are you ready Maria?" Ben called from the outside of their bedroom. "Just one minute!" Maria yelled back. She looked in the mirror one more time before she dared to walk out of the bedroom. She put a loose hair behind her ear; her hair was in a French twist and looked elegant. "So do I look Ok you guys?" Maria said, turning in a full circle showing off her green dress. "You look great Maria! Now go out there and have a good time!" Gabi said. "And when your done don’t forget to tell me every detail! And I do mean EVERY detail!" Annie added. "Ok, I’ll see you guys later." Maria said, walking out of the bedroom.

Ben fixed his cuffs and his jacket before Maria came out. He had butterflies in his stomach and felt so nervous. ‘I made a mistake choosing Meg instead of her a long time ago and there’s no way I’m making the same mistake again.’ Ben thought to himself. ‘What if she doesn’t feel the same way about me after all these years’ A million thoughts were running though his mind but then suddenly he forgot every doubt when he saw Maria walk out that door. His eyes went from her feet moving up to her face. He was at a lost of words but he managed to say, "You look so beautiful Maria."

She started blushing at the comment. "So were are we going for dinner?" Maria asked. "If I told you that, then it wouldn’t be a surprise!" Ben said with a mischievous smile on his face. "Aww come on Ben! Give me a hint!" Maria said, practically begging but Ben wouldn’t budge. "You’ll just have to wait and see. But I will give you a hint it’s a special place you can say that it’s through a deep tunnel of love. Come on," Ben said while taking Maria’s hand and leading her to the car. "I want you to keep your eyes closed until we get there. No peeking!"
"Ok, Ok, but I still don’t have a clue where we’re going." The car stopped. "Ben can I open my eye’s now?" "No not yet not until we get there." It was a short car ride when so it couldn’t be far. The car stopped and Ben said, "Put this on," and handed her a blind fold. "Watch your step," Ben said while leading out of the car and down some stairs. "Woah!" Maria exclaimed almost tripping on her high heels, but grabbing Ben’s arm to keep her balance. "Ben, do you know how hard it is to walk in the dark with high heels?" Maria said, almost irritated. "I wouldn’t know." Ben said, laughing. "But I do know what would make it easier." Before Maria knew it Ben swept her up in his arms and was carrying her down the stairs and past two-door ways.

He put her down a second to open the another door. And once they walked in it Maria could feel the cool breeze on her sleeve-less dress. A she shivered for a moment. "Ok you can take your blind fold off we’re here!" Maria removed the blind fold and just stood there in awe at what she saw.

"Oh Ben, I can’t believe you’ve done this!" Maria exclaimed. She was stunned more than anything was. She looked around and couldn’t believe it. Ben had led her to the hidden cove through a tunnel at The Deep, their special hide away. There were two chairs but her eyes fixated on a table. It was covered with a white sheet and had two lit candles on it. The table had a bottle of champagne in an iced container, and two champagne glasses sitting next it; there were two places set on the table, and a centerpiece made out of Gardenia’s.
"So do you like it?" Ben asked. "Like it? Oh Ben I LOVE it!" She turned around and looked him into the eyes and said, "Just like I love you." "I love you too Maria," Ben said and he lifted her chin with one finger and gently kissed her lips. Maria felt her knees tremble and felt like they were going to give out when the sensation of the kiss jolted her body. Maria broke away from the kiss and said, "lets eat dinner and save that for desert." "I felt you shiver for a moment, I thought it might get drafty so I brought a blanket if you need it." Ben said, while setting it down on the floor.

They ate a dinner of grilled chicken and rice. Only the two candles lighted the small cove. Maria sat her hand down on the table and Ben reached over and sat his hand on hers. Maria looked up at the feeling of the warm touch of his hand as their eyes met. She put her palm to his palm as their fingers intertwined. "English you are so full of surprises," Maria said with a smile across her lips. "And I have a few more," Ben added while pulling out a small wrapped package with a red bow on it. "What’s this?" Maria said while taking the gift from Ben’s hand. "Go ahead and open it and find out," Ben answered.

Maria pulled on the delicate red ribbon and opened the present. She opened the small ring box and looked at the precious treasure inside. "Oh my gosh, Ben is this what it looks like…" Maria’s hand was shaking when she pulled out the golden ring out of it’s box. She looked at it was a simple gold band with diamonds cut to form a heart. "I had this made, it’s a promise ring more then and engagement ring. I give you this ring with the promise that we will renew our vows, with the promise that I will never leave you, and with the promise that I will never stop loving you." He took the ring from Maria’s hand and slipped it onto her finger.

Maria couldn’t stop admiring the ring on her finger. "I have one more surprise," Ben said. He pulled out a CD player and pressed play. As the music started Ben got up and reached for Maria’s hand and said, "May I have this dance?" Maria put her hand in his as the music began. The melody echoed in the cove.
*Writers note: I thought this song was appropriate for the mood and just had to add the lyrics. *

"I Could Not Ask For More"
By Edwin Mccain
(Off his CD: Messenger)
Lying here with you,
Listening to the rain.
Smiling just to see the smile the smile upon your face,
These are the moments I thank God that I’m alive,
I'll remember all my life
I found all I’ve waited for,
And I could not ask for more.
Looking in your eyes,
Seeing all I need
Everything you are is everything to me
These are the moments
I know heaven must exist
These are the moments I know all I need is this
I have all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have's come true
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you here with me
These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive
These are the moments I'll remember all my life
I've got all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more
Chorus:
I could not ask for more than this time together
I could not ask for more than this time with you
Every prayer has been answered
Every dream I have's come true
And right here in this moment is right where I'm meant to be
Here with you here with me
I could not ask for more than the love you give me 'Coz it's all I've waited for
And I could not ask for more,
I could not ask for more

Ben and Maria’s bodies were swaying to the music. Ben’s arms brought Maria closer. She could feel his warm breath against her neck. Their bodies moving closer and closer together. She put her arms on his shoulders as his arms wrapped around her waist. She looked up in his eyes as their lips met. The sweet urge went through her as they kissed. She couldn’t remember being this happy in a long time. His lips moved down her face to her neck. His hand removed her hair clip and her brown hair cascaded down her back.
Her hands pulled of his jacket and it fell on the floor; she started to unbutton his shirt. She felt his kisses all over her body as her fingers ran through his thick black hair. He reached for the zipper on her dress and it fell on a heap on the floor. They fell on the wool blanket on the ground. "I love you Maria," Ben said in their moment of Passion. "I love you too English," Maria said while a single tear ran down her face. The made love as their bodies, minds, and souls became one.

MEAN WHILE…
"This is the last call for flight 143 from Kansas to Sunset Beach. Repeat this is the final boarding call for flight 143 Kansas to Sunset Beach," The voice over the intercom at the airport. Meg grabbed her bags and headed for the gate. Meg looked at her one way ticket to Sunset Beach and said out loud "I’m coming back to you Ben, and this time we can be together. I know that we can work it out. I gave up on us before but not ever again. I’ll get you back no matter what it takes…No matter what it takes," she repeated to herself.
Part 17

"Look what I drew for you Mrs. Evens!" The sound of Ashley’s voice woke Maria up from the daze that she was in. The little five-year-old girl held up a picture of a cat drawn with finger paints. "Let me see, Ashley," Maria said while getting down to the child’s level. "I think it looks beautiful I think your going to be an artist some day," Maria said with pride. Maria always wished that one day she would have a daughter. Ashley smiled bashfully at the complement she was a shy girl, one of Maria’s favorite students. She had blonde hair and it was always put in pigtails.

Maria loved volunteering at the art center as a part time art teacher. She loved working with children. It gave her meaning in her life, something to do during the day. Ben was usually busy at work. She wanted to be a full time mother but part of her still wanted to have a career. So Maria decided that she would take the part time volunteer job at the Children’s Art Center so that she would have time to spend with Benjy, but also have some-what of a career. "Bye Ashley!" Maria said while the little girl left hand in hand with her mother.
Today seemed like any other day. She was waving to Ashley as she left the room. She was the last one of her art student’s to leave. After she left Maria started putting on the lids to the finger paints and put them in the supply cabinet. It was a chore trying to keep the room clean with children and paint but she loved her job. Maria took off her white apron she wore during the painting class and sat it on the table along with the picture Ashley drew for her. Maria looked at her ring one more time. She still couldn’t believe that she had her life with Ben back.

She was walking out the door when she heard her cell phone ring. She reached into her purse and took it out. "Maria here," She listened hard but could barely hear the person on the other end of the phone. "Hello? Is anyone there?" She was about to hand up when she heard Tess say "Maria, I’m at the hospital right now." "Hospital why? What’s the matter are you sick?" Maria asked in a worried tone. "No it’s not me, it’s Benjy…" "Benjy! Oh my gosh Tess what happened! Is he all right?" Maria was starting to worry. She could tell by her voice Tess was pretty shaken up too. "Benjy and I were… were at the park playing ball and…the ball went into the street…Benjy went after it…and before I could stop him this car came out of no where…"

"Oh no, is Benjy alright! Please tell me he’s all right Tess!" Maria said in a panic. "We don’t know yet. Tyus won’t give me any information without you or Ben here. I already called Ben and he’s on his way. He told me to call you." "I’m going there right now!" Maria said and hung up the phone. She had to get to the hospital and quick.

