Chapter 106 � Time To Understand
April 7, Sunset Beach, California, Ben Evans� house
Annie (entering Ben�s house without knocking): Hey Ben.

Ben: Annie, what is this going to take to teach you that this is MY house and you can�t just come in here whenever you like.

Annie: Come on, Ben, we have known each other for so long. I am your best friend.

Ben: And this is MY house. When are you going to finally understand it?!

Annie: All right, all right� (changes the subject) I heard the news�

Ben: What news?

Annie: About you and Meg. The whole Sunset Beach is talking about it.

Ben: Annie�

Annie: So you really are marrying this slut�

Ben: Annie, watch out what you�re saying!

Annie: You know, I thought that you would come to your senses and leave that little farmer. You and Maria belong together.

Ben: Annie�

Annie: I can�t believe that you actually left your wife for little Mary Sunshine.

Ben (looking icily at Annie): I did not leave Maria for Meg. Me and Maria have gotten divorced because we had thousands of problems that you had no idea about.

Annie: I�m sure you would have solved them all if only that little witch hadn�t seduce you� (Annie smiles ironically) By the way � what did you fall for � the straw in her hair?

Ben: Annie, Meg did not seduce me and she didn�t have anything to do with my problems with Maria. Things just weren�t going well between us (sighs) Gosh, I don�t even know why I�m telling you all this.

Annie: Ben, you will ruin your life if you marry Meg.

Ben: I will ruin my life if I don�t. When I marry Meg I will be the happiest man alive.

Annie: You can�t mean that�

Ben: I do mean that, Annie (Ben looks at his watch ) And now would you be so kind and leave. I�m waiting for someone.

Annie: Who? That bitch from Kansas?

At the same moment Meg enters the house. Ben sees the expression on her face after hearing what Annie said and looks icily at Annie.

Ben: Annie, I thought you were leaving.

Annie: No, I have a few words to say to that�

Ben (angry): Annie!!!

Annie: All right (looks at Meg) But it�s not over.

Ben: Oh yes it is.

Annie leaves. Ben looks confused at Meg.

Ben: I�m sorry about that. She�

Meg: It�s OK. She is Maria�s friend. She has a right to feel the way she does about me.

Ben: But she has no right to call you�

Meg: Ben, I can handle this. Besides I don�t care what she thinks. I don�t care what anyone thinks. I would face the world turned against me, as long as I would have you by my side.

Ben: Forever that is.

Meg: I hope so. (she kisses him gently) So why did you want to see me? Is there any emergency?

Ben: You bet (she looks at him confused) I missed you.

He smiles and kisses her again.

Ben: Meg, don�t worry about Annie. She needs some time to understand�

Meg: I know� I know that she is your friend too, and I don�t want her to hate me.

Ben: She won�t hate you. We just need to give her some time.

Meg: Well, Annie can take all the time she needs.

Ben: You�re right, you�re right. You�re gonna be my wife for the rest of our lives so Annie has time to adjust (Ben smiles and thinks) But I doubt that she will ever understand.

Chapter 107 � The Little One Inside
April 17, Sunset Beach, California, South Bay General
Rae: Hey Meg, I�m glad you could come. I know that we had an appointment for tomorrow, but I will have a very busy day and I don�t know if I will find time�

Meg: It�s OK. I had a free afternoon anyway, so it�s not a problem.

Rae: Great. Are you ready to run those tests now?

Meg: Sure. Are you sure it�s just a prophylactic�

Rae: Of course.

Meg: And you would tell me if there was something wrong with my baby?

Rae: Meg!

Meg: OK, OK, I�m sorry� I�m just a little bit nervous.

Rae (laughing): A little bit?

Meg: OK, so I�m VERY nervous� But I�ve never had a baby before� And I don�t know what to do or�

Rae: Meg, Meg, Meg, just calm down.

Meg (blushing): I�m sorry�

Rae: It�s OK. And can we please run those tests now?

Meg: Sure.

Rae tells one of the sisters to take Meg�s blood sample and later examines her.

Meg (looking at Rae impatiently): Well? Is everything OK?

Rae: Yes, everything is fine. You can be proud of yourself for taking such a wonderful care of your baby.

Meg: Well, I�m trying.

Rae (smiles): I know� The blood results are gonna be ready tomorrow, so I�ll give you a call or tell you at Surf � Central.

Meg: Sure. Thanks Rae.

Rae: No problem� Look, I need to take care of a few things, would you excuse me?

Meg: Sure. Go ahead.

Rae: Bye.

