**** "are you serious," Annie was horrified while Maria nodded her head. "what am I going to do Annie," Maria asked. "Maria Ben doesn't want you out of his life, his still trying to hold onto you," Annie explained. "Annie he doesn't want to be with me," Maria explained. "and he said that to you did he," Annie questioned. "no, he was calling Meg when he was waking up," Maria tells her. "Maria there is something alot deeper going on with Ben, he doesn't want to lose his family," Annie made her see. "so what do I do Annie," Maria asked.
"just be there for Ben. Be a good friend and the best mother to your son, Ben is falling in love with you again not that he was ever out of love from you it's just a matter of time he explodes in his emotions for you and he won't be able to deny you. Just make this whole town see what was it that Ben instantly fell in love with and why," Annie says. "and I can't wait to see the look Dorothy face when Ben is spell bounded in your forever," Annie declared. "you need to tell me everything you know Annie from start to finish so I know what is it I am dealing with," Maria stated. "my pleasure," Annie says.
**** Maria walked up the deck door of Ben's beach house. The deck door was open while she walked in wearing black pair of trousers and high stilettoes and pale blue v neck jersey. She saw Ben who had his back to her. "Ben, hi we need to talk," Maria tells him as he turned around slowly facing her. Her mouth dropped open in a horror sigh when she saw him.
"oh my god English!" Maria cried running up to him and cupping his face by the neck. "who did this to you," Maria wept. "I got into a fight," Ben tells her as he watched her cry and hugging him. "i'm so sorry," Maria cried. "its okay I'm here I'm not going anywhere I'll take care of you and everything, we'll fix this," Maria assured him. "don't you move a muscle," Maria ordered him and shuts the deck door locking it from inside. She impatiently picked the phone up and dialled a number as Ben watched "Ricardo, it's me. Ricardo please you have to come round right away," Maria cried over the phone...
**** She got him to place a cold compress on the side of his lip while Maria gently wiped his wound at the side of his eye brow which had blood stained the side of his face from the dripping blood. She placed some antiseptic liquid on the cotton wool and started to wipe it. Ben lets out a sound when she did as it stung. "sorry, I just need to make sure it's clean," she apologised. "she grabbed a few cotton buds and dipped in cold water removing the blood slowly. "that doesn't hurt does it," Maria asked. "no, not any more," Ben answered as he remained quiet and watched her broodingly. "so you going to tell me who did this," Maria asked as she slowly placed a clear small plaster over the side of the brow and then removed the cold compress from him and began wiping his face.
"it doesn't matter," Ben responded. "of course it matters how could you even say such a thing, why would you even let someone do this to you?" Maria was so angry. "like you said I've grown weak," Ben mentioned. "no, you are not weak," Maria corrected. "you only became weak because your whole life was stripped away from you and being a young worrier you had no control over the situation. I make you weak," Maria verified. "it's thy that made you to this," Maria realised while he watched her face crumble. She heard the door bell and walked over to it.
"that's probably Ricardo," Maria says getting up and putting the first aid box on the glass table when she did. She quickly walked up opening the door letting her brother in. "thanks for coming," she says hugging her brother. "don't ever call me like that," Ricardo threw back at his sister while she looked confused. Her brother looked haunted himself. Ben knew exactly what haunted him. The night of the boating accident she called him upset and he didn't come to check up on her. "I'm sorry," Maria apologised. "thanks for coming though, nice to see you have learnt from your mistakes," Maria threw at her brother behaving impossible which only ticked him off more.
A smirk appeared on Ben's face as he watched both siblings interaction they hadn't changed one bit. She walked back down grinning at Ben and winked back at him assuring him that she had his back. Ricardo followed behind his sister. "well you look awful," Ricardo told him honestly. "thanks, you don't look so great yourself in fact you look a little haunted," Ben stated laughing at his ex brother in law and best friend.
"I'm not here about me," Ricardo voice softened. "I think you should be after all you are part of this vicious cycle," Ben observed. Ricardo sat down on the single sofa behind the fireplace. "what happened, you going to tell me who did this to you," Ricardo asked in calm manner. "it doesn't matter," Ben replied. "it matters to my sister," Ricardo reminded him. "you forget Evans you have a family now and if anything happens to you it will end up affecting them just like it will affect you and us," Ricardo told him up front.
"I told you, you can't deny your family, you can divorce your wife but you can't divorce your family." "I haven't denied my family Ricardo," Ben told him. "but his right we can't have this happening to you especially with Benji around. He needs us both and you promised me that I will not raise him on my own and I'm not alone in this anymore," Maria added on. "I can't see you like this when you have so much to live for and so many dreams yet to be fore-filled. we need to provide a secured and loving home for Benji and for ourselves," Maria explained. "and if this means we have to use tools of all sorts including law and order then we do and we let nothing and no one come between us again," Maria declared. "we take charge and control now and we show this town who are the gods and goddess of this town." She spoke so strong heartedly and gave the strength to them all. "I can't argue with that now can I," Ben says. He loved the strength she had and how she fought in honourable, sophisticated way.