Meg finished unpacking her stuff into her room at Surf Central. She thought about going to Ben’s but she wanted to surprise him. "I just know that Ben will be happy to see me!" Meg said with confidence in her voice out loud. She picked up her phone and it just kept ringing and ringing. I guess nobody’s home. I’ll just leave a message on his answering machine. "Hello, this is Ben and Maria’s house!" Meg’s smile turned into a frown when she heard Ben and Maria’s voice on the answering machine. ‘He changed the answering machine message how could he!’ she thought to herself. "If you would please leave your name, number, and a short message we’ll get back to you shortly!"

Meg was weary but decided to leave a short message. "Ben it’s me Meg, I’m back in town and at Surf Central. When you come home can you give me a call we need to talk? After saying that Meg hung up the phone she said out loud "Well I’m not going to let anyone stop me from being with Ben. Especially not 'Little Miss Goody Two Shoes' Maria!"

Part 18
Maria arrived ten minutes later at the hospital. She walked in to find Ben talking with the doctors and Tess sitting down in a chair across the room in a daze. "Ben!" Maria ran over to him. "How’s Benjy? I don’t know Tyus hasn’t come out yet." No sooner had Ben said that then Tyus walked out of the room. Tess ran over to join us. "Benjy is in critical condition, he lost a lot of blood," Tyus said. Maria couldn’t help but start crying. Ben put his arms around her to comfort her.

Tyus continued, "Benjy will need a blood transfusion. His blood type is AB- negative; it’s a rare blood type. Usually the mother will have the matching blood type because it is passed to the child genetically or the child might have that blood type if one parent has A and one parent has B and at least on of the parents blood type is negative. That’s the only way he could have that blood type." I was looking at Ben’s chart with his permission, and Ben doesn’t have the matching blood type he has B. so the only possible person to have the same blood type is Maria, since she is Benjy’s mother."

When Tyus finished Maria looked over at Tess she had a worried look on her face. It wasn’t only out of concern she looked more afraid. "We only have one chance to do this blood transfusion so we better get it right. I have looked at your charts Maria and found something very disturbing. There is no possible way that Benjy can be your son, Maria." "What do you mean that there’s no way Benjy could be my son?" Maria asked as tears were forming at her eyes.

"Tyus?" Maria said while crying, her eyes pleading for answers. "Your blood type is O Maria and Ben’s blood type is B. Benjy has AB- blood type the only way to get AB- blood type is if one parent has type B blood, that would be Ben. And the other parent has to have either type A- negative blood or AB- negative blood. I'm sorry Maria but you don't have either blood types." " I can’t believe this…,” Maria said, still trying to sort all the information in her head. She turned to Ben who looked just as confused as she did. "The only way we can save Benjy is if we can use some of his mother’s blood.

Suddenly Tess blurted out "Please save him Tyus! I would do anything for that little boy! I have AB- blood!" Tess paused for a second then finally said "I’m Benjy’s mother!"

Part 19
Maria and Ben sat down in disbelief both in a state of shock. How could they have been so wrong about Tess and so wrong in thinking that Benjy was their son? They both sat there for what seemed like eternity in total silence. Tyus had rushed Tess into another room to do the blood transfusion, without giving her time to explain everything. Maria just sat there and thought to herself ‘What does this mean for Ben and me?’ Benjy was the reason they had stayed together. Would Ben just forget about us now that we found out Benjy isn’t our son.
Maria looked down at her ring. ‘No!’ she thought to herself. Ben made me a promise that no matter what happened that he would always love me. But then another promise came to mind he made the same promise on our wedding day. And he chose Meg over me. She couldn’t stand it any longer the silence was just too much for her to handle she had to get answers. "Ben?" Maria said, and he turned to her. "Yes, Maria" he replied. "Since Benjy isn’t our son, what is this going to mean for us? Do we still have a future together?"
Before Ben could answer Tyus and Tess walked out of the ICU room. "Benjy will be fine, he’s in stable condition and the blood transfusion is what saved him," Tyus informed us. Tyus’s beeper went off he looked at it and said, "If you’ll excuse me I have to go." As Tyus walked off Tess said, "I’m so sorry Maria! I never meant to lie to you, to both of you. I guess I have to explain, I don’t know where to start." Ben suddenly said, "Start from the beginning."

Tess started pacing nervously back and forth as she talked. "Well it all began about six years ago, I was in an abusive relationship. I left him to start a new life and later I found out that I was pregnant. I was scared for me and for my baby. I was taking a walk along the coast thinking when I found a woman washed up on the shore in a white dress. I took her home and took care of her. That’s when you remembered me saying ‘right as rain.’ You had amnesia and didn’t know who you were or where you came from. I found out that your name was Maria. I didn’t have a friend in the world to turn to..."

Tess stopped for a moment to wipe a tear from her eyes. "You didn’t have a friend either. So we took care of each other. We became really close friends and we moved to Seattle as far away from Sunset Beach as we could. I thought my ex-boyfriend would never find us there." Tess continued, "Maria helped me name Benjy when he was born, she held my hand during delivery and when I asked her to help me come up with a name she said, ‘Ben’ then we decided to changed it to Benjy.

I got a job in Seattle and I needed a nanny for Benjy. You were the only person I trusted so I hired you to be Benjy’s nanny. Maria sat there amazed at what she was telling her. That she was Benjy’s nanny not Tess. "That explains the picture of me, you and Benjy," Maria commented. Tess nodded her head and said, " We were all happy until my ex-boyfriend Derek found us."

Part 20
"Derek? You can’t mean my twin brother Derek Evens could you?" Ben asked. "The one and only," Tess replied. "When you had Benjy’s paternity test that’s why it said you were the father because you’re identical twins and identical twins have the same DNA. Anyways where was I? Oh yea, Derek found out where Maria, Benjy, and I were hiding out in Seattle. I never thought he would find us but sure enough he did. That day you and I were talking about you going back to Sunset Beach to find out who you are."

I didn’t know why Derek had any interest in you so I helped you escape. I figured Derek was my problem and not yours…" Tess’s voice trailed off. "But Tess that still doesn’t explain why you came to Sunset Beach and told me that Benjy was our child!" Maria said. "After you left. You got in that car accident while going to Sunset Beach. Well Derek was in the car with you at the time." Tess managed to say, "he caused that accident Maria. But Derek died in that same accident and was just labeled another John Doe."

"I don’t believe this…Derek had still been alive at that time." Maria said in disbelief. "You don’t know the half of it Maria, Derek wanted me to bring Benjy to Sunset Beach. He wanted Benjy to bond with Ben and he wanted to then tell you that Benjy isn’t your child." Tess said. "But Tess why would Derek want to do that? I don’t understand!" Ben said. "Don’t you get it Ben? Derek wanted to take something you treasured away from you and he figured he could do that with Benjy. But Derek died in that car accident and I wanted to give Benjy a family, so I thought that it was best to still pretend that Benjy was your child and go along with the plan I never meant to hurt anybody but I wanted to give Benjy a family."

"Now it all makes sense," he said. "I’m sorry I lied to you Maria but if it’s any consolation Benjy is your nephew. Ben, I have a favor to ask I know I have no right but, can Benjy and I stay with you until we find a place of our own far away from here?" Tess asked. "Yes, you and Benjy can stay with us if it’s alright with Maria." Ben said and turned to Maria for an answer. "Of course it’s alright Tess," she agreed. "If you’ll excuse me, I have to go talk to the doctor’s about Benjy." Tess said and started walking down the hall.
She turned the corner to see if Maria or Ben had seen her. When she realized the coast was clear she picked up the phone. She quietly said, "Oh my gosh our plan is working perfectly! I mean how stupid could Ben and Maria be! Yes...they bought the battered girlfriend story hook line and sinker!!!! It was a shame they had to know about Benjy being my child but our plan can still work. It’s working too perfectly I’m still living at the house and they don’t suspect a thing! I’ll call you as soon as I can get the next part of our plan in motion. Ok..bye!"
Part 21
Maria rubbed her eyes when she woke up that morning. She sat up in bed Ben was still sleeping next to her 'he’s been real distant since Tess told us the truth.' Maria thought to herself what had happened last night. In a way you could say that she lost a son. Maria got up and stretched careful not to wake Ben and went to go get dressed. She picked out a nice one-piece pink dress she liked to wear, put it on and was going down stairs when the phone rang.
"Hello?" Maria said. "Oh Maria Mi hija, I read my Tarro cards last night and they predicted something bad was going to happen." Carmen’s frantic voice on the phone was making Maria nervous. "Moma, calm down what do you mean something bad is going to happen? To who?" Maria asked. Her mother was usually right about her predictions, which scared her. "To you Mi hija, something bad is going to happen to you and Ben." Maria realized what it was "oh moma…you don’t know yet." Her mother must have meant she and Ben finding out Benjy wasn’t their son.
"Don’t know what Maria?" Carmen replied. "You don’t know that yesterday we found out that Benjy isn’t Ben and my son. He’s Tess and Derek’s child…yes moma, I know how disappointed you are that you don’t have a grandson. But think of the bright side maybe Annie will have a baby boy. And I’m sure the cards only were warning me about Benjy. That’s all that it must have meant…Ok I’ll talk to you later bye," Maria hung up the phone. And said out loud "I hope that’s all the cards meant."
"Who was one the phone," Maria turned around to see Ben walking down the stairs. "It was just my mother, Ben we need to talk." Maria didn’t mind changing the subject she just wanted to forget what her mother said. "Ben, does knowing Benjy isn’t our son change the way you feel about me?" Suddenly the phone rang. "I better pick it up Maria," he said, and again avoiding the question. "It’s for you Maria," Ben said and handed her the phone.
"Hello," Maria said. She heard on the other end Ricardo sounding very nervous. "Maria, Annie just went into labor. Can you meet us at the hospital she says she doesn’t want to have the baby without you there." "Ok, I’ll be there in a second!" Maria hung up the phone. "I’m sorry Ben I have to go Annie’s going to have the baby!" Maria yelled out while grabbing her purse and running out the door.
"Perfect!" Meg said when she saw Maria leave the house. Meg walked out of the bushes she was hiding in. "I just know I’ll convince Ben that we are meant to be together, now that Maria’s out of the house and soon she'll be out of Ben's life too."