Rae leaves the examine room. Meg finishes getting dressed and goes outside. She runs straight into Ben�s arms.

Meg (surprised): Ben? What are you doing here?

Ben: Well, I heard from Casey that you went to the hospital for a check up and I just wanted to be with you� (pauses) But I guess everything is already over�

Meg: I�m sorry� I would have waited if I had known that you were coming�

Ben: It�s OK� So how is little Evans doing?

Meg (smiles): He� or she� is doing pretty fine� Ben, I know that it�s possible to know the sex of the baby, but�

Ben: Hey, I know� it�s gonna be wonderful to be surprised when the baby is born.

Meg: Do you really think so?

Ben: Of course I do� Sometimes I feel like I would like to know the sex of the baby, but at the same time I wanna wait until the baby arrives� Gosh, this is such a strange feeling�

Meg: I know exactly what you mean� Sometimes I can�t wait to meet our baby and sometimes I feel like I could carry it inside me forever� It�s such a wonderful feeling� knowing that there is a new life growing inside of me� The life that we created� (she�s close to tears) Ben, we made that little one� the baby which is gonna be a part of us forever� This is so incredible.

Ben: I know

Meg: Ben, we are gonna be parents� God, I still can�t believe that I�m having your baby.

Ben: OUR baby you mean.

Meg: Yes. Our baby. Our wonderful, precious baby.

Chapter 108 � The Date
April 25, Sunset Beach, Liberty Corporation
Ben silently enters the room Meg is working in. He comes closer to her and wraps his arms around her. She screams and turns around.

Meg: God, Ben! You scared me!

Ben (smiles): I�m sorry. I didn�t know you were so busy that you would not notice me.

Meg (laughs): I�m sorry� Gregory told me to go through some files and I�m afraid this is going to take some time. But I don�t complain, I�ve had a few free afternoons recently.

Ben: Well, I hate to disturb you, but I have some news and I think you might want to hear it.

Meg: What news do you mean?

Ben: Well, my divorce with Maria is going to be finalized in two weeks, so we can start planning our wedding.

Meg (happily): Two weeks?

Ben: Yeah, we can set a date for the wedding.

Meg: Oh my God, are you serious? You wanna set a date for the wedding??!!

Ben: Of course I do.

Meg: That�s wonderful!!!

Meg smiles and kisses Ben passionately.

Ben: I was hoping you would like the news.

Meg: I love it! I love it! And I love you.

Ben: I love you too.

He smiles and embraces her again. They start kissing passionately.

Gregory (entering the room): Meg, can you�

He sees Ben and Meg and smiles. Ben and Meg pull away from each other.

Meg (blushing): Sorry� We were just�

Gregory (smiling): It�s OK�

Meg: So, what do you want me to do?

Gregory (handing her some files): Here is the contract I told you about. Can you please take a look at it?

Meg: Sure.

Gregory: But that�s the last thing I want you to do today. I promise.

Meg (takes the files from Gregory): It�s OK, I�ll be fine.

Gregory (heading towards the door): I�m just gonna leave you two alone�

Ben: Thanks.

Gregory leaves.

Ben: So, coming back to that thing we talked about earlier� Is there any particular date you were thinking about?

Meg: No. I just want it to be as soon as possible. I can�t wait to be Mrs. Evans.

Ben: Great� Do you have time tomorrow in the evening?

Meg: I think I do, why?

Ben: Well, we could go to the church and talk with father Antonio Torres�

Meg: Torres? Isn�t that Maria�s�

Ben: Antonio is Maria�s brother.

Meg: Ben, I don�t think it�s a good idea�

Ben: Meg, Antonio is a wonderful priest. I�m sure he will not have anything against our wedding.

Meg: I don�t know�

Ben: Trust me.

Meg: OK, OK. Let�s talk to father Antonio then.

Ben and Meg are waiting for Antonio.

Meg: Are you sure that�s a good idea?

Ben: Meg�

Meg: All right, all right�

Antonio enters the room.

Ben: Hi Antonio.

Antonio: Hi Ben. Hi Meg. Ben told me that you wanted to set a date for your wedding...

Meg: Look father Antonio�

Antonio: Just Antonio.

Meg: OK. I know that you are Maria�s brother and that it might be hard for you....

Antonio (smiles): Look, I am a priest. And I serve God. And whatever happened between Ben and Maria, I have no right to judge it.

Meg (smiles): Thank you.

Ben: So can you tell us what possibilities we have? In two weeks is the soonest we can.