"good," Maria announced. "because I'm moving back in with you and so is Benji," Maria informed him while Ricardo and Ben's mouth dropped open. "and I will be here for you and don't you dare say anything else, I've made my decision. I'm not leaving you not now and not ever and I don't care if you don't care about me or if you don't love me and you don't want to be with me. I want nothing from you apart from security and assurance that we will do what's best for that child of ours that we promised and made a pack together to raise him," Maria took authority leaving both Ben and Ricardo in silence. "as far as I am concerned this is my house and I take control and make the decision. You built this house for me and gifted it to me. The only person that should be moving out if they choose to is you. Not me and not Benji but you. So if you want to pack your bags and run like you ran from me and your feeling as you did cowardly in Palm Spring then there is no room in this house for a lion who has no courage and honour within him," Maria finalised and walked to the kitchen leaving both the men in silence.
"good luck Evans, because you are so roasted," Ricardo warned him. "she isn't letting no one get away with anything anymore. Now tell me what you want me to do and I'll do it," Ricardo says as Ben raised an eyebrow...
**** Ricardo walked into the shockwave slowly with 2 other officers to find the Cummings family around. Meg and Sarah including Casey were there too. Antonio came straight inside gazing back at his brother while Ricardo wasn't going to have it. "bad idea," Antonio tells him. He walked up to them while Casey stared back at them. "Cummings," Ricardo called while Hank looked back at him. "detective Torres, what can I do for you," Hank asked.
"Hank Cummings I am arresting you for assaulting Ben Evans at his home," Ricardo declared while everyone mouth dropped open. "dad what is going on?" Meg cried. "Ricardo what's happening?" Casey was surprised. "you do not have say anything but it may harm you defence anything you do decide to say will be held as evidence and relied in court," Ricardo lets out. "Spencer handcuff him," Ricardo ordered. "there must be some sort of mistake," Joan says. "well he can give his statement at the police station," Ricardo mentioned in cold and bluntly. "dad we will be right there right away," Meg cried. "and don't even try visiting the Evans resident because your family has a court warrant against them," Ricardo revealed. "what?" Sarah was shocked. "you heard," Ricardo verified. "Ricardo there has to be some sort of mistake," Casey stated confused. "there is no mistake. as far as Evans, his wife are concerned certain people in this family have the tendency to be obsessed with them and have the habit snoop and stalk them," Ricardo acknowledged. "you need to stay half a kilometres away from their house 1303 ocean avenue or else they will be severe consequences." Ricardo left the paper warrant on Casey and walked out with Hank while Antonio was left in silence. The whole of the shockwave started to talk and everyone knew this was the next big hot gossip of this town.
*** She handed Ben a cup of tea and sat next to him on the brown sofa. "how you feeling?" she asked. "I'm fine," Ben responded. "you always say that even though you are hurting so much over this," Maria stated. "Benji is going to be in for huge surprise," Ben says. "well Benji just needs to know that his father needs looking after and his mother will make sure she does," Maria threw back moving a lock of his hair from the side of his forehead.
She placed a kiss on the hair when the she heard the door bell. "I'll get that," Maria says about to walk up but Ben stopped her. "don't open the door," Ben held her back. "why?" Maria asked. "it could be Meg," Ben says. "well she can go to hell because I'm not about to let her get away with anything," Maria warned Ben and got up to open the door. It was Annie, Antonio with Benji. "Daddy what happened to you," Benji asked. "your father got into a fight sweetie," Maria told her son. "who won daddy," Benji wanted to know. "definitely Mufasa, " Maria stated while Ben burst into laughter including Annie and Antonio. "god Maria you are still so funny," Annie cried. "and feisty lioness too," Ben acknowledged. "well it must be the years of Seattle of living two psychopaths and having going through mental and psychological torture of seeing my husband's face everyday that made thy grow into having strength of bitterness after all that is what my name means doesn't it father Antonio," Maria observed. "you are the mystery and the lady of the sea," Antonio added reminding everyone what his sisters name means.
Sweetie why don't you go up stairs get changed. I'll be up in a bit," Maria told her son while he goes up stairs with his school bag. "Maria this whole town is talking about what has happened. Hank has been arrested," Annie says thrilled. "good because he deserves it." "I can't believe you let him do this to you," Annie was horrified as she stared at Ben. "sometimes Annie you have let people think they have one the battle but actually it is a round that they have really won and not the battle," Antonio explained as he smiled back at Ben who had smug smirk on his face. "isn't that right brother in law?" Antonio questioned. "since when did you become so wise," Ben asked Antonio.