Part 22
Ben walked through the living room trying to make a decision it wasn’t a hard one but still one he had to make. Benjy was the reason Meg left in the first place but now that Benjy is not an obstacle anymore but what does this mean for his relationship with Maria. The answer wasn’t hard he loved Maria with all his heart and couldn’t imagine living without her. Ben picked up a picture of him and Maria from the table. It was their wedding picture. She looked so beautiful that day and she still does he thought to himself. There was no question in his mind that some how they would both get through this. That their love could with stand everything.
Hearing the door bell ring Ben went to go answer it. "Meg, what are you doing here?" Ben asked still surprised to see that the women he once loved standing on his front door step. "I heard you came back to Sunset Beach but I didn’t expect to see you here," he said. "Can I come in?" Meg asked. "Sure," Ben said, reluctantly.
Meg walked into the house, boy has it changed she was thinking. All the pictures that were of Ben and her had been replaced by pictured of Ben and Maria. But that will all change tonight she thought to herself. "Why did you come over?" He said. Well I heard about Benjy and I’m sorry to hear that he isn’t your son Ben. And I was thinking that we can pick up were we left off." Meg said and couldn’t keep the smile off her face. She stepped towards Ben and put her hands on him.
Meanwhile....
"I’m so sorry Maria that it was a false alarm," Annie said. She was holding Ricardo’s had while they walked back to the loft. "It’s Ok Annie, have you and Ricardo found a house that you wanted to buy yet?" Maria asked. She knew that Ricardo and Annie were thinking about buying a new house the loft wasn’t big enough to raise a child in. "Yes actually we did find a house we kind of like, with a picket fence and all," Annie laughed at the thought. If someone would have told her that this time two years ago that she would be having a baby and that she would be living in a house with a man who loved her she would have thought they were crazy.
"I better get going, Ben and I still have to finish our talk," Maria said. "Bye sis," Ricardo gave Maria a quick peck on the cheek as she left. "I’ll talk to you later Annie, I know it won’t be to long until my niece or nephew is born." Maria hugged Annie "Bye, Maria…and good luck with Ben." Annie whispered in Maria’s ear so that Ricardo wouldn't hear.
Back at Ben and Maria's house...
Ben stepped back from Meg very uncomfortably. "Do you want a drink?" Ben asked. He used any excuse to get away from Meg. "Yeah, give me what your having" Ben poured Meg a drink and handed it to her. When he handed her the drink she accidentally spilled it on him. "Oops I’m so sorry Ben," Meg said apologizing. "Here let me clean the shirt up," Meg said. Her plan was working perfectly. "No, really…" Ben tried to argue but it seemed useless. "Here if you don’t deal with in now it will stain. Ben take off the shirt." She basically took his shirt off for him and put it too the side. "I think I better go upstairs and grab another shirt."
"No wait Ben, there’s something I want to tell you." Meg grabbed his arm and stopped him from leaving. "I miss you and now that, that brat Benjy is gone we can be together." Before Ben knew what was going on and could stop her, Meg was kissing him and pushed him on the couch.
Maria was walking back to the house. "Oh darn, I can’t find my keys, I guess I’ll just have to go through the back door." Maria walked through the back door still searching for the keys in her purse. She looked into the house to see Ben’s shirt on the floor. Her eyes followed the shirt to see Ben and a woman making out on the couch. The head looked familiar. ‘Oh my God!’ the voice in her mind screamed out it was Meg.

Part 23
Maria’s purse made a clunking sound as it hit the floor. Maria didn’t know where she was going but she just knew she had to get away from there. Images of Ben and Meg kissing were filling her head. How could he have done this to me! Just forget about me as easily as that. Unanswered questions were running through her mind. She just kept on running without looking back.
Mean while back at the house…
Meg looked up when she heard a noise on the terrace. ‘It had to be Maria!’ My plan worked perfectly. "What are you doing Meg!" Ben yelled as he pushed her off of him. "I’m sorry but I just don’t feel the same about you anymore. I don’t know how to explain it but somehow you’re a different person from the one that I once knew."
"I’m not Ben, I’m really not!" She said just pleading for him to change his mind. "I’m sorry Meg, but I love Maria!" It hit her like a ton of bricks he loved Maria. The words cut into her. Out of rage Meg yelled out, "Well it doesn’t matter Ben because your precious Maria was here and saw us kissing! So how are you going to explain that to your wife? Huh Ben!" Meg laughed out of shear delight of the situation.
"Meg get out my house now!" Ben voice getting madder and madder by the minute. "And don’t come back." Ben grabbed her arm and escorted her out of the door. As the door slammed in her face she said, "Don’t worry, I don’t give up that easily." Meg jumped in her car and started driving, "Now I have one more visit to make, lets just say that I’m going to have more fun then I ever had torturing her."
"I can’t believe this!" Ben walked away from the door and out side to find Maria’s purse on the floor along with some of its contents on the spilled ground. Ben picked up some pictures that she had of her brothers put them in her purse and sat it on the counter. "Where could she have gone? I have to explain to her what happened!" Ben ran up stairs threw on a shirt and went running out the back door.
Maria finally stopped running to catch her breath. "Could it get any worse!? I’ve lost my son and now Ben!" She looked at the clock it was about 5:00 in the afternoon. She repeated to herself, "Could my life possibly get worse!?!" Suddenly she heard a loud crash of thunder over her head. Maria jumped startled at the sound. Little drops of water started falling from the sky. "I shouldn't have asked..."

Part 24
The rain started to fall; dripping wet she couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. How could her life turned into such a disaster after just two days? Finding out Benjy wasn’t her child was hard enough but losing Ben too. It was just too much to handle. That must have been the reason Ben wouldn’t answer me when I asked him if finding out Benjy wasn’t our son changed our relationship because he was probably still in love with Meg.
She put her hands across her face to wipe away the tears streaming down. Maria walked out on the wet sand and looked out into the ocean. "Maybe it would have been better for everyone if I had drowned that night, now about 6 years ago." She stared out onto the endless water of the ocean and just sat there in the rain. The thunder crashed but it didn’t seem to matter anymore. Without Ben nothing seemed to matter anymore.
Maria looked through the rain to see a dark figure standing above her. "Ben…what are you doing here? I thought you would be with Meg now!" Ben seemed hurt by the comment. "That’s who you’ve really wanted to be with the whole time isn’t it? What was I just some kind of conciliation prize because you couldn’t have Meg!?!"
"Maria you've got it all wrong…" The rain was dripping off Ben’s face. "No I think you got it wrong Ben Evens! If you think for one minute that I will stand her as you flaunt your relationship with Meg in my face you’re definitely mistaken!" Maria stepped closer to him part of her wanted to kiss him while the other wanted to strangle him.

"You don’t understand Maria it was Meg. She set it up to look like we were back together. I promise you I don’t love her!" "You know Ben; I don’t know what your promises mean. You promised that you would to be faithful and to love, honor and cherish me no matter what. I thought that the night in we were together that night we kissed in the rain, that we would have a future together but what did you do? You left me to be with Meg!" Maria’s voice cracked. "Well do you know what Ben, that hurt me! It hurt me a lot!! So what do you think your promises mean?" When she screamed that out she regretted it once it came out of her mouth.

"I think you should take this Ben," Maria pulled off the promise ring off her wet fingers. "Maybe you can give it to Meg!" She handed him the ring and walked off before he could stop her. Ben just stood there looking at the ring as the rain kept pouring down. "Don’t worry Maria the promises I made to you in the cove intend to keep." He clutched the ring in his hand and put it in his pocket and followed after Maria.

Maria walked through the pouring rain. She walked to find the one person who could help her get through this.

Mean while…

Annie went to go answer the door. It was still hard to get up this late in the pregnancy but Ricardo wasn’t home. He was working a late shift at the police station. "I’m coming!" Annie yelled to the door. When she opened the door to find someone with an umbrella come in the house. When the person closed the umbrella she realized the person was Meg. "What the hell are you doing here Corn girl?"

