Chapter 10

Tim and Tess found themselves sitting on chairs in the hospital corridor with rooms on both sides and heard the chatter from a Nurses station round the corner. Tess looked around her frantically and shouted at Tim as if he would know. "Why here!"

Tim shouted back "How the hell should I know! I just got here too remember!"

Tess jumped up and paced down to the corner where the corridors met it reminded her of a letter T and they were at one of the arms. She was relieved the Nurses were not children nurses and were chatting happily together Tim called to her. "We were sent along this corridor let's look this way first."

Tess nodded and followed him, frustrated that all the rooms either had blinds drawn or just closed doors, all doors were numbered not named. Tim returned to the room behind the chairs they materialised on and disappeared inside before Tess could stop him but came out quickly, shaking himself. "No just storage must be that one opposite. Look it's not the ICU, or children's ward so it can not be that bad. Come on we will do it careful so as not to disrupt any equipment."

Anxiously and carefully they moved into the room. It was large divided by a curtain, drawn nearly right across, on the far side of the curtain were two beds on one was Benjy curled up in a ball with Maria half curled around him. On the other was Meg, all of them slept on top of the bedclothes in their ordinary clothes. On the other side of the curtain, was a bed where Ben slept on his side half curled up. Only the IV drip and monitor flashing silently showed that he was ill. Tess went over to Benjy watching him for a while then gently leant over and kissed him on his cheek. She felt her love for him flow into him but he did not stir.

Tim went over to Ben and sat on the bed and called his name to see if he could get any response. Ben stirred mumbling quietly. Tim leant closer trying to understand him and accidentally slipping into his mind. He looked around, the darkness seemed fuzzy not the definite deep darkness of before. He looked down and saw the links of the chain were shimmering and realised he was standing on his own. Ben's voice was suddenly all around him making him jump; it was not angry more matter fact. "Tim it's bad enough having my brother inside my mind without you jumping in and out!"

Tim was indignant but relieved. "Is that all the thanks I get for saving your life Ben!"

There was a pause in the waves of fuzziness and Tim felt rather than heard a gentle laugh and then a gentle reply, "No! And thanks, I just hope I don't have you inside my head when I'm half a sleep, dreaming or other times... Could be embarrassing! ... What's your price Tim?"

Tim thought for a moment. "Ricardo finding Tess's body... By the way Derek dumped all her things in a trash truck in the road near Southern Avenue, perhaps someone saw his … sorry your car. It wasn't long after my body was discovered at the monument." He heard a gentle sigh 'Oh Great!' from Ben and carried on. "Tess and I met a sailor who haunts the caves you took Maria to; he's nice did not mean to watch you, he's from a shipwreck, an old fashioned sailing ship, off the coast, he tried to save a young lad in his crew. We want to go to the other side, find peace or whatever it's called. I expect we will need your forgiveness... Can you do that? ..."

Tim lost the answer, as a strong feeling of strength and love surged through Ben pushing him out of Ben's mind, and he heard Meg calling Ben's name. When he recovered he watched them together understanding why he would never have won her heart again. There was no jealousy this time.

oxoxo

Ben's movements and mumbling had woken Meg. She came to him touching his arm, and calling to wake him up. She watched him as he slowly opened his eyes still mumbling to himself. "Yes Tim... Might come again!..." Startled as he saw her he tried to sit up but she pressed her hand on his arm and shook her head. Ben flopped back and said his mind still not clear "Meg! Where am I! I thought..."

Meg laughed with relief and replied "South Bay Hospital... We flew you from Seattle during the night I held your hand while Tyus examined you...You seemed to come round for a few minutes then went under again... What do you mean Tim might come again? Have you seen him?"

She helped him sit up a bit by adding some more pillows and handed him a drink. He took the drink, two handed to make sure he did not spill any and sipped slowly watching her every move, feeling he was not only drinking the drink but also drinking in her strength and love. He felt sad because he knew it might not be his now and he would have to let her go. Meg smiled at him and pressed a buzzer to call the nurse.

As Ben replied a sleepy Benjy came round the curtain. "It's good to see and feel you... Let's just say a lot of people have been messing with my mind recently... Otherwise I might end up in Cedar Oaks' padded cell... Benjy what are you doing here!"