Antonio (checking his notebook): Let�s see� In two weeks� Well, the first date I have free is May 25th.

Ben: May 25th� (turns to Meg) What do you think?

Meg (smiles): I think it would be perfect.

Ben: Great, then we�re settled?

Meg: Yes.

Ben: OK. Antonio, can you please book that date for us?

Antonio: Sure� (Antonio takes a note in his notebook) Would you excuse me, I have the confessions today�

Ben: Sure. We will be fine.

Antonio: OK. Bye.

Ben and Meg: Bye.

Antonio leaves.

Meg (screams): Oh my God! May 25th! It�s only a month!!

Ben: Only?! I would marry you right this second.

Meg: I know, I know� But still it�s amazing that this is going to happen for real in a month. I can�t wait.

Ben: Me either. I can�t wait to keep calling you Mrs. Evans.

Meg: Oh Ben, I can�t believe that this is happening.

Ben: It is, it is.

Meg (happily): Oh my God, we�re getting married!!!!

She runs to Ben and wraps her hands around his neck. He kisses her passionately.

Meg: This is going to be the best day of my life.

Chapter 109 � Invitations
April 27, Ludlow, Kansas, Cummings� house
Joan: I�m so happy that Meg has finally found her happiness.

Hank: You think this guy� Ben Evans� Do you think that he will make her happy?

Joan: He already has. You don�t know cause you haven�t talked to her in a long time� But if you had, you would have known it from the tone of her voice. She is happy. Very happy. And all because of Ben Evans.

Hank: I don�t know� He hurt her�

Joan: Hank, that was in the past. Ben loves Meg.

Hank: I guess you�re right� I just don�t want anyone to break her heart again.

Joan: I think� I think that Ben will not break her heart.

Hank: I hope so.

The telephone rings.

Joan: Hello.

Meg: Hi mom, it�s me.

Joan: Hi sweetheart. I�m glad you�re calling.

Meg: I have a great news for you.

Joan: I�m listenig�

Meg: Ben and I have set a date for the wedding!!!

Joan (a little bit shocked): You did what?

Meg: We set a date for the wedding!!! It�s May 25th!!!

Joan: Oh my God, that�s wonderful!

Hank (trying to find out what happened): Joanie, what�s going on?

Joan (to Hank): Ssshhh�

Meg: Did you say something, mom?

Joan: No, no, it was to dad� So May 25th?

Meg: Yeah, I�ll send you the official invitations later, but I just wanted to let you know� Look, you can fly to Sunset Beach earlier to help me. Ben said it was OK for you to stay at his place until the wedding.

Joan: Oh, that�s nice of him.

Meg: Yeah.

Joan (sighs): And don�t worry � we�ll move out before your wedding night.

Meg (blushing): Does that mean that you agree to come here a little bit earlier?

Joan: Of course. I need to make sure that my daughter will be the most beautiful bride ever.

Meg: Thank you, mom� Look, I don�t know when I get in touch with Ash and Jess� I called them in the morning, but no one answered� Anyway, if you see them, tell them about the wedding. Oh, and that they can stay at Surf � Central with me. Casey said it was OK, besides we have a few spare rooms anyway.

Joan: All right, I�ll tell them.

Meg: Oh, and Matt and Ryan too� I just don�t know if I should invite Tim and Connie� I mean, not that Tim is dying to see me marrying Ben, but on the other hand he was my friend� Maybe I owe him something�

Joan: I don�t think you owe him anything� Or Connie� After what they did to you�

Meg (sighs): Oh, I know, I know, but still maybe I should�

Joan: I don�t know, it�s up to you sweetheart. You�ll do whatever you think is right.

Meg: Yeah� I�ll talk to Ben about it� Look, I have a few things to take care of�

Joan: Your new boss is giving you a hard time?

Meg: No, no, Gregory is really OK� I have a lot of work with the wedding invitations and the bridesmaids� dresses. By the way, I want Ash and Jess to be my bridesmaids, but don�t tell them about it right now. I still need to talk to Sara. I would like her to my maid of honor.

Joan: I�m sure she�s gonna be thrilled.

Meg: I just hope that she will be able to come from Washington.

Joan: I�m sure she will. I mean she wouldn�t miss her own sister�s wedding, would she?

Meg: I guess not. I�ll call her tomorrow. Gosh, I have so many things to do.

Joan: I can imagine� So I�m not gonna keep you. I�m glad you called.

Meg: Yeah, it was nice to hear your voice too. Tell dad that I love him.

Joan: Sure, bye sweetheart.

Joan hangs up.