"A nice way to great your guests Annie, I see your looking like a whale as always…" Annie sat down on the chair. "What do you want Meg?" Annie tried not to get too stressed out remembering what the doctor said about how stress could affect the baby.

"What do I want? I just wanted to come and gloat the same as you did when you found out Ben slept with Maria." Meg laughed.

"What do you mean? What did you do to Ben and Maria!?" Annie was starting to get worried. "Do you really want to know what I did? I’ll tell you! I made it look like Ben hasn’t been quite faithful to his wife! I set it up so Maria would never forgive him."

"You bitch!" Annie yelled out in a fit of rage. She looked out of the corner of her eye to see Maria standing outside the door opened a crack, just enough for her to hear their whole conversation. "So do you mean to tell me that it was all your fault? That you set up Ben just to break up him and Maria!"
"Of course I did! You don’t think that Ben would be unfaithful to his stupid wife other wise do you!" Meg retorted. Annie couldn’t control her laughing. Meg was going to get just what she deserved she just confessed what she had done. "You better watch out Meg!"

"Ooo I'm so scared! I'm shaking in my boots!! In your pregnant state you can’t do a thing to me!"

"Luckily I can!!!" Suddenly Meg turned around to see dripping wet Maria standing in the doorway.

Part 25
Annie looked at the door to see Maria standing. Maria had the look on her face that Carrie did in the movie "Carrie" after she had pig’s blood dumped on her. Out of no where she ran towards Meg, punched her, and knocked her on the ground. Annie had never saw Maria this angry before. Maria has never been a violent person but when push came to shove she was tougher then any she lion. It was the Torres temper hidden in her.

Maria grabbed Meg’s neck wanting to make her pay for what she did to her and Ben. Meg somehow was able to brake free of Maria’s grip. She got up dusted herself off and said, "Do you know what Maria? You’re just jealous that Ben will never love anyone like he loves me." When Meg turned to walk away Maria saw her opportunity. Still lying on the floor Maria and grabbed Meg's ankle and Meg fell flat on her face and back on the ground. A nice trick Maria had learned from Annie.

Outside…
Ben walked up to the door. The only place she could be is at Annie and Ricardo's he thought to himself. He was about to open the door when he heard Ricardo come up behind him. "Ricardo, hey."

"Hi Ben, what are you doing here?" Ricardo asked his brother-in-law. "Actually I was looking for Maria, is she here?" Ben asked. "I don’t know, let’s check." Ricardo said and opened the door to the loft.

When they both looked inside they were astonished at what the saw, Meg and Maria in a catfight and Annie sitting on her chair laughing at Meg. Maria seemed to have the upper hand since she was on top of Meg. Ben yelled to Ricardo, "You get Meg and I’ll grab Maria." Ben tried his best to pull them apart but she was struggling. He was finally able to pull Maria off Meg. Ricardo restrained Meg who seemed like she was ready for round two.

Ben couldn’t help but laugh when he saw Meg’s black eye. He never knew is wife to ever be violent before. "Meg, I think you better go!" Ricardo said as he made sure she wasn’t going to attack Maria while Ben had her restrained. Ben let go of Maria as soon Meg was walking through the door. "Hey Meg you forgot something!" Maria called out and picked something off the floor. Meg turned around only to be hit in the face with her own purse.

Meg turned around and contemplated going back to fight with Maria some more but left seeing that she was out numbered. When she made it out the door she whispered to herself. "This is not over Maria, not by a long shot."

"Wow sis, where did you learn to fight like that?" Ricardo said with an astonished look on his face. "Let’s just say that in college I learned a few things from Annie. After club hopping we did get into a few sticky situations. So you can say I learned from the master!"

"Thank you Maria, you were a good student! That just made my day when you put Dorothy in her place!!" Annie said still smiling.

Maria grabbed Ben’s hand and said, "I’m sorry I ever doubted your love for me Ben." "And I’m sorry I ever gave you reason to doubt my love for you" he said. "I almost forgot," Ben reached in his pocket and pulled out the promise ring. "This belongs to you." Ben said and slipped the ring back on her finger right where it belonged. "I love you Maria," The both kissed passionately until the heard Annie cry out in pain.

"What’s wrong Annie?" Maria looked to Annie direction. "We need to go to the hospital NOW!" "Why?" Ricardo asked, as he seemed clearly confused. Annie screamed out "BECAUSE I’M GOING INTO LABOR!!!!"

Part 26
Maria looked around the room to see Annie in pain, Ricardo running around like a chicken without a head, and Ben just standing there. It was clear she would have to take charge. She knew that Annie was past her due date so they must have already packed a bag to go the hospital. "Everyone calm down! Ricardo you help Annie to the car, I’ll grab her overnight bag, and Ben you call the hospital to tell them we’re on our way."
With that said, they were on their way to the hospital. Maria looked at herself and Ben both their clothes were soak and wet and the both looked a mess but not as bad as Annie looked. She was doing the breathing she learned in Lamaze class. And breathing heavily she almost looked like she was going to have the baby in Ricardo’s car.

They finally reached the hospital and got signed in. The brought out a wheel chair and took Annie to the delivery room. Maria looked at the sparsely decorated room Ricardo pulled out what Annie was suppose to focus on during delivery. Ricardo sat the white stuffed bunny in front of her and held her hand, "It’s Ok Ruby you’re doing great. Just focus and remember what the told us to do in Lamaze."
Maria sat in the corner of the room; she didn’t want to be in the way but Annie still wanted her there. Ben was in the hallway calling Carmen, Antonio, and Gabi. Granted Antonio and Ricardo are still mending their relationship Ricardo still wanted Antonio there with him. Ricardo kept feeding Annie ice chips and rubbing her back.

The doctor came in a while later; her regular doctor was unavailable so Tyus came instead. "Ok Annie I see you’re 6 centimeters dilated. If you want drugs now is the time to get them. So do you want any drugs for the pain?" Simultaneously Ricardo said "No!" and Annie said, "Yes!" A very confused Tyus said, "I think I’ll leave you two to talk but don’t wait too long to make your decision." Tyus left the room to talk to one of the nurses.
"Ruby, I thought we agreed on natural child birth." "Ricardo…um…honey we did…but…how natural is something the size of a watermelon coming out of the something size of LEMON hole!" Annie then caressed Ricardo’s face leading down to his shirt. She grabbed onto the collar of his shirt and her voice went from a whisper to a yell. "And honey...um…YOU ARE NOT IN THIS MUCH PAIN BUT I WILL PUT YOU THERE IF YOU DON’T BRING THE DOCTOR BACK AND LET HIM GIVE ME DRUGS TO STOP THIS PAAAAIIIIIINNNN!!!!"

Maria sat there with Annie as Ricardo went to go get Tyus. She just she knew what her friend was thinking.
Annie looked at Maria. She was doing all she could but it still didn’t help. She looked at the white stuffed bunny and thought ‘my hair must look like a mess…’

Tyus came in and checked Annie out, "I’m afraid it’s too late for drugs, they won’t relieve any pain." After Tyus said that he had the most worried look on his face. "Uh oh…" Ricardo seemed very protective and yelled out "UH OH, WHAT!?" We have to do a C-section. Annie looked scared for a moment but once a contraction came on she said, "ANY THING…. JUST GET THIS KID OUT OF ME!!!!!!!" Maria could hear the pain in Annie’s voice.

Tyus wheeled her Annie into the operating room while he just stood there. Ricardo felt so help less. The only woman he every truly cared about and their child she is carrying were in danger and there was nothing he could do. It’s true at one time he really cared about Gabi but she didn’t really love him. And he came to terms that, she loved Antonio and they are meant to be together. He still had trouble-trusting people but Annie helped him. They only relied on each other for strength, he was her strength and she was his.

Part 27
Ricardo stared at the clock in the hospital waiting room it was ten past one o’ clock in the morning. The seconds felt like hours as he sat there. It seemed like he was checking the clock every two minutes. It’s been past two hours since Tyus took Annie for a C-section. "Here’s some coffee Chief." Bette said, as he saw a cup of coffee being sat down on the table. "Thanks Bette," Ricardo said.

Ricardo looked across the room to see Ben and Maria fast asleep on the chairs. With their arms draped around each other. He didn’t blame her; it’s been a long day especially for her and Ben. Ben and Maria checked on Benjy about an hour ago. They still cared about that little boy even if he wasn’t their own son. "So where’s Antonio and Gabi?" Bette asked.

"I told them to go home, it could be a while for Annie to have the baby so they should go home. Besides the babysitter called and said Faith wanted her mommy and daddy, and Gabi and Antonio had to leave but he made me promise I would call them when the baby was born…" Ricardo thought for a moment how much things have changed in the past year and a half. About a year and a half ago today he and Gabi would be planning their wedding and Antonio would still be a priest. He didn’t blame them for falling in love. But part of him always feared making a commitment. First there was Paula and then Gabi. Part of him was afraid of rejection again.

Ricardo pulled out a ring box he kept hidden in his pocket. Inside were two wedding rings. He planned on using them when he and Annie getting married. He wanted to get married to here right here in the hospital if she didn’t mind. He was done going through large weddings and Annie never was an old fashioned girl. And he wanted to make Annie his wife as soon as possible. Ricardo felt so helpless sitting there waiting. He was never one to wait; it’s the cop part of him.