Benjy smiling ran and scrambling up on to the bed calling out in a rush "Uncle Ben you're my dream daddy!.. Day daddy's in jail!.. Uncle Ricardo shot him in the arm!"

Ben was stunned and totally confused, looked at Meg for an answer and then realised that Maria was behind her. "Maria... What does he mean?"

Maria came over and picked Benjy off the bed and spoke to him quietly, he pouted slightly then nodded. She set him down just by the curtain he turned and smiled at Ben just before he disappeared behind the curtain. Maria came back to the end of the bed while Meg held Ben's hand and said gently "Maria's memories are returning and we found out that Tess is Benjy's mother and Derek is his father. He planned everything. Ricardo shot him in the arm while arresting him; he was on the phone to your jailers. I'm sorry Ben... "

Ben leant back into the pillows losing all colour, worrying the girls, after a while he said quietly and at times had difficulty breathing. "You mean he kidnapped Maria and Tess had Benjy so they could change places... Oh God! Maria how can you ever forgive me!... How can either of you bear to be near me!... When you look at me you'll see him you both will... I know how difficult it was for Meg the last time... I know... I'll leave and make things easy for you all..."

Maria came round to the side of the bed, she hoped her voice did not betray the shiver of hurt and betrayal she felt going through her. "No Ben you're not going anywhere. Derek did this not you... He will pay not you. … Ricardo is looking for Tess and I'm going to see if I can adopt Benjy while Tess is in prison... It's difficult coming to terms with all this but I will manage... I've seen Dr Estrada and with everyone's help we will get through this... Remember before you went to Seattle I said I wanted to be your friend... I still do... You belong to Meg I understand that. Yesterday Meg and Benjy felt you were in trouble and according to Mama we are all linked instead of a triangle it's a foursome."

Ben was confused; he felt some reassurance by her words but knew some of them weren't true. He did not try to touch her sensing it would do more harm than good. He desperately needed to know where he stood ... whether he would have to face the future alone. He knew they had both been with him in some way after Josh had stunned him and Meg's presence was the strongest and her reaction now was loving. But she had left him gone to Casey...

His words were quiet and emotional when he spoke. "Before I left for Seattle Meg you wanted your freedom with or without Casey... I will not hold you to any feeling of sympathy or duty you might have...You never wanted to hear my name again and your father is right it's better you don't get tangled with me again. I've never regretted a moment of our time together. I only want you to be happy if that's without me I will cope somehow."

Meg said sharply. "How did you know that Ben!" as far as she knew she'd been alone at South Pier with Casey that night.

Ben's reply was very quiet "I helped Sara move out of Surf Central after she had an argument with Casey then I went to South Pier to find you; there was a storm I saw you and Casey kissing." His voice went to nothing as he finished.

Meg could feel his hand shaking and knew he was not up to any confrontation and gently put her finger across his lips. She heard voices coming from the passageway. Benjy had come back in and was asking for a pick up from Maria as Meg gave her reply "Yes we need to sort things out but not now. You need rest. A lot of strange things have been happening... Tyus! Ben's shaking he's just found out about Tess being Benjy's mother."

Tyus came in quickly, checking Ben over tutting a great deal but smiled at the end of it saying. "You're going to be fine just good meals, lots of rest mixed with some attention, don't pile too much up in your mind. I suggest you talk to Dr Estrada or myself about what has happened. Ricardo will need to take a statement from you if we can I would like to leave it till tomorrow. Do you know what day it is?"

Ben shook his head and Tyus told him then added "I'll order some breakfast for you and see how you are afterwards. You can get up walk around later if you wish, but for that I would suggest you get some clothes. Our gowns can lead to some embarrassing moments. Meg, Maria I would prefer if you had breakfast in the canteen but if Ben really wants company I'll bend the rules this time... Hmm thought so, all right four breakfasts coming up." Smiling he walked away.

Ben took a few minutes to come to terms with everything then said into the silence "We need to sort this out Meg. You made it plain you did not want anything to do with me."

Meg didn't want to face it now especially as Maria was with them, she forgot about Benjy, the memories flooded back, they were disturbing, raw, bringing out the wrong emotions in her. Making her words harsh and angry. "Ok! You took Maria up to Our Casita! I saw the half empty bottle of wine, your cufflinks, and ruffled sheet not to mention the clothes... No! Don't you dare deny it!... You even did it at The Deep the next morning couldn't wait to do it at home like everyone else!.. What were you doing marking your territory! Comparing notes?"