Hank (confused): So, are you gonna tell me what�s going on?

Joan: Yes, yes, I am� Ben and Meg set a date for their wedding.

Hank: Really?

Joan: Yeah. May 25th. But Meg wants us to be there a few days earlier. Well, at least me� I need to halp her with the dress and all that stuff.

Hank: Sure� Looks like you were right � Ben really loves Meg.

Joan: He does. I know that. (We all do... LOL - G.)

Chapter 110 � Bridesmaids
April 29, Sunset Beach, California, Surf � Central
Meg, excited walks back and forth in her room. She has been trying to get in touch with Sara all evening, but Sara doesn�t seem to be answering and Meg is going crazy.

Meg (angry): Come on, Sara, where are you?

Meg one more time walks around the room and picks the earphone again.

Meg: Come on, Sara� Be there� I need to talk to you� (someone answers) Sara, Sara, is that you?

Sara: Hey, where�s the fire?

Meg (blushing): I�m sorry, I�m sorry� I just have something really, really important to tell you� And I couldn�t get in touch with you and�

Sara (laughing): Meg, Meg, Meg, just calm down.

Meg (blushes again): Sara, I�m sorry� I�m just really nervous.

Sara (smiles): I�ve noticed� So what do you want to tell me?

Meg: Look, Ben and I have set a date for he wedding.

Sara: Really? When?

Meg: May 25th.

Sara: Oh Meg, this is wonderful.

Meg: I know, I�ve never felt more happy. I know that this wedding is going to be the happiest day of my life� But I need your help to make that happen.

Sara: Me? Why?

Meg: Sara, would you like to my maid of honor?

Sara: Would I like? Meg, I would be honored.

Meg: I was hoping you would say that.

Sara: How could I not? Meg, you are my sister and I couldn�t be more happy to say �yes�. I�m so glad that you and Ben have worked things out.

Meg: Yeah, this is like a wonderful dream.

Sara: Well, you deserved that one.

Meg: You really think so?

Sara: Of course� Meg, after everything you�ve bee through with Tim and Ben lying to you, it�s great that you finally found your happiness.

Meg: Well, I found Ben. And he is my happiness.

Sara: I wonder if I will ever find a man like Ben�

Meg: I�m sure you will. You just need to keep looking. I found Ben without even leaving my room�

Sara (laughs): Right� Look, Meg, I�

Meg: I know, I know, you have probably many things to do and I still need to call Ashley and Jessica to ask if they want to be my bridesmaids.

Sara: I�m sure they will love the idea.

Meg: Well, I hope so� So, we�ll talk later�

Sara: Wait a minute, what about the dress? How am I�

Meg: Don�t worry. I just need your size and I�m gonna have the dress sewed. you just need to come to Sunset Beach a few days before the wedding and try it on to do the last changes.

Sara: OK , OK, I�ll be there. I�ll call you in a few days.

Meg: Sure. Bye.

Sara: Bye.

Meg hangs up and dials Ashley�s number. Her mother answers.

Meg: Hi Mrs. Williams. It�s Meg Cummings speaking, can I talk to Ashley?

Mrs. Williams: Sure Meg, hold on.

Meg waits a second and after a while she hears her friend�s voice.

Ashley: Hey Meg. We heard that you and Ben set a date. Congratulations.

Meg: Thanks� Look, that�s reason I�m calling.

Ashley: What do you mean?

Meg: I would like you and Jess to be my bridesmaids.

Ashley: Oh my God, are you serious?

Meg: No, I�m kidding (laughs) Of course I�m serious. You and Jess are my best friends.

Ashley: I�m guessing that Sara is going to be your maid of honor.

Meg: Yes� So do you agree?

Ashley: Of course we do� I mean I do� But I�m sure Jess will too.

Meg: I tried to call her today, but I couldn�t get in touch with her.

Ashley (laughing): There�s no wonder.

Meg (surprised): What do you mean?

Ashley: She had a hot date with Matt.

Meg: Oh, I get it� (smiles) Well then tell her that I called, OK?

Ashley: Sure.

Meg: I�ll call her in a few days. Oh, and about the dresses� I just need your size. Then all you need to do is try them on a few days before the wedding� My mom told you that you can stay at my place or at Surf - Central?

Ashley: Yeah, she told us everything.

Meg: OK, OK, then we�ll talk in a few days.

Ashley: OK. And one more time congratulations.

Meg: Thank you.

Meg hangs up and looks at the engagement ring.

Meg (thinks): God, I can�t believe that I�m really doing this�

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