Bette sat down next to Ricardo. She had ran into his mother at the pay phone. Carmen seems so excited to have another grandchild. She was calling everyone she new. Bette was lost in her thoughts. She didn’t know how to make Ricardo feel better. She didn’t know what to tell an expectant father. In a way she felt she herself is going to be a grand mother. Annie had always felt like a daughter to her.

Ricardo knew it was best to ask the question now that Bette and him had some time to talk. It seemed silly but he wanted to do it. Ricardo turned to Bette and asked, "Bette, can I marry your niece?" She had a surprised look on her face. "I love your niece and I know Annie isn’t old fashioned but I am and I wanted your permission to marry your niece considering you’re her closest relative…"

Bette looked at Ricardo in astonishment. This guy really love's Annie. She smiled. Both Ricardo and Annie had both had their hearts broken in relationships before but now it’s all going changed now that they are together. "Yes, Ricardo you can marry my niece!" Bette hugged Ricardo and said, "I only wish happiness for both of you!!"
Part 28

"Maria, Ben get up!" Maria looked at the window and it was still dark outside. Still half asleep she woke up to see Ricardo. It took her a minute to process in her mind where she was. It suddenly hit her. She was in the hospital waiting room. They took Annie for a C-section and she must have fallen asleep. Maria got up immediately and woke Ben up too. "Ricardo, did Annie come out of surgery?" Maria asked in a sleepy voice. She rubbed her eyes, trying to make the sleepiness go away.

"Yes, and we have a new addition to the family we want to introduce you to" Ricardo said, and led Maria and Ben to the room they had Annie in. When Maria walked in she saw Annie cradling a little baby in her arms. "Maria, this is your nephew Jonathan Tyler Torres." Maria looked at Ricardo and could see he was absolutely glowing with fatherly pride.

Maria looked at the door to see who was coming through it. Carmen came running through the door with something in her hands. "What’s going on?" Maria said. Annie and Ricardo looked at each other and held hands. "We’re getting married today right here in the hospital," Annie replied with a smile on her face.
"You can’t get married without a few things," Maria said with a smile. "We need something old…" Maria stopped to think. "Oh mejha I got that covered!" Carmen said. She pulled out the Mexican wedding lasso that she was saving and for Ricardo’s wedding. Carmen put it around Ricardo and Annie. She had it fixed after Gabi had broke it running out of the church. She took it as a sign that Gabi wasn’t meant to be with Ricardo in the first place. "Now we already have something new!" Maria laughed and looked at the newborn baby. As for something borrowed and for something blue, "You can borrow my blue topaz necklace." Maria unfastened the necklace from her neck and fastened the necklace around her friend and gave her a hug.
"Maria, I know this is short notice but will you and Ben be our Maid of honor and Best man." Maria turned to Ben for an answer and when Ben nodded she looked at Annie and said, "of course we will!"

An hour later:

The priest looked up at the happy couple and the baby and smiled. "From the power invested in me from the state of California, I know pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Annie and Ricardo kissed as the words were spoken. They looked around the hospital room. All their friends and family were there. Antonio, Gabi, Faith, Ben, Maria, Bette and Bette's husband AJ. Bette looked so happy with AJ. Just as happy as Annie felt. Ricardo and Annie looked out the window to see the sun rise. It promised a new day and the beginning of their life together as a family.

Part 29
June 27, 2000
Dear Journal,

I haven’t written in a while. Ben and I are still having trouble accepting that Benjy isn’t our son. Annie and Ricardo are overwhelmed with the new baby. Ben and I can’t wait to have children of our own. We sometimes still think of Benjy as our own child even though we know that he’s Tess and Derek’s. Ben and I have decided we need to get away from Sunset Beach. We're going on vacation.
Annie, Ricardo, Gabi, Antonio, Tess, and Tim are also coming along on the trip. Ben owns a small Island off the Bahamas. Faith, Jonathan, and Benjy are staying with their abula Carmen for three days until we get back. We leave first thing in the morning. I can’t wait for the trip. I really need a vacation!
Maria

Maria pulled the last bag out of the back of the rent a car. It had been a long flight and she was glad that it was finally over. She still had her apprehensions about Tess but agreed to let her and Tim come along. Ben wasn’t too happy with the idea of Tim coming. Annie and Ricardo decided to share a hut with Antonio and Gabi. While Ben and I decided share a hut with Tim and Tess. We still weren’t to happy about them coming along but am trying to make the most out a bad situation.

She felt like she needed this vacation, The air was clean the sky was blue and waves were crashing against the shore. The only people on the Island were just our group. "This is going to be a wonderful trip!" Maria said to herself.  A figure spying on Maria moved out of view and into the shadows.

Part 30
Annie and Gabi were left in the hut alone while Ricardo and Antonio were outside. Annie wasn’t too happy about being roomies with Ricardo’s ex-fiancé. But she looked down at her wedding ring and reminded herself whom Ricardo loved. She was ready to spend a nice relaxing weekend with a crying baby. Jonathan was up crying all night and it took until 2 in the morning to get him to sleep. Annie looked down at he nails there had red nail polish chipping around the sides. ‘I really need a manicure!’ she thought to herself.

Antonio and Ricardo came back in the hut. "So how are our beautiful wife’s?" Ricardo asked while he put his arms around Annie and Antonio put his arms around Gabi. "Just fine honey!" Annie turned and gave her husband a kiss. The hut was a cute it seemed more like a house though. The place had two bedrooms in it with tropical decorations all over the walls. There was a small bathroom and also a small kitchen. It had straw on the roof covering the real tiled roof. It was the perfect, and most of all quiet and isolated.

"How about we go see what Ben and Maria are doing!" Annie said with excitement. She couldn’t wait to start working on her tan. Maria and her had bought swimming suits the week before.   When they reached the hut Maria and the others put their swimming suits on and they all headed out for the beach. Every thing was so relaxing, the waves crashing against the shore. The sky was beautiful but there seemed like some dark clouds were forming off the horizon. "I’m hungry! I’m going back to the hut to find something to eat." Tim declared and headed back to the hut. "You know you wouldn’t believe this but I left the sunscreen in the car we rented!" Tess said.

"I’ll go get it!" Gabi and Antonio offered. They were anxious to get some time alone. "Well if you insist…" Tess reluctantly agreed. After Antonio and Gabi left Tess said, "Oh I can’t believe how stupid I am! I didn’t tell them were to find it! I think I better get it myself," Tess got up off her towel and headed towards the car. With most everybody gone Annie, Ricardo, Maria, and Ben were talking and playing on the beach for most of the day. Annie turned to Ricardo and asked, "Ricardo do you mind if we go back to the hut? I’m pretty tired." "No that’s fine, I need some rest too." Ricardo and Annie got up and headed back to their hut leaving Ben and Maria on the beach alone.
 

At Ben, Maria, Tess, and Tim’s hut…

"There’s nothing but fruit!" Tim said in disgust as he put down an apple. "Well I guess this will have to do." Tim turned around leave the hut and head back to the beach until he heard footsteps in the hall. Tim walked around the corner to see a dark shadow pass the on the wall. "Who’s here?" Tim asked with a little fear in his voice. Out of the darkness came out someone in a skull mask with a huge black coat sort of like a trench coat but not quite, but fully dressed in black.

Tim’s face turned pale as he realized who it looked like. It was the same haunting mask he saw before…the same night so many people were murdered. "You…" Before he could turn to run or even say another word the person stabbed him. Tim yelled out in pain as the knife dug into his flesh. "I have to warn the others it’s happening again…” Tim said with his last breath. But before he could tell anyone he fell to the floor as a pool of blood started forming around his body and the apple in his hand rolled onto the floor.

Back at the beach…

"Tim’s been gone for a really long time. I wonder where he is…he should have been back by now," Maria said to Ben. "He's probably just eating. Nothing can go wrong on this trip!" Maria said with a smile as Ben wrapped his arms around her.

Part 31
"You know, I can lay here in your arms forever Ben." Maria sighed with content. "I hate to ruin your fun Maria, but it looks like a storm’s coming." Ben looked up at the sky at the gray clouds starting to form. But got up and gave Maria a hand up. "Let’s head back to the hut. It looks like it might rain." Maria said, and they started walking towards the hut hand in hand.
 

At the rented car…

"Antonio I can not find that sunscreen!" Gabi yelled out from the inside of the car. "Well it looks like we won’t need it," Antonio said while looking up at the sky. "Let’s head back to the hut we wouldn’t want to be caught in this storm that’s coming." In a hurry the two ran back to their hut.
 

Back at Ben, Maria, Tess, and Tim’s hut….

"I wonder were Tim is?" Maria said as they walked through the door. Something about this trip was too Erie. Something was wrong. When she made her way through the kitchen and to the living she screamed in terror. Tim was dead lying on the floor. Ben rushed over to her when she screamed and they both looked on at the dead corpse lying in front of them. "Oh my god!!" Maria screamed out but looked away no longer able to look at the gruesome sight of the dead body. The smell of a blood was getting to her stomach in a way that she almost got sick. The living room smelled like a slaughterhouse and not knowing what to do they both ran out of the hut.