"I must have leant many things from you and my brother from young age." Antonio complimented. "it was actually Maria who said that to me the other day," Antonio informed them while Ben eyed Maria broodingly. "although the British do have the tendency to behave in strange manner because they are the master of moulding situation as they please to exactly how they want it," Maria implied making Ben reflect. "they are an opportunist chancing everything they want for everything they want to have, just as chancing everything you are for everything you want to be," she repeated Bens words that he told her once. She really made his heart ache when she spoke like that because he knew she truly did treasured him and everything they shared. "you guys want to stay for dinner?" Maria offered. "only if you are cooking," Antonio laughed. "I think I can arrange that," Maria responds while she walked upstairs to Benji.
"so brother in law you want to play a game of chess with me?" Antonio suggested while Ben smiled as Annie switches the TV on...
*** Maria tucked Benji in bed and kissed him on the nose. "mummy are we moving back in here again," Benji asked not sure what to make sense of the situation. "I'm so sorry sweetie. I know nothing makes sense to you but your father he needs us. We are the only family he has left," Maria mentioned. "and he needs us just like we need him," Maria explained in soft tone. "and we need to look after him because people have used us, exploited the situation because their heart burns greed, jealousy and envyness," Maria explained to her son. "you mean they hate us," Benji says while Maria tried to hold her emotions while Ben stood outside Benji's room door leaning his head against it and listening in to their conversation. "why mummy why do they all hate us so much?" Benji asked. "what did you and daddy to these people?" Benji questioned while both Maria and Ben's heart ached.
"its not us that's with the issue Benji. It's them. They feel we owe them something but actually we don't. We don't owe no one nothing except you. You are the treasures of the ocean," Maria observed. "and we love you and we will do anything for you, you just have to trust us and your father especially, because things are not what they may seem with him. He knows what he is doing and I have every faith in him and his judgement even though he may show traces of uncertainty, confusion and may seem indecisive," Maria paused while Ben listened with deep frown on his face. "he actually isn't. He is only human who may have traces of qualities of a god but he is only human being and he should be allowed to make decisions that seemed right at the time. He should be allowed to make mistakes because that's how we learn. It's a learning curve for us for the experiences in life we face and your father's whole life has been in turmoil since I walked in catching that bouquet and having to deny all," Maria described. "he hasn't had the chance to sit down and think things through, evaluating the situation but he will you watch," Maria assured Benji making Ben realised when Tess spoke she spoke the truth about Maria praising and glorifying her husband . "no wonder Derek wiped your memories away," Ben thinks to himself. He couldn't handle listening to Maria honouring her husband and worshipping him like an idol making it a mission to destroy him and his reputation. " He is so wise, so deep like the deepness and the darkness of the ocean water," Maria described while Ben closed his eyes when he heard her speak like this about him. "he is the deep, and we built The Deep," Maria told her son while Benji watched the passion fill his mother's eyes when she spoke. Ben looked in staring at them. "you mean The Deep stands for daddy," Benji realised while she held her tears back. She nodded her head. "no one knows but only few people and that's your aunt Annie, your uncles and Gregory Richards, your father's old mentor and friend," Maria filled him in. "and now you, it's our treasures and secrets that the heart holds and shall treasure forever," Maria concluded while she watched Benji fall asleep. She turned the lamp off and slowly walked out leaving the door slightly open.
She took a deep breath and walked up to Ben's room door which was left open. She blocked Derek out of her mind and knew she had to be the stronger one in this. All she did know was this was ripping Ben up as much as her. Brushing these tense feelings away she knocked and walked in planting a mask on. She found him on the bed sitting down gaze on one place. "hey I thought I'll check up on you and see if you are okay," Maria tells him as he eyed her. "I'm fine," Ben stated while he eyed her looking a little haunted. There was tense atmosphere between them and made her feel sick. "well you need to be in bed then, I think you have had to many dramas and excitement for one day," Maria implied laughing with humour in her voice, as Ben watched how she walked into his walk through wardrobe and took a clean pair of Pyjamas and bed covers out. He only watched her with a frown feeling serialness within him. She threw the bed cover on his bed and handed him the pyjamas to him. "go and get changed now while I make you your bed," Maria ordered him. "go on i'll be done once you are out." Maria ordered him. "do I have to," Ben asked. "yes! Now go into the bathroom brush your teeth and have a wash and I'll read you bed time story." He knew he couldn't argue with her and slowly walked up to the ensuite bathroom but looked back at her with a confused, brooding frown while he watched how she stripped his bed cover and started to lay the new one. Once he walked into the bathroom she felt her legs give away and took a deep sigh touchingly he side of her forehead. "my lord please help us all. Give thy the strength as the description of the bitterness of the sea," she prayed wiping her tears quickly and carried making his bed while flashes of memories of Derek and her came gushing back.
