Chapter 6

The rest of the house was quiet while Meg was in the kitchen getting breakfast, waiting for the kettle to boil. She could not get rid of this feeling she got every so often since getting up, that if she turned round quickly enough she would see him standing there. But when she turned nothing was there and each time the hope and the disappointment left her confused.

She felt it again so strongly she had to turn and again he wasn't there, she sighed and wondered how Sara and Casey were after her dream/nightmare. She didn't know what to call it and hoped they slept alright, and remembered the dream she had afterwards. That was strange too, she kept on comparing Ben from before he left for Seattle to afterwards knowing there was a difference but not wanting to admit it and wondered if perhaps Derek's death had affected him more deeply that anyone realised, and if you add Maria coming back …. she did not finish that thought as the kettle boiled. She filled her cup and as she put the kettle down she had that feeling again and could not resist the urge to turn which she did quickly and jumped…

Casey was standing quietly in the doorway his voice showed his concern as he spoke. "Sorry, I didn't know what to do... either way I would have made you jump... You were miles away - are you alright?... I thought you were meeting Tyus early this morning."

Meg got her breath back and said. "Tyus left a message on the machine that I should see him a bit later, he had been helping out because of an accident last night and would be delayed going to the Centre.

No! I'm not alright... I keep getting this feeling that someone is behind me and if I turn quickly enough I will see him. I think the 'him' is Ben but this last time it was you." She paused and shook herself and asked. "Did you get any sleep after my escapade or should I not ask?" She laughed as she said it as Casey suddenly looked embarrassed, and carried on in a slightly cheeky tone. "Well I'm to be your sister some when, so you can tell me anything."

Casey grinned deciding he would not answer that. Instead he opened a small box he was holding in his hand. "Actually it is unusual for the sister to see it first, but I have no intention of asking your father first only giving him a done deal."

She walked over to him saying. "You're going to ask her this morning?"

She looked at the ring and at the smile on his face. "She will love it. Just don't promise Dad that you will protect her from herself because she will always jump in without thinking."

A voice from the other room made them jump "And what will I jump into without thinking?" Casey turned grinning and presented Sara with the ring asking. "Will you marry me?"

Without stopping to think she replied "Yes!!" then realised what she had said and what had happened then jumped up and down laughing with delight.

He put the ring on her finger once he had caught her and gave her a kiss.

Meg laughing with delight at the couple said "Let's celebrate with breakfast before I go." Amongst the giggles and talk of things to come, they had a wonderful meal.

With the light coming through the curtains Benjy got up quietly so as not to disturb anyone, knowing they would be getting up soon. He went downstairs to the cupboard and sorted amongst the things. Finding it he left the mess he had made and sat on the floor by the chair and fiddled around with it till he got the tape out. Now all he had to do was to find a machine that worked and looked around. He had seen Mummy and Daddy use the one by the TV, perhaps he could work out how to use it. Although he was a bit scared in case he messed it up Daddy did occasionally get cross and he did not like it his need for the story egged him on.

He looked at the machines, took a deep breath and pushed the tape in. He pressed the button with an arrow on it and nothing happened, so he tried another one and suddenly the tape started to wizz round. He jumped back, looked around to make sure that no-one had heard him and waited. It stopped and he looked at the buttons and decided to press the button marked "play" and waited. There was a pause and then he heard Daddy telling the story. He smiled with delight wondering whether he should run up and tell him he'd found it but got hooked by listening and sat still...until the end then rewound and started again...

Derek woke up and got up quietly and left Tess sleeping to go back to Maria. It was all quiet and no-one was around. (He didn't realise that he had just missed Benjy going downstairs, perhaps that's what woke him.) He was feeling very happy with himself, a few days and then a supposed holiday. He knew difficulties had been cropping up, and wondered if he should move it forward to tomorrow and then sell everything off gradually, after all no-one could challenge him now.

He looked at Maria as she slept and knew he had done the right thing, he had everything he wanted. He leant over and kissed her "Good morning love shall we go and celebrate." She giggled saying "Well nothing can go wrong now can it?"

"No. I think we will have an early holiday, how about tomorrow?" Derek replied in a light, unworried tone. She kissed him and said "Yes, why delay, we can always come back in a few months time. What about paying the men?" Derek replied "The keys are in the post. I just told them they would have to wait a few days to keep them on their toes."

They showered together, got dressed helping each other and still discussing the holiday when they started walking down the stairs. He gasped, stopped dead and Maria nearly pushed him down. He'd heard his brother's voice and a child laughing with great delight. Panic flashed through his mind. Was he alive or had he come back to haunt him?

Benjy heard the noise, knelt up so he came into view, with a huge grin and delight in his voice. "Look Daddy! I found the tape I can play it when ever I want to. You don't have to try and remember!"

Derek nearly yelled "No! I'll not have it here!!!" Instead, trying to stay calm, he started walking down the stairs again saying "Yes Benjy but you aught to get ready for breakfast and school."

Benjy jumped up switched the machine off and took the tape out as Derek came to the bottom of the stairs. Benjy's smile fading as he knew that daddy was not pleased and said slightly defiantly "I'm going to take it to school and show the others how you tell the stories Daddy!" then ran up the stairs.

Derek managed to contain himself till they were in the kitchen: as he paced around the small room the anger rose, he turned to Maria; Tess had heard the noise and joined them. "I cannot have that tape played all the time! Get rid of it!"

They looked at him surprised by his agitation; surely he was not afraid of a tape. They reassured him that it would only last a short time and then like everything else it would be dropped for something better.

As Benjy didn't mention the tape again Derek's mood lightened and told him their holiday might be earlier than they thought.