"Maria calm down," Ben said trying to comfort her. "Calm down! Tim’s dead on the living room floor, there’s a murderer on the loose and you want me to calm down!!" Maria took deep breaths and tried not to lose her breakfast after the sight she just saw. Ben looked at Maria and said, "I only meant that if there is a murderer on the island we should warn the others immediately before one of them become the next victim!"

Part 32
Maria and Ben arrived at the other hut as quickly as they could. When they got there they found everyone there except Tess. Gabi and Antonio had gotten there earlier; everyone walked into the living room when Maria and Ben came running through the doors. "What’s the matter Maria you look pale?" Annie asked,

"It’s Tim, he’s dead. We found him in our hut, and from the looks of it he was murdered." Maria answered.

"Oh my god," Annie said in disbelief. Tim and her had never been close; at one time we were when we tried to break Ben and Meg up. He never did change but no matter how bad a person he might have been he never deserved this.

Antonio wasn’t sure what to say but Gabi started yelling. "Oh no, please don’t tell me it’s happening again!!" Everyone looked at her, Antonio asked, "What’s happening again?" Everyone seemed to be confused.

Annie and Ricardo never did go on Terror Island. Antonio was still a priest back then and Maria was still missing at that time. Gabi looked at Ben who was the only one besides her that knew what was happening again. "Maybe you should tell them Ben," she said as she left Ben to give them an explanation.

Ben wasn’t sure where to start, or how to explain what happened two years ago. "When I was with Meg, one time I gave her an island. I thought it would be a great place for a vacation. Meg invited Gabi, Mark, Casey, Sean, Brad, Amy, Vanessa, Michael, Virginia, and Tim to the island. I was going to go but some business came up and I told them to go on with out me. To make a long story short, there was a murder on the island, it was my twin Derek."

Ben’s voice cracked at the last name, "He killed Jade, Elizabeth, and Mark. We thought Derek had died, Ricardo was there it looked like no one could survive that big a fall off the cliff. But he must have."

Ricardo interrupted, "Unless it was someone else. We don’t know for sure it is Derek it could be a copy cat murderer." Ricardo’s police training went to good use as he tried to figure out what to do next. Everyone sat there quietly until Tess came through the door with her sunscreen in hand, "I came to tell Antonio and Gabi that it was ok I found my sunscreen." She looked around the room there was an Erie silence, "What is everyone doing here and why are you all looking at me like that?" Tess said, as loud thunder crashed outside.

Part 33
Tess started to get nervous, "Why are you all looking at me like that?!" "It was her!" Gabi yelled out.
"That’s right! She killed Tim!" Annie cried out.

"Tim is dead?! Oh my god." Tess looked sad but then defensive when she realized what they were accusing her of. "I didn’t kill anyone!" She yelled in her own defense.

Annie and Gabi started circling Tess, "Well tell us was anyone with you a while ago?" Gabi asked. Tess was looking uncomfortable, "No…" Annie yelled in conviction, "See I’ve never trusted little Miss Mary Poppins in the first place!"

"I didn’t kill anybody!" Tess said, as she ran out the back door crying. "Let’s go after her!" Antonio said. "If she isn’t the killer than the real killer is out there and Tess can be in a lot of trouble!" Everyone went running after Tess but she had a huge head start. When they made it outside it started raining and the wind was blowing hard.

"It’s a tropical storm! Everyone stay together!" Ben said, and everyone huddled together in the group.

"Tess!" Maria yelled out. But no one was answering. Time was passing by and no Tess. The rain was coming down harder and it was getting harder to see. When suddenly they saw a big heap of something lying on the ground. "What is it?" Gabi asked. "Oh my god it’s a body!" Maria screamed out. Ricardo started walking towards the body. "Stay back…," he ordered as he moved closer the rain dripping off his face.

Lying there was Tess with what looked like blood coming from her head. Ricardo looked on, he was trained to keep control in a situation like this but he didn’t feel much like he was in control. He didn’t get closer to her and stayed a few feet away, the rain was pouring down and it was no use. "Everyone get back to the hut!" Ricardo yelled through the sheets of rain. Everyone started to turn back when Ricardo found a note on the ground written in blood and starting to smear with the rain. It said, "2 down…6 to go."

Part 34
The tropical storm was getting worse and worse the rain made it hard to see. Ricardo couldn’t help but feel he missed something though out this whole thing that some pieces to the puzzle didn’t fit. The killer knows too much and couldn’t have pulled this off alone. When they finally reached the hut everyone ran into the safe haven. Ricardo looked and saw only Ben, Gabi, and Antonio. Annie and Maria were missing….
 

Meanwhile….

We were following behind everyone else when the rain was pouring too hard and we couldn’t follow any more. We sat there terrified in the pouring rain. My hair dripping wet and my clothes damp. At least Annie was with me; I wasn’t as scared knowing that someone was with me. "I think I know the way back to the hut!" Annie yelled to me. I eagerly followed. But then I heard a noise behind me. Annie screamed, "Maria watch out!!!!!" I quickly turned to come face to face with the masked killer. I screamed and was knocked to the ground. Annie tried to help me but it was no use.

The killer grabbed a rock and hit Annie’s head. I got up and quickly ran to her. She didn’t seem dead but she was defiantly unconscious and I was left alone…
 

Back by the road:

 I waited until Ricardo and everyone else left before I got up. "I didn’t think it would be this easy!" Tess said as he wiped the fake blood off her forehead. I wiped the goo out of my hair; it was the same stuff used as Pigs blood in the movie Carrie. People should pay more attention to horror movies they can learn a lot, I say to myself. When I ran from the hut I didn’t think I had time to pull it off but it worked! But it worked perfectly. Ricardo didn’t even feel for a pulse! No wonder his fiancé cheated on him without him knowing! I laugh out loud anyone can fool that dumb cop! Now that everyone thinks I’m dead we can move on to the rest of our plan! I get up and wipe some of the mud off my clothes. I smile as I say to myself, "We’re finally going to get our revenge on Ben and Maria…"

Part 36
When I finally came to I was in some sort of cove. It was a sort of cave looking thing. I was thankful to be out of the rain but fearful of what was next to come. My hands were chained to the wall. I pulled to break them free but the metal just digged deeper into my skin. My legs weren’t chained but I couldn’t reach Tess or her partner. My head was pounding, and my body was freezing as I felt the wind come into the cave and hit my wet clothes. I saw the hatred in Tess’s eyes. Why had she faked her death and why was she doing this?

Flash back

Everyone’s at the hospital after Benjy’s accident.
Tess started pacing nervously back and forth as she talked. "Well it all began about six years ago, I was in an abusive relationship. I left him to start a new life and later I found out that I was pregnant. I was scared for me and for my baby. I was taking a walk along the coast when I found a woman washed up on the shore in a white dress. I took her home and took care of her. That’s when you remembered me saying ‘right as rain.’ You had amnesia and didn’t know who you were or where you came from. So I decided to call you Dana, it was a name that I always liked and you liked it too.

End flash back
 

If Tess had known me as Dana then why would she have called me Maria when she first saw me? Maria thought to herself. Somehow she lied to me and made up that story. And another thing bugged her. If Derek had died in that accident as Tess then he wouldn’t have been able to try to take over Ben’s life because he would have been dead. How stupid was I not to think about this before! Somehow Derek didn’t die in that accident and Tess knew who I was the whole time! The anger started to boil inside of me how could she have lied to me to us like that!

"You bitch let me go!" I scream out. I felt betrayed and hurt. I had trusted Tess and she played me like a fool!
 

I look at Maria struggling to get free. I laugh at the sheer delight of watching her suffer. She was going to suffer just as I had those five years. What I had planned for Maria death was too good for her! I had to do more than kill her; I had to make her feel what it feels like to lose the man you love. I look at my friend who still had that skull mask on. I could have never done it without that person. We were finally going to get our revenge…When I heard Maria call me a bitch I slapped her. I was in control and there wasn’t a damn thing anyone can do about it!
 

My face ached after Tess slapped me I wanted answers. "Who’s your friend Tess? Another pathetic loser?" I yell. Seeing her get angry and annoyed. She yelled to her friend, "Take of your mask and show Maria who she’s dealing with!"

"Gladly" the masked killer said. They removed the mask and Maria gasped. "Oh my God..." She managed to let out of her mouth.

Part 37
Maria was speechless, here standing before her was the last person she expected to see. Maria pulled once again at the chains restricting her. "MEG?!" Maria said in confusion. Tess laughed, "Surprised now, aren’t we Maria?" Maria just sat there for a moment in shock. And she finally spoke, "You killed Tim?"

Meg answered, "Yes, and I’m going to kill you to! Tess had a really good idea and I’m glad I teamed up with her. If we get rid of you then we’ll both be happy and that leaves Ben open for me!"

"How can you do this Meg? You used to be a good person and now look what’s happened to you! What happen to the girl I once knew when I was Dana?" Maria looked into Meg’s eyes and didn’t see the loving caring person that was once there.