Ben came out dressed in a black checked Pyjamas bottom and matching shirt. A smile appeared on her face when she did as she realised Benji had the same pyjamas too. "you look like Master Evans," Maria says while Ben eyed her. She placed him in his bed and fluffed his pillow. 'you know you don't have to do this," Ben tells her. "do what fuss over you?" Maria asked "kind of," Ben replied. "well you are worth it. you are everything and everything is you," Maria sang to him as Ben laughed while she placed the pillow under him making him comfortable. "you're still funny," Ben complimented her. "and you have lost your sense of humour but hold a dry sense of humour now," Maria analysed eyeing the change she saw within him.
"you're so much more darker, brooding, serious almost reserved," Maria observed while Ben gazed back at her. "like you who is to herself, lost in her own world reserved to the outside world," Ben mentioned. "like the deep, darkness within the depth of ocean where the treasures hide and one can not reach," Maria added as Ben felt lost in her speech. she sat beside on the side of the bed and did up his shirt button as he watched. "I don't want you to catch a cold," Maria whispered. "do you need pain killers for the cut," Maria asked. "no I'm fine," Ben tells her. "okay well you just call me if you need anything," Maria made him aware. "I will," Ben assured her. "okay, well I'll see you in the morning." "I thought you going to read me a story," Ben reminded her. "I thought you wouldn't want me to." "maybe you could tell me a story instead reading one." "I think you are the better story teller than I am and so is Ricardo," Maria emphasised. "I think you are bias, you say the best stories capturing scenes from the past as though they are happening now. Making it so real," Ben expressed. "you think," Maria says. "I don't think, I know," Ben added. "what do you want me to tell you a story about?" Maria asked. "why don't you get in bed with me and I will tell you and then you can tell me" Ben suggested.
"why would I do such a thing," Maria asked him. "because you are still my wife and you can't deny me," Ben told her in firmness while Maria eyed him in confusion. "it's not a good idea," Maria tells him. "oh I think its great idea, the fact you spent weeks in this room on this bed tangled in the sheets with him while he played the devoted and loving husband while you gave him all the love and passion in belief that he was me..." Ben paused while she watched the anger and rage fill his face and tone. She stared back at him with pool of tears in her eyes. "I thought he was you," Maria cried.
"you never going to believe me nor forgive me are you," Maria asked. "I thought you were unwell, I thought you were going through some sort of mental breakdown. Ask Antonio if your don't believe me. I voiced my concerns so many times to him just like the first time round when I voiced my concerns to Ricardo of your sudden mood change," Maria explained making Ben reflect the both time round how and why Maria behaved. "I thought you were dying and you had some sort brain tumour," Maria went on making Ben stomach turn with so much guilt.
" He kept playing those sick mind kind games with Meg making her believe that you were capable of having an affair and that your wife didn't understand him. He loved watching that, watching a woman that loved you doubt you," Maria sobbed as Ben kept silence feeling awful. "and she was willing to take revenge on you. She wanted to get even with him and then she wanted to make him believe that she fell in love with him. She was the one that tried to seduce him not me," Maria cried. "and I got punished the most." Without wanting to say anything more she got up ready to walk out but he got out quickly from the bed and grabbed her. "you are not going anywhere now," Ben says. "let go of me please. I'm not going to fight you because I have fought too long for you and for your survival. I had to fight him in this room and Lady Macbeth. You weren't there, you couldn't save me," Maria cried with tears streaming down her face and breaking down. "he killed me Ben, he stripped everything away from me, my memories, my chestany, my rights, independence, imprisoning me within this body of mine by making me into this walking dead body shell, with no feelings," Maria wept and spoke. "just like you, as you told me you couldn't think, you didn't live, you didn't even feel. He made me like that too only you had Meg who you claim made you live again and gave you back your life when in fact she didn't. She made you go through psychological and mental torture of hating your wife and making you go over the edge because she was using your dead, ghost wife to get closer to you and win your heart," Maria tells him. "and yet I am told that I have to give others their life back and I owe them all something. Why Ben, why?" Maria asked. He pulled her into a cradle not able to bare seeing her like this. "don't cry please don't cry, your safe now," Ben tells her while he felt her let go when he held her.
He stripped her quickly out of her clothes and dressed her into her white silk pyjamas shirt and bottom which he grabbed from her room earlier, kissing her on the forehand. She seemed oblivious to what was happening and how quickly he changed her. Holding her hand in his he slowly walked her down to the bed holding her hand and placing her on the bed and throwing the duvet on them both. She held him tightly around the waist, leaning her head on his chest as he held her too. Both their breathing became deep and slowly relaxed. The silence only spoke now for them as they could hear the sound of the strong wind howling aggressively at the background. "I still want my story," Ben tells her. "tomorrow," she says. "you need to get some sleep," she reminded him as they both drifted to sleep in an embraced hold...