Maria and Ben shocked answered together "No!" Ben was too shocked to say anything else but Maria carried on. "We didn't go to the Casita!" She paused for a moment then carried on not harshly but confidently wanting Meg to understand it was the truth. Benjy stayed still in her arms, resting his head against her shoulder, a bit worried by the tone of everyone's voices and remembering the word Casita. "Meg. Ben gave you the Casita as your and his retreat. He would never take me there! I would not let him anyway. He wanted desperately to take you there so he could convince you that he loved you and did not blame you for the kidnapping..." She didn't want to carry on raking over the past it and asked "Why did you go there that day?"

Meg hesitated because of the strong denial then replied. "I saw you both with Benjy and Tess in the park in the morning. They waved you and Ben off in the car. Tess brought some dresses round and I had to return on because one was yours, when I arrived the door was open and I overheard Benjy and Tess talking about you two going to the Casita and Tess reminded him it was a secret. So I went and saw the evidence. She could not have faked it she had been with you and then with Benjy."

Maria stroked Benjy's head and said gently. "Do you remember any of it Benjy? It was before Uncle Ben gave you the blue crayon and after Meg moved out."

She felt Benjy give a little nod and said. "You've done nothing wrong sweetheart. Did Tess ask you to do something for her?"

Benjy gave another nod then said hesitantly. "Tess told me it would get you and da... Uncle Ben together... Earlier I saw her talking to Tim and she gave him a bag of things…. She did not see me. We watched for Meg to come to the house and Tess told me to say that you had gone to the Casita but you went on the plane. I did not understand."

Maria smiled and said. "It's Ok Benjy...You sit on the corner of the bed and I will carry on... Yes good boy. … I was going to Seattle to see if I could remember anything... Tess did not like the idea... We know why now... Anyway at the airport I chatted with Ben and I became worried about Benjy and decided against going and saw Mama instead. Ben caught the flight for his meeting, and the next time I saw him was in the evening having an argument with Tess and Benjy... It upset him a great deal and I could not help him so I told him to find you, which he did unfortunately, although you did not see him... Benjy go and wash you hands for breakfast please."

Benjy slid down and ran off behind the curtain and out of hearing so Maria carried on as she could see Ben was not up to telling Meg what happened. "After you found us at the Deep and our confrontation with you and Casey at Surf Central I made Ben tell me what had happened the previous evening. Ben explained he saw you embracing and kissing Casey, saying you did not want to hear Ben's name ever again or have anything to do with him as your father advised. It put him into a state of shock; he had lost you, with no hope of return and no idea definite reason why. I came along in the morning having seen Tess. She told me he needed my help at The Deep and I found him very distressed and pushed him over the edge into sex thinking I was helping him. Then you found us together which meant he had hurt you even more."

Meg looked at both of them then said quietly at first then angrily. "I turned to Casey as a friend, he was hurting over his break up with Sara and we comforting each other - Tim set that up and Tess did the other! Oh Ben and you've thought about this and guessing what Derek was doing!" She held his hand in hers paused for a moment then carried on calmly "Sara and Casey are starting to get back together again. I put you safe with Maria and Benjy. I'm sorry. I love you so much!"

Ben sat quietly put his free hand on top of hers knowing he could not leave her even if he wanted to, wondering if she finally understood it all. Then said "Can we start again?... All four of us, it will be different we will know where we stand with each other... You will be able to keep Benjy Maria because Derek killed Tim and Tess."

Meg and Maria were stunned, Maria said. "Ben how do you know? We only found Tim's body yesterday! No! Tess was with us yesterday morning she's gone to her sister's she left a message on the machine."

Ben sighed he knew it was going to be difficult and sound daft. "Umm... Tim told me when I was sort of half a wake from the stun gun... possibly yesterday... I think I should leave it till Ricardo comes. Can you get him here after breakfast and Antonio if possible?"

Meg and Maria looked at each other wondering if it had all been too much for him. The orderly broke the tension by coming in with a trolley of food.

oxoxo

Tim and Tess left once everyone had started to discuss the visit to the Casita; they felt too embarrassed to stay. Tim took her into the caves at The Deep having explained about the voice. They sat in the candlelight talking with the voice of the sailor, about his past and everything that had happened.