"That Meg died as soon as you showed up at my Wedding reception!" Meg threw the mask she had in her hand across the room and it hit the wall. The noise startled Maria. She expected the killer to be Derek when it was Meg all along. She’s the one who sneaked onto the island and she’s the one who killed Tim and knocked out Annie.

"I can understand why you would do this!" She screamed to Meg. "But I don’t understand your motive Tess! Why do YOU hate me so much!" Maria said.

Tess walked up to Maria. "I’ll tell you why! You stole every thing away from me Maria! EVERYTHING!" You could see the hatred in her face. "What did I ever do to you?" Maria asked. "It’s what you didn’t do Maria! You didn’t stay dead!" Tess walked up to her and started speaking again.

"I met Derek in after college in a bar. He was the cutest guy I had ever seen but he had a weird competitiveness with his brother Ben. We were going out when he explained to me a way to get Ben’s money and take his place. I was happy with the idea because I had just found out I was pregnant around that time." A wicked smile came across her face.

"Part of his plan was that he had to sleep with you! When he did sleep with you thought it was Ben …you gullible thing! You really thought it was Ben didn’t you!" Tess went up to Maria and smiled at watching her suffer with the guilt. "Go to hell!" Maria yelled back. "My my aren’t we touchy!" Tess said with a smile.

"I didn’t mind sharing Derek because I knew I was the only woman in his heart and he was only using you! His plan worked but not completely...he wanted to get you both on that boat and make sure neither of you survived but something went wrong and only you fell over board. Ben was angry and miserable so Derek thought he didn’t need to get anymore revenge on him. Letting him suffer without you was painful enough!"

"He left town knowing that his brother was suffering just as he wanted him to. He didn’t care about the money as much as that. Derek and I were walking on the beach hand in hand when he spotted you Maria washed up on the shore. That was the end of us…knowing that you were alive. And that maybe one day you would go back to Ben." Tess looked as if she were going to cry.
"Derek became obsessed…he drugged you. He never paid attention to me anymore…EVERYTHING was about MARIA!! And how he could make Ben never find you again. Derek ignored Benjy and me! You took him away from us! Derek was positive that Ben would never love again…until Meg showed up! Gee it didn’t take him long to get over you Maria!" Tess laughed.

Meg chimed in; "Well of course it didn’t because Ben and I are meant to be together! And we will be once your gone from our lives forever…"

Part 38
"Can we kill her now Tess?" Meg squealed with excitement!

"No not yet…" Tess looked over to Maria, "We have to let her know what we have planned for her first."
"Ben will find me!" Maria yelled out.

"Sure…keep telling yourself that!" Meg laughed.  "Do you know what this is Maria?" Meg held out a manila envelope and pulled out a piece of paper.

"No...What is it?" Maria asked.  "Well you see this letter? It's suicide letter!" Meg said.

"WHAT?!?! Please don't tell me I'm lucky enough that YOU would be committing suicide?" Maria asked.

"Nope sorry to disappoint you but this is your suicide letter! Let me explain" Meg said.

"You see you just snapped one day…when you found out Benjy wasn’t you son you never were the same. You thought Ben was being unfaithful to you because Tim told you so and then you killed him! You couldn’t take it anymore so you decided to end your life on vacation!" It came to Maria’s mind what they had planned, the were going to kill her and make it look like a suicide.

"What about Tess? How are you going to explain that huh?" Tess answered that question.

"I’m going to be limping to the hut and suddenly collapse…Everyone’s going to find out that I’m not dead but I fell and hit my head pretty hard! Ricardo couldn’t tell that I wasn’t dead because of all that rain."

"So what about that note you left Ricardo saying, 2 left 2 to go? How are you going to explain that one!" Maria said thinking of a way that she outsmarted Tess.

"That letter was only written with red paint! And because of the rain it smeared so Ricardo didn’t read it well…it was only an advertisement for a vacation. It said: There’s lot’s of places especially left to go to!! And when they find that then the police will believe it! Maybe Ricardo won’t but when I switch that note with the one I have that they will have no choice but to believe it! They’ll give up the search for any foul play and everyone will move one with their lives!"

"Ben won’t give up on me I know it! He'll know the truth that I never killed Tim!" Maria said, while the tears were streaming down her face.

"Oh he will believe you did remember when you left for a moment to the bathroom that's when he'll think you killed Tim! Then he’ll turn to someone for support. He’ll turn to the woman he’s always loved! ME! And he’ll soon forget you and we’ll have the love we once knew!" Meg said with an evil smile across her face.
"You won't get away with this!" Maria said she thought back to Annie. Annie could be here last hope.

"Oh yea! Just watch us!" Tess pulled out a white cloth and poured some kind of chemical out of a bottle onto the cloth. "Nighty night Maria!" Tess said and Meg held Maria down and Tess put the cloth over Maria's nose and mouth. The fumes were so strong. Everything turned black and in no time she was out like a light.
 

Part 39
"Come on Meg let’s take little Miss goodie two shoes Maria up to the cliff…and then she can meet her maker!" Tess said as she took the chains off Maria’s hands and got a hold of Maria’s arms as Meg got Maria’s legs.

About half way up there Meg complained…"Damn it! Can we take a break Tess? Maria is heavy! What where you guys feeding her in Seattle? Geez I feel like I’m about to collapse with exhaustion! Didn’t you guys ever think about putting her on an exercise program!" Meg whined as she sat down to take a break.

"We can’t stop now Meg!" Tess yelled. "I that stuff will only knock her out for a while, we have to drag her to the top of the cliff and throw her off before she wakes up! Now get off your lazy butt and help me!!"

"OK I’m getting up!" Meg said as they made their way up to the cliff. She had worked to hard to give up now.
 

About 20 minutes later up on top of the cliff…

"Now for the next part of MY plan…" Tess said. Meg looked at her in confusion don’t you mean the "The next part of OUR plan?" Tess looked over at Meg, a very trusting and very stupid person. She really thought that I was on her side. She really thought that we were working together. But now she was going to find about my real reason.

"Meg, you know how much I hate Maria for coming back and Derek ignoring me and Benjy right?" She Tess asked and Meg nodded. "Yes…" Meg said and walked by the edge of the cliff to see how far down it was. It was a really far drop. She turned her attention back to Tess.

"Well if Derek’s plan had worked the second time then we wouldn’t have had to worry about Maria!" Tess said. "What was your second plan?" Meg asked out of curiosity.

"Derek’s first plan was to have Maria and Ben die on that boat…and when that didn't work the second one happened to be when he tried to take over Ben’s life…and you stopped him…" Tess’ voice went from friendliness to rage. And her voice went from a whisper to a scream. "YOU killed him!! It was YOUR entire fault that he’s dead! And for that you will die!"

To see the fear in Meg's eyes made me smile. She was backing away from me moving farther and father away and closer to the edge of the cliff. "You see Meg…no one else knows you’re here!" Meg’s eyes looked like a cow going to the slaughter.

"You’re not thinking what I think your thinking!" Meg’s voice shaked, as she feared what was coming next. She looked behind her to see the cliff getting closer and closer to the end. "We’re friends we’re in this together…"

"Not anymore!" Tess said as she pushed Meg and Meg went hurling backwards off the cliff. Meg let out a blood-curtailing scream all the way down until she hit the water and fell to her death.
 

Part 40
Tess stood by the edge and looked on as Meg struggled for air but the tide was pulling her down. Without anyone there to rescue her she slowly watched Meg drown. The sun was starting to rise and Tess focused her attention on Maria who was starting to wake up. The drug she used to knock her out was wearing off. She grabbed Maria from the ground and started leading her to the edge.
 

Maria’s head was pounding and everything seemed fuzzy when she finally got her vision she saw somebody was helping me up from the ground. She was so relieved, ‘Someone found me, and was here to help’ She thought to herself. When her vision came into focus and she could stand on my own she saw Tess.

"Now your going to die…" Tess was about to push her over when she heard someone from behind it was Ben, Ricardo, Annie, Antonio, and Gabi. "Let her go!" Demanded Ben.
At this point Tess lost all touch with reality. "Derek honey your alive!" She screamed out.
"I knew you would never leave me!" Tess threw Maria back to the ground and focused her attention on Ben. Ben was dumbfounded. He wasn’t sure what to do but pretend that he was Derek. He laughed to himself how ironic that was. "Tess dear, why don’t you let Maria go?" Ben said.

"But we worked so hard to keep her away from Sunset Beach! We have to kill her!" Tess pulled out a knife and held it to Maria’s throat. Ben continued to humor Tess, fearing it was the only way Maria would get out of this alive. Tears were streaming down Maria’s eyes as she felt the cold blade against her neck.

"We don’t need Maria anymore we can live a life together without Ben or Maria!" Ben tried hard to pretend he was Derek but saw Tess starting to doubt him. Snapping back into reality Tess screamed out angrily, "Your not Derek your BEN!" She pulled the knife away from Maria and pointed to Ben.

Maria knew this was her only chance to grab the knife away from Tess know that her anger was redirected to Ben. "Maybe it isn’t all Maria’s fault." Tess said, "It’s all YOUR fault Ben!" Before Tess could lunge out at Ben Maria grabbed Tess’ hand and the two women struggled with the knife, each stepping closer and closer to the edge of the cliff. Every thing happened so fast. The knife fell to the floor and Tess pushed Maria off balance and Maria started falling backwards.

Part 41
"Maria!" Ben yelled as he ran to the edge of the cliff. Looking down into the water he saw no one. His eyes followed to the wall to see Maria hanging onto a branch sticking out of the wall of the cliff. But there was no way of getting to her; the branch was way to low. "Maria!" Ben called out again. He reached out his hand, which was still a far way from her.

Maria looked into Ben’s eyes, she knew she would have to say good-bye. There was no hope of pulling her up and it was a long way down. "Ben, I’m so sorry." She cried out. She saw the hurt and sorrows in his eyes. "We would have had a wonderful life together…" Ben cut of her sentence. "We WILL have a wonderful life together!" Ben’s determination gave her strength.

But her hand started slipping and she felt that she could no longer hold on. "Ben, I love you…always remember that. And please take care of Benjy, even though he’s not our son…" Maria couldn’t hold on any longer and felt the rough bark slip out of her hand and she began falling.
Ben looked on helpless while Maria slowly hit the water. "I have to save her!" A rush of adrenaline ran through his body. Every thing seemed like it was going in slow motion. Without even thinking about it Ben jumped off the cliff after her. He could still hear the distant voices Ricardo grabbing Tess and of Annie and Ricardo trying to stop him. The water getting closer and closer as he fell he took a deep breath before he submerged under the water.

"Ben!" Maria called out. The water rushing over her head. Memories were flashing back it was that night happening all over again. Ben swam over to the area her heard the call. "Grab my hand!" He yelled out.

"I CAN’T!!" Maria said while crying. She tried to feel through the water. "Ben!" Maria repeatedly cried out. She reached her hand out.

Ben saw Maria through the water and tried to grab her. He lost her once like this and wasn’t going to loose her again. He finally found her through the water and held on tight to her hand and pulled her close. He swam back to shore hoping, praying that she was ok. The reached the shore and Ben gently laid Maria down on the sand. "Maria open your eyes, please honey open your eyes!"

Ben looked at her lifeless body. She was dripping wet but he still held her close. He brushed away some hair from her face and tried to see if she was breathing. "You can’t die Maria…I love you." He touched her face gently. Suddenly, Maria started violently coughing up water. "You’re ok!" Ben breathed out in relieved voice.

Maria opened her eyes to see Ben. He had saved her. Something that he failed to do years ago he did now. She looked into his eyes and realized that they were going to have the wonderful life he promised.

Part 42
"So…how do I look?" Maria asked as she made a 360 turn in her beautiful white satin wedding dress. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so happy. She survived every thing that had happened the past year. First finding out that Benjy wasn’t her son, then going on that horrid island being held captive by Tess and Meg and almost killed. Now Tess was serving life in prison without parole for killing Meg. She felt so bad for what happened to Meg. Meg was once her friend and never wished anything like that to happen to her.

"You look fabulous Maria!" She turned to her maid of honor who always seemed to bring her back from her thoughts. Annie was wearing a beautiful sea green dress. "Annie you are such a good friend!" Maria smiled and accepted a hug from her best friend. "Don’t look so glum Maria! This is your wedding day!" Maria smiled remembering what is going to happen. Her dreams were coming true; Ben and her were getting re-married. "I’m just remembering all that happened to us in the past year."

Annie fixed Maria’s vale while talking to her, "But think about it this way Maria your love survived it all. Your love was stronger than anything that was thrown at you." Maria smiled and agreed. Maria couldn’t keep the smile from face, Annie was right. And today was just proof; Ben and her were getting re-married. Gabi suddenly walked through the door the other two bride’s maids, Bette and Emily, all wearing dresses identical to Annie’s. "Sorry we’re so late!" Gabi apologized as she sat down the package she was carrying. "We brought what you asked us to Annie!"

"What are you guys talking about?" Maria asked as each one of her friends grabbed something out of the package and put it behind their backs. Annie decided to explain, "Well we know that you and Ben are only getting re-married but we thought it was only right to keep tradition." Annie stepped forward, "Here is something old…" Annie presented the gift from behind her back. She pulled out the beautiful wedding lasso that had been handing down in her family for each wedding. "You mother told me to give this to you," Annie said. Maria reached out and hugged her best friend once again.

"Now here is something new!" Emily than proceeded to step forward and present her gift. She pulled out a beautiful diamond bracelet and proceeded to put the bracelet on Maria’s wrist. Maria reached out and hugged Emily. Maria was wiping tears of joy from her eyes. Gabi was the next to step forward. "I’ve brought something borrowed. These are the earrings I wore for my wedding to Antonio brought be good luck and I hope they will for you also!" Maria carefully took the earrings from Gabi’s hands and put them on.

"Last but not least you have to have something blue, Bonita!" Bette said as she pulled out her gift, a blue garter. Maria took the garter and blushed. "I bet Ben’s going to have fun taking that off you at the wedding reception!" Annie said while the entire bridesmaid’s started laughing. Maria took the garter from Bette and pulled up her dress and slipped it on her leg. Then proceeded to hug Bette. "Thank you so much, all of you!"

"Now wipe those tears Maria we have a wedding to go to!" Gabi said with a laugh. "You guys go ahead, I’ll be there in a moment." After her friends left the room Maria looked into the mirror one last time. She wiped away the tears of joy from her eyes and re-applied her make-up. Then suddenly there was a knock at the door it was Ben. "It’s bad luck to see the bride before a wedding remember! Even if we are just getting remarried!" Maria called out to Ben on the other side of the door. "I know, I know…But it still can’t stop me from bringing you a present!" Ben said using his cute English accent. Maria saw a manila envelope slip under the door. She opened it up to find custody papers for Benjy Evens, naming Ben and Maria Evens as his guardians.
"Now we can raise him as our own Maria. I know that in our hearts he’s our son now legally he’s ours." Maria was so happy when she opened the papers. "Oh my god Ben he’s actually ours…" She was at a loss of words, "Now go on and get to that alter right now English because I can’t wait another moment until we get married again!"

After she was sure Ben left; Maria stood at the back of St. Joseph’s church. The music began and the wedding party proceeded to walk down the isles. Benjy walked down the isle as a ring boy while Ashley, a student in her Art class walked down the isle as a flower girl. Sean and Emily walked down the isle, followed by Bette and AJ, Gabi and Antonio, and then Annie and Ricardo.

Maria stood at the entrance of the church; she could feel butterflies in her stomach. As she stood there she could smell the aroma of the Gardenias in the church. She picked up her bouquet of flowers and got ready to walk down the isle. "Are you ready?" She turned around when she heard a familiar voice. "Gregory!?" Maria said in surprised voice. She threw her arms around him. "How is this possible? I thought you were in jail?" She asked.

Gregory was a close friend to both Ben and herself. He was even the best man at their wedding. "Well I’m all better now, I got help from the best doctors and psychologists and got out on parole. Now I’ve made peace with Annie and I’m putting my marriage to Olivia back together." Maria was so happy; the man Ben and her once knew was back. The Gregory they knew and loved was back. "Ben asked me if I could walk you down the isle and give you away. I would be honored to if you’ll let me."

The music started and everyone stood up in one united sound. All their eyes were on her. She saw everyone she knew, and heard all of the familiar voices. She saw her mother in the first pew looking back at her daughter with a smile on her face. She gave Gregory a smile as the both started walking down the isle. Ben had a happy look on his face when he walked down to meet her. Gregory gave Maria a quick hug and wished her luck and sat down in the pews next to Oliva, Caitlin, Cole, and Trey.

Father O’Brian started the mass. "In the name of the father, the son, and the holy spirit, amen. Peace be with you." The church responded, "And also with you." Father O’Brian said, "We are here today to join Maria Torres and Ben Evens in holy matrimony. Maria and Ben joined hands and were ready to take their vows. These two stood here at this alter before and proclaimed their eternal love for each other before you and God and asked you to join them here today to hear them renew their vows. They both have written their own vows."

Ben took a piece of paper out of his tuxedo pocket and started reading. "Maria, I love you you’re the only women in my heart now and forever. We have survived everything; our love has survived everything, even death. I stand her before you, my lover, my wife, and my best friend. I promise to love, honor, and cherish you all the days of our lives." Benjy walked up to Ben and gave him the wedding ring. He held up Maria’s ring and slipped on ring on her finger.

Maria didn’t have a piece of paper but knew her vows by heart. Ben had said everything that was in his heart and now she spoke from her own. "Ben you’re not only my husband but my soul mate. I can remember the day we first got married, clearly. We stood in front of the statue with the Virgin Mary and baby and promised we would always love each other. I’m happy to say that we kept that promise. You are my life Ben and I also will make this promise today to love, honor, and cherish you all the days of our lives." She took the wedding off the satin pillow Benjy had and put the ring on Ben’s finger.

Father O’Brian finished the mass by saying, "What God made of this union, let no man break. With the power invested in me by the state of California I know pronounce you, again, man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Ben wasted no time in bringing her into a passionate kiss while the whole congregation clapped. "I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Evens." She looked at her husband and saw the love in them. Looking at her husband she knew that now and always that their love will never be forgotten.

The End